Not only must we give when we have the opportunity to do so, but we must also live peaceably with all men. Solomon knew that contention with others was not wise.
 
Proverbs 3:29-31
“Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.”
 
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ told how we should react when we are met with opposition.
 
Matthew 5:39
“But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
 
He exhibited this example many times throughout His life on earth. Regardless of the conflict we face, Jesus showed us how to respond. He chose not to strive with those that oppressed Him, and His silence speaks loudly in the pages of Scripture.
 
Isaiah 53:7
“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”
 
We too must choose to be silent rather than say something we will regret later. Allow the Lord to work in the situation without interfering in what He has planned. Live peaceably and allow Him to change the circumstances.
 
Romans 12:18
“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”
 
 
Bible Reading:
Nehemiah 1-2  |  Hebrews 7  |  Proverbs 31

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
 
God gave His Only Begotten Son so that we might have life, the ultimate example of giving. It was within His power to give Jesus Christ as our Saviour. He did not withhold Himself from giving what He had to give. He gave so that we could also give, and He expects the same from us.
 
Proverbs 3:27-28
“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.”
 
He wants us to give cheerfully.
2 Corinthians 9:7
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
 
The more we give, the more we will receive.
2 Corinthians 9:6
“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
 
Luke 6:38
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
 
Jesus told us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. We often desire to receive; yet we neglect to give. We expect others to show us love and mercy, yet we how often we fail to extend the same grace in return.
 
Acts 20:35
“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
 
God tells us time and time again that it is wise to give.
What are you giving today?
 
 
Bible Reading:
Ezra 9-10  |  Hebrews 6  |  Proverbs 30

The Power of His Wisdom
Proverbs 3:19-20
“The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.”
 
The same power that spoke the world into existence is available to us today through the Word of God. If only we could grasp the power that is in the Word of God; yet we often take it for granted.
 
The Protection From His Wisdom
Proverbs 3:21-23
“My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
 
When we stand upon the Word of God, we have a firm foundation that cannot be destroyed. The Truth of His Word never changes, because He never changes. The Scriptures provide us direction to travel safely along life’s way on our journey to our heavenly home with Him in heaven.
 
The Pleasure In His Wisdom
Proverbs 3:24-26
“When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”
 
We can lay our heads upon our pillows having the peace that passes all understanding. There is no need to worry when we have the Lord on our side! We can be confident that He will never fail us and will always deliver us in times of trouble.
 
How has the Wisdom of God made a difference in your life?
Remind yourself today that His Wisdom makes a difference.
 
Bible Reading:
Ezra 7-8  |  Hebrews 5  |  Proverbs 29

The child of God who finds the Lord correcting him is very blessed. Our Heavenly Father chastises us in love so that we may live according to His will. When we find ourselves being corrected by the Lord, He is simply reminding us that we are His.
 
Job 5:17
“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.”
 
Where do we find happiness today? Most try and find it within the pleasures of this world, and then realize it only lasts for a season. God has given us a guaranteed way to be happy which He freely shares with His children.
 
Proverbs 3:13-18
“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.”
 
Finding Wisdom from the Word brings happiness that only comes from the Lord. Nothing can compare. Nothing is worth more. Nothing is more precious.
 
2 Chronicles 9:7
“Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.”
 
If we want to truly be happy, we must live wisely within the pages of the Word of God.
 
 
Bible Reading:
Ezra 5-6  |  Hebrews 4  |  Proverbs 28

Part of fearing the Lord is giving to Him what He not only rightfully deserves, but requires.
 
Proverbs 3:9-10
“Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”
 
Our substance – all that we have and are, was given to us from the Lord by His grace and mercy. We must in turn honour Him by obeying His commands.
 
Malachi 3:8-10
“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
 
We have not given anything to the Lord until we have paid our tithe to the local church. Anything above that is our offering to Him. There is no blessing when we do not obey Him; disobedience is not wise.
 
Proverbs 3:11-12
“My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”
 
Those that do not obey Him, if they are truly His children, will surely find themselves chastised for their actions. A loving Father corrects His children because He wants what is best for them. When the Lord corrects us, He does so in love. Those that do wrong and receive no chastening should evaluate their relationship with Him.
 
The chastening of the Lord should remind us that we are His children.
 
 
Bible Reading:
Ezra 3-4  |  Hebrews 3  |  Proverbs 27

At the root of a lack of trust in and acknowledgement of the Lord is our pride, which God hates. The Scriptures warn us many times about the consequences of being proud.
 
1 Corinthians 10:12
“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”
 
Isaiah 5:21
“Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”
 
Our pride must be defeated before we can even ask for wisdom from God. We must neglect our own understanding while clinging to His.
 
