Proverbs 2:11
“Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:” Wisdom preserves us by discretion. We must have plan by which to guard our hearts against any false way. God has given us His Word to enable us to discern the difference between Truth and error is fruit of godly wisdom. Proverbs 2:12-17 “To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.” Wisdom protects us from sin. Darkness is all around us. Many who once shined the Glorious Light of the Gospel have now chosen to blend in with the world. Separation is rare quality today, even amongst religious circles. God’s Word is clear that we should come out from among the unbelievers, and refuse to yoke up with them. 2 Corinthians 6:14,17 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?... Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” We are preserved and protected by God through the wisdom He freely gives us through His Word. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 27-28 | Titus 1 | Proverbs 21
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When we think of wisdom and knowledge the head often comes to mind; however, Biblical wisdom does not start there.
Proverbs 2:10 “When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;” Godly wisdom begins in our heart the moment we place our faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Those that only have a head knowledge of Him have no Wisdom at all. 1 Corinthians 2:14 “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.” We cannot discern what the Word of God says without the Holy Spirit residing in us. Our hearts must be the residence of Wisdom. Psalm 19:7-8 “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.” The Scriptures will enlighten our eyes to the Truth if only we will take the time to read. Spiritual knowledge is pleasant to our souls, and can only be found within the Word. Psalm 19:9-10 “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Have you tasted the sweetness of His Word? Share that joy with others today. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 25-26 | 2 Timothy 4 | Proverbs 20 The fruit of walking uprightly is seen throughout the Book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 8:19-21 “My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.” The Lord watches over the paths that we take, and protects us along the way. We are kept and preserved by Him through the Truth of His Word. Proverbs 2:8-9 “He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.” It is only after we have trusted Him for salvation, placing our faith in Him alone, that we are able to understand His Word and His Will. Every good path for us to take can be found within the pages of Scripture. Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Allow the Word of God to shine within your life today. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 23-24 | 2 Timothy 3 | Proverbs 19 Proverbs 2:7
“He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.” This wisdom does not come from just anywhere, but rests within the power of the Almighty God. He lays up sound wisdom for us, waiting for us to ask and seek. Sound wisdom is found within the pages of His Word, for He magnifies His Word even above His Name. Psalm 138:2 “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” Sound wisdom gives us substance. The wisdom that comes from God is pure and not corrupt. There is a distinction that comes with sound wisdom, for it is built upon and hid within the Solid Rock. James 3:17-18 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” Sound wisdom gives us safety. “…he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.” To walk uprightly, we must be honest, have integrity, and sincere in our walk with the Lord. Those that walk by faith and not by sight are those that allow Him to lead, guide and direct each step they take. Psalm 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” There are specific blessings reserved for those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11 “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Walk uprightly for Him. Walk uprightly with Him. If we are to walk uprightly, we must desire wisdom from above! Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 21-22 | 2 Timothy 2 | Proverbs 18 Wisdom is a Gift.
A result not a reward, because gifts cannot be earned. Proverbs 2:6 “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” Our part is two fold, we must first ask for wisdom. James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Then we must follow the requirements of Proverbs 2:1-4. This is not working for wisdom, but rather obeying His instructions. God gives us wisdom, but we have to find it within a specific Place by His specific methods. “…out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” If we are to receive knowledge and understanding, we must see and hear what the Lord has to say in His Word. The importance of God’s Word can NEVER be overstated or exaggerated. His Word is vital to our whole existence, our walk with Him, our testimony to others, our life and well-being, our service for Him, and our worship to Him. We cannot be wise without His Word! Many conditional blessings are found throughout the Book of Proverbs. These are covenants that the Lord wishes to enter into with His children. The Creator of the Universe, the Almighty God, offers us these opportunities, and it would be foolish for us to ignore them. We must take God at His Word, believing with child like faith that His promises are true. God wants to give us wisdom. Are we willing to ask and accept His gift? Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 19-20 | 2 Timothy 1 | Proverbs 17 Receive. Hide. Incline. Apply. Cry. Lift. Seek. Search.
