Proverbs 27:7
“The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.” Hunger causes us to do strange things. It can bring anger or disorientation, while also affecting the way things taste. The hungrier we are, the better the food tastes when we partake of it. God fed the children of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years. He sent manna to feed them in such a unique way that could have only been the Lord taking care of them. Deuteronomy 8:3 “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” Just as our bodies crave food for the nourishment needed, our souls desire the spiritual food of the Word of God. Job 23:12 “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” There are things that can only be found within the pages of His Word. John 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” May we hunger after the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, seeking to be filled by Him. Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Bible Reading: 2 Kings 7-8 | 2 Corinthians 12 | Proverbs 10
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Proverbs 27:5-6
“Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” Actions speak louder than words. Telling someone we love them is not nearly as effective as showing them. One of the best ways we can express our love for someone is by telling them the truth. Although it may sometimes hurt, a true friend will be faithful to tell you the truth regardless of how much it hurts. Matthew 18:15 “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Reproof can wound at first, but it works for our healing. Job 5:17-18 “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.” It is far better to be wounded by a friend than to be lied to by an enemy who says they care. Proverbs 10:18 “He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.” Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. We may have a Judas in our lives. We must ask the Lord for Wisdom to discern the difference between a friend and an enemy. Bible Reading: 2 Kings 5-6 | 2 Corinthians 11 | Proverbs 9 Proverbs 27:4
“Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?” Envy is even worse than wrath or anger. Cain killed his brother, Abel, out of envy. Joseph’s brothers placed him in a pit and sold him out of envy. The Jews took counsel against Jesus Christ out of envy. None of these men could stand against the envy others had toward them; not even Christ Himself. If they could not, what makes us think we can? Proverbs 6:34 “For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.” Envy is conceived through lust and is nothing by a tool of the devil. He plants the seed of lust in our wicked hearts, and then when we see someone else with the object of our desire, envy settles within us. James 4:1-5 “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?” The envy of others is contagious. Those who vocalize their envy are not wise. Jealousy is foolishness, which only creates havoc and chaos. James 3:14-16 “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” The foolishness of envy is all around us. We must be aware of the effects of envy, and seek to avoid those who are envious. Galatians 5:25-26 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” Bible Reading: 2 Kings 3-4 | 2 Corinthians 10 | Proverbs 8 Proverbs 27:3
“A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.” Heavy objects impede progress or productivity because they are too large to move or else require a great deal of effort to do so. Attempting to carry something too heavy can be dangerous to our health. Job 5:2 “For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.” The wrath of a fool can weigh us down more than any boulder. When our hearts are heavy with grief or pain it is easy to struggle with even the simplest daily activity. Wrath destroys. Wrath distracts. Wrath disappoints. It is possible to be angry without it leading to foolishness. Ephesians 4:26-27 “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.” There is only one cure for the heaviness within our hearts. Psalm 119:28 “My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.” Rather than sink under the pressure of wrath, we can choose to strengthen ourselves with the Word of God. Bible Reading: 2 Kings 1-2 | 2 Corinthians 9 | Proverbs 7 Proverbs 27:2
“Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.” If we are ever to be wise we must faithfully avoid praising ourselves. 2 Corinthians 10:12 “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” Self-praise is evidence of a prideful heart. God hates pride; therefore when we allow it to creep into our lives, He is forced to intervene. Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Our works are to be seen and not heard. If we are faithful in our works of service, our Faithful Father will be glorified. Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Throughout His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reiterated this Truth. Anything we do for the Lord must not be done to be seen of men, but rather so they may see Him. If our motive is to be seen of men, we shall have our reward. Matthew 6:1-2 “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” Even Christ refused to praise Himself. If He was not worthy to praise Himself, what makes us think we are? John 8:54 “Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:” May we seek to be praiseworthy while refusing to praise ourselves. Bible Reading: 1 Kings 21-22 | 2 Corinthians 8 | Proverbs 6 Proverbs 27:1
“Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Wisdom is best used in only one tense. Past wisdom cannot be used today. Future wisdom has not yet been received. We have only today to use the Wisdom that God has given us. 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 “We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” None of us are promised tomorrow. Delay may lead to denial. Today may be our last opportunity to fulfill the purpose that God has in store for us. Matthew 6:33-34 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Will we waste today looking back at what we should have done or looking forward to what we could do? Neither of these options is wise. James 4:13-15 “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” Although we should prepare for what God may have us to do tomorrow, we must live for Him today. There is no good reason to put off until tomorrow what God would have us to do today. Bible Reading: 1 Kings 19-20 | 2 Corinthians 7 | Proverbs 5 Proverbs 26:28
