Day 173 Proverbs 30 and 31

Ahhhh the famous Provers 31.  How often I have avoided it.  I have read it in parts before and honestly thought about it and said “yeah right”.  I have also had other, more liberal woman in my life, roll their eyes at just the mention of the Proverb.  But I will tell you what I read was fresh and revitalizing.  If all the Bible is the Word of God, and we have spent the past few days reading scriptures about PURPOSE then what a great reading for us woman (I believe all the men have fallen off the reading) to read as sort of a check list for our status.  A status of how we are doing not by the World’s standard but by God’s standards.  SO I read this Proverb and thought..so How is my Character? So here is your Proverbs 31 Status report.

1. If I am a leader in the Lord’s eyes, do I fall victim to alcohol?
2. Do I speak up for those who cannot defend themselves? Or do I keep quiet and let others fight political battles?
3. Do I defend the rights of the poor? Or am I just concerned about my household?
4. Do I feel like God thinks of our Character FAR more than rubies? Or do I think he overlooks that?
5. Do I feel worthy and esteemed to my husband?
6. Am I ‘selective’ of all the goods my family attains, watches, wears, lives with?
7. Do I wake early to prepare and provide for the needs of my family?
8. Am I responsible with the funds and budget our family has?
9. Do I give 100% effort in every task of the house?
10. Do I volunteer and serve in the community as we are to?
11. Do I plan for rough times in advance?
12. Do I lift up my husband to be the man God wants him to be?
13. Do I work or contribute if it is necessary?
14. Do I keep tabs on all the activities of the family and not shut a blind eye to any happenings?
15. Do my children see the blessings of a mother role?
16. Do I show such a character that my husband or other people recognize a Proverbs 31 woman?
17. Do I set the standard for yourself higher than that of society? Do I set it to God’s standards?
18. Do I recognize that any exteranl beauty will be gone, but a God respecting woman will be praised by those around her forever.

What I also noticed was what this Proverb did not mention.  It did not mention her corporate states,her economic class, her weight or appearance appearance.  Noble Character is what we are in the inside Portrayed into action.  So we surely will read Proverbs 31 again in our life.  When we read it we need to strive to tackle another verse each time.

Day 169 Proverbs 27-29

I think knowing we are coming to the end of Proverbs has made me really slow down and think about each one.  I read them in New Living Translationtoday and they were A MAZE ING!

As iron sharpens iron,
      so a friend sharpens a friend.

As a face is reflected in water,
      so the heart reflects the real person

God detests the prayers
      of a person who ignores the law.

Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing,
      but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.

To discipline a child produces wisdom,
      but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.

The righteous despise the unjust;
      the wicked despise the godly.

Day 168 Proverbs 25-26

The rest of the  Proverbs we read were written by Solomon but collected by Hezekiah.  Hezekiah was one of the few Kings in Judah that honored the Lord.  These Proverbs are written toward the Leaders and Kings.  We today are the leaders.  Jesus used Proverbs 25 as a parable in the book of Luke.

Proverbs 25.  Loved it.   Remove the dross from the silver and out comes material for the silversmith.  The Lord is the Silversmith.  We are his Silver.  In order for him to mold us and make us shine, in order for Him to make us beautiful to the owner (Him) first the dross needs to be removed.  Dross is the impurities, the unwanted, unneeded material in the element .  So if you decide to live a life more according the the Lord, you need to clean it up inside and out.  Then he can make you His Gem.   A Gem in the crown of the King.  Flawless!

Proverbs 26. I found 26 to be interesting because they were so straight forward.  They should not be read as we see people, but this is how the Lord sees people.  We might read these proverbs and think of others but we need to always read them and think “Is that how the Lord sees me today”.  Folly, Gossip, Pride, Malice, Drunkard, Fool…are we sure none of these were us?  I truly think after the 365 read I am going to buy a Handbook on the Proverbs and dig a little deeper on them.  Pearls of Wisdom.