These eight actions teach us what we must do before we can begin to understand the fear of the Lord and, ultimately, have wisdom. Our lives must be saturated both in the Word of God and in prayer to Him. If & Then After the requirements are given, the Lord begins to tell us what blessings will be given. If we meet His conditions, He has promised us godly wisdom. Proverbs 2:1 “My son, if…” Proverbs 2:5 “Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” Understand The Fear Of The Lord We shall reverently respect and be in awe of Him, and begin to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Find The Knowledge Of God He is Omniscient; there is no end to His knowledge. We shall find that the Truths of His Word are inexhaustible. When we follow God’s instructions set forth in His Word, we begin to understand the importance of knowing Him. The more we know of Him, the more we will desire to know Him more. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 17-18 | 1 Timothy 6 | Proverbs 16 In verses 1 & 2, we saw four requirements for wisdom in reference to the Word of God. The Scripture is how He talks to us, and the next two verses refer to how we talk to Him. Both of which require us to have a hearing heart.
The importance of prayer in the life of a Christian cannot be overstated or exaggerated. Proverbs 2:3 “Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;” Cry & Lift We must earnestly pray, which requires a sincere effort. It not only matters that we pray, but also what we pray for. Pray for a craving or hunger for the Word of God. 1 Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the Truth of the Scriptures. Psalm 119:18 “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Seek & Search We must pray according to His Word, which requires that both seek and search the Scriptures. Proverbs 2:4 “If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;” Seek diligently while acknowledging that the Word of God is invaluable. Psalm 119:72 “The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” Search the Scriptures with a praying heart for the hidden treasures that are only found within the Word, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Colossians 2:3 “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Take heed today to the requirements of wisdom; with faith that in return, God will do as He has promised. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 15-16 | 1 Timothy 5 | Proverbs 15 Throughout the Scriptures, we find conditional blessings that contain promises from God of what He will do if we will simply obey His commands. The second chapter of Proverbs starts off with a fundamental principle that is imperative to the success of our walk with Him.
Receive & Hide We must first receive the Word of God and hide the Truth within our hearts. Proverbs 2:1 “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;” In 1 Kings 3:9, the first account of Solomon asking for wisdom, he uses the phrase “an understanding heart”. In the Hebrew, it’s meaning refers to having a hearing heart to listen and perceive. The same thought is used here as he describes what is required next for this promise. Proverbs 2:2 “So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;” Incline & Apply We must then incline our ears to what God has to say, and apply our hearts so that our lives display the Truth of His Word. Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:9 “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.” Our hearing affects our hearts. If we desire wisdom from God, we must evaluate what our hearts are hearing. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 13-14 | 1 Timothy 4 | Proverbs 14 Proverbs 1:24-27
“Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.” When we refuse the outstretched hand of God, we miss out on all He wants to give us by His grace. Most of all, we miss out on Him. With Him, we have nothing to fear. Without Him, we have nothing but fear. Proverbs 1:28 “Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:” The time is soon coming when it will be too late to ask for wisdom. God is very patient with us, but He will only wait so long before He removes the opportunity. How long will we ignore His hand of grace? Proverbs 1:29-30 “For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.” Our choice for wisdom today will determine our tomorrow. Neglecting the Word of God leads to disregarding the Truth, which breeds a hatred for the authority of the Scriptures. When we choose anything but the Word as our direction, we must be prepared for the consequences of our decision. Proverbs 1:31-32 “Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.” Rather than face destruction, we can find safety in the Word. Anyone can dwell safely, if they will harken unto the cry of wisdom. Proverbs 1:33 “But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 11-12 | 1 Timothy 3 | Proverbs 13 As dangerous as it is to consent to the enticing of sin, it is even more dangerous to ignore the callings of God through His infinite wisdom.
Proverbs 1:20-22 “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?” How long will we ignore His calling on our lives? We often choose the easy and simple way, without even consulting His Word for direction. Paul wrote to the church at Colosse of their need for the riches and treasures of wisdom that are only found in Christ. Colossians 2:2-4 “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.” Jesus Christ Himself is Wisdom. If He is Wisdom and He is the Word, then we can once again conclude that the Wisdom of God is found within the Word of God. Proverbs 1:23-25 “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:” The Word of Wisdom is crying for us to come into His presence, yet so often we keep the cover of our Bible closed in order to deafen His cry. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 9-10 | 1 Timothy 2 | Proverbs 12 |
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