“A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.” There are two types of lies of which we should wisely be aware. One is often spoken out of hate or distaste, while the other puffs up and inflates; however both are equally unwise. Insulting Lies This type of lie afflicts those to which it is aimed. It is most likely told in secret, where there is no defense against the truth, thus the affliction it can cause to a person’s reputation. Proverbs 6:16,19 “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him…A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Flattering Lies Though it is often told publicly, it secretly and quietly leads to the ruin of the person being flattered. If taken to heart, a lie is believed to be true, which leads to thinking themselves to be something they are not. Psalm 12:3-4 “The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?” The key to a flattering lie is to stay humble. It is wise to be more leery of the compliments than the criticism. Regardless of the type, the Lord hates lies. We must hold fast to the Truth of the Word of God, and allow Him alone to fight for us when others tell lies about us. Rest in the Truth today. Bible Reading: 1 Kings 17-18 | 2 Corinthians 6 | Proverbs 4 Proverbs 26:27
“Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.” This Truth can serve as both a warning and a comfort to us. Those that choose to dig a pit intended for others are sure to fall into it themselves. Psalm 7:15-16 “He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.” That which is purposed for the pain of others will cause more hurt to the planner. If someone chooses to dig a pit intended for us, we can take comfort that they will soon find themselves in one as well. Vengeance is not for us; we must allow the Lord to take care of the situation in whatever way He sees fit. Ecclesiastes 10:8 “He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.” Remember we reap what we sow. If we choose to dig a pit for others, we will end up in it ourselves. Ask Haman. Esther 7:10 “So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.” Rather than find yourself in a pit, allow the Lord to take care of whatever situation you are dealing with today. Choose to exercise the Wisdom He has given you through His Word that protect and rescue us from the pits around us. Psalm 40:2 “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” Avoid the pits of foolishness by resting in the comfort that God has everything under control. Genesis 50:20 “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” He is working everything for your good and His glory. Bible Reading: 1 Kings 15-16 | 2 Corinthians 5 | Proverbs 3 Proverbs 26:24-26
“He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.” Actions speak louder than words. No matter what a person says, if their actions are contrary to what is said, we must take heed not to believe what we hear. Proverbs 12:5 “The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.” Discernment is key. The Lord gives Wisdom and discernment to His children. This simply means that He allows us to differentiate between Truth and error. 1 Kings 3:9 “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?” When Solomon asked for Wisdom, he specifically requested that he would be able to discern between the good and the bad. If we are in need of discernment, we must ask as Solomon did. 1 Corinthians 2:14-15 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” Discerning Wisdom is found within the pages of the Word of God. Ezekiel 44:23-24 “And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.” Studying the Word guards our hearts from deceit. The Truth of the Scriptures must be our Guidelines for distinguishing whether or not the words we hear are true. Bible Reading: 1 Kings 13-14 | 2 Corinthians 4 | Proverbs 2 Proverbs 26:23
“Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.” Insincerity will get us nowhere. Profession is only a form of something instead of being authentic. There are many things that we can profess to have or to be. Professing friendship or love with an ulterior motive. Professing to be a disciple without willing to follow direction. Professing salvation with no confession or possession. Titus 1:16 “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” There is a movement today where simply saying a prayer results in salvation. Hebrews 4:2 “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” No matter what words are spoken, if they are not mixed with faith there is no conversion. Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Anyone that calls upon the Name of the Lord will be saved; however in the context of Romans 10, a few verses above tells us that we must confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God hath raised Him from the dead in order to be saved. Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Without a true conversion, there is only religious hypocrites or deceived followers. It is a sad thing to think about those who have been taught wrong about how to go to Heaven. Anyone who professes to be a child of God yet has not repented of their sin and trusted in the finished work of Jesus Christ alone for their salvation is simply not saved. Instead, they are the potsherd covered in silver dross, appearing to be something they are not. 2 Peter 1:10-11 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” False professions can still be reversed. Bible Reading: 1 Kings 11-12 | 2 Corinthians 3 | Proverbs 1 |
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