Day 161 Proverbs 22-24

My husband is in NJ, and I am packing today for a road trip.  Me, my 3 kids and my 2 dogs are getting on the road and heading East towards both the Carolina’s.  I had trouble sitting quietly and focusing on God so I am going to read these 3 chapters later.  I will say though I made a CD for the Car of Patriotic Songs that  I bought off itunes becasue kids just don’t know learn them anymore.  I have to say EVERY song is about God.  I guess that is why this country stopped singing them.

Day 160 Proverbs 19-21

Assignment: I want you to pick one from each chapter and memorize it by Monday.  There must be so many of these that you either liked because you know it to be Truth, or that you need to memorize it because it is Truth that is speaking to you.  So pick three, you can write them and put them in your car, over the kitchen sink, in the restroom, on your computer,  use a dry erase pen on a mirror…

Here are my 3:

Many are the plans in a man’s heart,
       but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21)

Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
       but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.(Proverbs 20:15)

If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,
       he too will cry out and not be answered. (Proverbs 21:13)

Pray

One of the woman reading with us, ”Rachel :P”, who has not missed a single day on the readings or blog  is coming home tommorrow.  She has been on Mission in America Samoa for a year.  Pray that her travels be safe and that all the seeds she has been planting will grow and flourish!

Day 159 Proverbs 16-18

What to write on?  They were so good.  The ones in the beginning of 16 really stopped me.

All a man’s ways seem innocent to him,
       but motives are weighed by the LORD.  Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
       and your plans will succeed.

  The LORD works out everything for his own ends—
       even the wicked for a day of disaster.

  The LORD detests all the proud of heart.
       Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

  Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
       through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.

  When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD,
       he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

  Better a little with righteousness
       than much gain with injustice.

  In his heart a man plans his course,
       but the LORD determines his steps.

Day 158 Proverbs 13-15

One thing I think we need to remember is who wrote these and when.  In 1 Kings Chapter 3 the Lord tells Solomon “Ask me of whatever you want me to give you”.  And Solomon asks for Wisdom and a Discerning Heart.  And God granted him this Wisdom, and from that Solomon has written over 3000 Proverbs.  So what we are reading is the thoughts and warnings straight from the Lord through Solomon’s pen.

The Proverbs have said a wise learner accepts instruction and criticism, loves disciple, listens to advice, accepts parents advice, leads others towards the Truth, receives honor, is blessed, helps people avoid traps, uses pleasant words, and speaks wisely.

A fool, ignores instruction, hates correction, won’t take advice, mocks parents, leads others astray, will end their life in shame, and eventually self destruct.

I circled a lot of the Proverbs in these chapters but the ones that keep rolling through my head this week are the ones that talk about hard work. 

 He who works his land will have abundant food,
       but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment (12:11)

From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things
       as surely as the work of his hands rewards him. (12:14)

All hard work brings a profit,
       but mere talk leads only to poverty (14:23

Day 157 Proverbs 10-12

These short writings are what people think of when they hear the word Proverb.  Written by Solomon.  We ended yesterday with a verse:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
       and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Now it is time to harness the knowledge.  These are the precepts from the Lord.  Each one as important to the Lord as the next.  Take each verse and think about it, take a note about it, maybe look it up in a different version if you are not grabbing it, pick one or two to write on your bathroom mirror with Dry Erase Pen to memorize.  This is a great place to keep your book mark so that if you  Bible Dip for a daily devotion, these are great Truths.

Which Truth popped out to you (today).

Well Many did to me…I was a circling fool!  But what interested me more was looking up what many of them meant in Hebrew.    For example:

Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
       but those who are righteous will go free. (Proverbs 11:21)

Wicked means “guilty”.  Guilty is a non christian, an unbeliever.

“will go free” means Delivered! Redeemed!

If you have a verse that popped out and you want help looking up the words in the original text of Hebrew, put the scripture in the Comments and I will help you.

Just a thought to keep you going

We only have 3 months of Old Testament left but in those 3 months we have 20 books left to read!

And 3 Months of New Testament! 27 NT Books.  And then we are off the schedule.

As you read these Proverbs and you see the word DISCIPLINE, think of what we are doing.  This is hard. But we are surrendering to the Discipline of it.