Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 for attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young-
5let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance-
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9 They will be a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
do not give in to them.
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood,
let’s waylay some harmless soul;
12 let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in your lot with us,
and we will share a common purse”-
15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;
16for their feet rush into sin,
they are swift to shed blood.
17 How useless to spread a net
in full view of all the birds!
18 These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they waylay only themselves!
19Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the lives of those who get it.
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street,
she raises her voice in the public squares;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out,
in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
23 If you had responded to my rebuke,
I would have poured out my heart to you
and made my thoughts known to you.
24 But since you rejected me when I called
and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,
25 since you ignored all my advice
and would not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you-
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me.
29 Since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the LORD,
30 since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
Thoughts:
Am I listening to God’s wisdom? Am I reflecting and obeying God’s commandments?
What are my fruits? What am I bearing?
Reading this, I feel like I’ve been going on my own track for a very long time. I have not trusted God in the ministry I am in, I have not taken the time to work on my character or even challenged my character.
If I listen to wisdom and I trust upon God’s wisdom, I know my heart will not feel conflicted.
Prayer:
Dear God,
Thank you for loving me today and keeping me alive today. Thank you for your protection and watching over me and my family. Lord, I thank you for the Word you have given me. You know I have many goals that I would like to accomplish this year. May you help me get to where I want to be? I want to have you in the center of those things and ask that you will keep me focused upon you.
Lord there are a lot of things that I need to do for ministry and I feel lost at times. I don’t know how to lead the group that I do have, but please help me. I am discouraged because I feel as if I am not fit for this position. Lord, may you send someone to take over the reigns of college ministry and help it flourish. God, I know you are working in Jason and I pray that you can provide a high school leader to watch over that group as he moves up.
I pray that you will be with him as he gains more responsibilities at the church and to really guide him through your Word and prayer. I pray that he will live a life of integrity and pursue goodness. I also pray that you will be with him when people discourage or thinks little of him. Please give him the strength to continue in your ministry.
I thank you for the church you have given us to serve. I pray that you will bless Cornerstone and have the congregation feel blessed and closer to you. I pray for tonight’s prayer meeting and going through church discipline. Lead us to pray and show grace upon them.
I also pray that you will be with me as I set out these goals to work out and to be fit. I pray that I could be a good steward for you and to really glorify you in everything that I do.
Be with my family as we leave to Vegas this weekend and have a good time with each other.
Thank you for my job and giving me an awesome place to be at.
I love you Lord.
Amen