Proverbs 3:7-8
“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”
 
Where there is no fear of Him, there is no wisdom. Those who feel they are wise within themselves are truly not wise at all.
 
God resists those that are proud. If we are willing to empty ourselves of our pride, He will freely fill us with His grace. 
 
James 4:5-6
“Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
 
The god of this world cannot have the soul of the child of God, but he desires to use our flesh to tempt us to evil. We will find no wisdom within ourselves. It is only through the Wisdom of the Word that we can defeat the evil of our enemy.
 
James 4:7
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
 
When Satan tempted Jesus, He only used one defense, ”for it is written…”
Depart from evil today by clinging to the Wisdom of the Word of God.
 
 
Bible Reading:
Ezra 1-2  |  Hebrews 2  |  Proverbs 26

When we engrave the Word upon our hearts, we begin to expand our faith in Him. We should not take one step of faith without being directed by the Word of God. In the Old Testament, what we usually refer to as faith today is often described as trust.  
 
Proverbs 3:5
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
 
Where is your trust today? There are only three options: In the world, in yourself, or in Him.
 
Proverbs 28:26
“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.”
 
When we choose to lean upon our own wisdom or understanding, we have no faith and will surely fail. We are nothing without Him!
 
John 15:5
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
 
Proverbs 3:6
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
 
These popular verses in Proverbs 3 are within the context of blessings that are available when we choose to make the Word of God a priority. Trusting in the Lord is to trust in His Word. Rather than leaning on our own understanding, we can choose to find understanding through His Word.
 
Trust & Acknowledge Him today.
 
 
Bible Reading:
2 Chronicles 35-36  |  Hebrews 1  |  Proverbs 25

Once our hearts are fixed upon the Word, we begin to learn and realize the tremendous amount of blessings that come with the privilege of being a child of the King.
 
Proverbs 3:2
“For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.”
 
When we die to ourselves, and allow God to use the life which He has given us for His glory, we will see Him begin to work both in us and through us. Our lives are transformed through the power of His Word.
 
Romans 12:2
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
 
Our perception of the Word determines the outcome of our success. We must choose to highly regard every Word that the Lord has preserved for us. Outwardly, we can allow others to see the Word through our actions. Inwardly, we must apply the Truth of the Word to our hearts.
 
Exercise mercy and truth in your life each day. If we expect to receive mercy, we must first be willing to show mercy to others. God has shown us His faithfulness so that we can be faithful to Him.
 
Proverbs 3:3-4
“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.”
 
Engrave the Wisdom of the Word upon your heart and life today.
Read the Word. Recite the Word. Remember the Word.
 
 
Bible Reading:
2 Chronicles 33-34  |  Philemon  |  Proverbs 24

We cannot forget what we do not know.
The more we know of God’s Word the more of His Word we will want to know.
 
Proverbs 3:1
“My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:”
 
The importance of knowing the Word cannot be overstated; however, more than knowing, we must apply the Truth of God’s Word to our hearts.
 
“…but let thine heart…”
What we allow our hearts to do determines our words and our actions.
 
Luke 6:45
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”
 
When we live the way of the Scriptures, we will be ready to answer when asked about our faith.
 
2 Peter 3:15
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”
 
We cannot give an answer if our hearts are not fixed upon the Wisdom of the Word.
 
 
Bible Reading:
2 Chronicles 31-32  |  Titus 3  |  Proverbs 23

We learn in the Book of Romans that the payment God requires for sin is death. He has given us the freewill to choose whether to pay the debt ourselves by remaining spiritually dead and spending eternity in the Lake of Fire, or choosing Jesus Christ and His vicarious death on the cross for us.
 
Proverbs 2:18-19
“For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.”
 
When we choose to have faith in the blood of Jesus we are not only given eternal life with Him in heaven, but also as His children, we are given so many privileges.
 
Proverbs 2:20
“That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.”
 
As Wisdom enters our hearts, we become new creatures with all things becoming new to us. New life. New desires. New priorities. New direction.
 
Proverbs 2:21-22
“For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.”
 
Our new path in the Way of Wisdom leads us home. As we journey through this land, we have a roadmap in the Word of God to lead us in the narrow way. Sadly, few find the strait gate to the open arms of Jesus.
 
Matthew 16:24-25
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”
 
The eternal home of those around us depend on our desire to share the Gospel with them. We must die to our flesh and follow Him, so that others may know. We must use our God given wisdom to show others the Way, the Truth and the Life that only comes through Jesus Christ.
 
 
Bible Reading:
2 Chronicles 29-30  |  Titus 2  |  Proverbs 22