Proverbs 28:28
“When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.” Adam and Eve hid themselves from the presence of the Lord after they chose to eat of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Just as the trees of the garden could not hide them for the Lord, we cannot find a place where He cannot see us. Proverbs 28:12 “When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.” God knows our hearts, but he also knows our flesh. He knows the difficulty we face when sin abounds around us. Where have we hid ourselves? Our flesh wants to run and hide in avoidance, but what is most needful is for us to stand against the wickedness around us. Instead of trying to hide, may we choose to acknowledge our wrong doing so that our fellowship with the Lord can be restored. Psalm 32:5 “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.” Instead of hiding, seek to hide the Word of God within your heart today. Psalm 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Bible Reading: Ezra 1-2 | Titus 2 | Proverbs 21
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Proverbs 28:27
“He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.” How often do we hide our eyes from those around us that are in need of our assistance? Lamentations 1:12 “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?” The parable of the Good Samaritan is the ultimate example of how most people just pass by someone in need of help. Luke 10:30-35 “And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.” He could have passed by just like the others did; yet not only did this Good Samaritan stop and help, but he also had compassion on the man and went the extra mile to do whatever he could to fulfill his need. He gave his time, used his ability to take care of him, and then gave money to pay for anything else that was needed. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” Every day God gives us opportunities to give what we have to those in need. Some days it may just be our time. Sometimes our talents can be used to help. Some situations require us giving of our treasure. The Lord promises that when we give, we shall not lack. Proverbs 19:17 “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” Whatever the need, we should seek to use every opportunity we are given to do something for someone else, because we are ultimately doing it for Him. Matthew 25:40 “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” What will you give today? Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 35-36 | Titus 1 | Proverbs 20 Proverbs 28:25-26
“He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” There are only two options. We either place our trust in the Lord or we trust in our own hearts. Psalm 40:4 “Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.” Pride stirs up strife. There is no way around it. If we allow pride to creep into our hearts, we will face strife in our relationships. It may start small, effecting just a friend or two, but eventually every relationship we have will be filled with strife because we are consumed by conceit. Proverbs 13:10 “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.” The only way to walk wisely is to put our trust in the Lord. It is foolish to depend on ourselves, when we have the option to trust in the One Who created the heart that we so often tend to rely on. Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 33-34 | 2 Timothy 4 | Proverbs 19 Proverbs 28:24
“Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.” The Apostle Paul reminded the church of Ephesus of the simplicity and importance of the first commandment with promise. Ephesians 6:2-3 “Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” Honouring our parents includes refusing to rob them of the inheritance we think we might deserve. If we choose not to honour we curse them, which brings consequences. Matthew 15:4 “For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” The Prodigal Son is the ultimate example of what awaits us if we choose to rob our parents. Luke 15:12-13 “And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.” He had a vastly different outcome in mind rather than feeding the swine in the fields of the far country, but that is where his transgression against his father took him. Yet when he repented and returned home to his father, he was welcomed with open arms. Luke 15:32 “It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.” What a picture of the forgiveness our Heavenly Father offers to all who come to Him confessing their sin and believing in His Son. Will we rob Him by rejecting the relationship He so freely offers? Will we rob Him by refusing to share the Gospel with others? Will we rob Him by resisting the call He has placed upon our lives? Choose today to stop robbing the Father. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 31-32 | 2 Timothy 3 | Proverbs 18 Proverbs 28:23
“He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.” Would you rather someone compliment you or tell you the Truth? A compliment is temporal, whereas redirecting our focus back to what the Word of God says can pay eternal dividends. Ecclesiastes 7:5 “It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.” Friends that are wiling to rebuke us are few and far between. The Truth may hurt at first, but we will find it much more needful than temporarily being flattered. Proverbs 9:8-9 “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” Faithful friends are willing to speak the Truth rather than condone or encourage our wrongdoing. 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.” The best way to find faithful friends is to be one. Although it can be hard to reprove someone for fear of how they will react, God can use us for His glory and the good of our friends when we follow His leading to rebuke in love. Galatians 4:16 “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” Resist the urge to flatter your friends and instead seek to faithfully and lovingly remind them of what the Word of God has to say. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 29-30 | 2 Timothy 2 | Proverbs 17 Proverbs 28:22
“He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.” When another church member drives on the parking lot in a brand new car or the lady we share a pew with has a new dress or handbag, something within us creates the desire for more. Suddenly, we find ourselves wishing we were driving new shiny car, wearing a new dress, and carrying a new matching designer bag. James 4:5 “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?” The evil eye of envy is engraved within our being. None of us are exempt from lusting after that which we do not have. Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Our flesh desires many things that we simply do not need. Envying the prosperity of others will cause poverty to come to us. Before we become poor by trying to be rich, we must reevaluate our needs verses our wants. The best solution for defeating the evil eye of envy is to learn to be content with what we have. Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 27-28 | 2 Timothy 1 | Proverbs 16 Proverbs 28:21
“To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.” God is not a respecter of persons. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance by grace and through faith in Him. Acts 10:34-35 “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” He does not pick and choose, but rather gives each person a choice to make. Have you chosen Him? John 3:15-16 “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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.” He is a Whosoever God. As His children, we are to be a Whosoever People. We are to have no respect of persons – no picking and choosing based upon prior judgment, discrimination or status. James 2:9-10 “But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” The Psalmist penned that all it takes for the man who has respect of persons to sin is a piece of bread. A single piece of bread is enough for a judging person to sin against a holy God. How fast are we to discriminate against another one of God’s children? Or even worse, to judge someone before they meet Him? How much does it take us to sin? Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 25-26 | 1 Timothy 6 | Proverbs 15 Proverbs 28:20
“A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.” To be faithful is to be dependable, honest, and upright. Faithfulness is a rare characteristic today. Proverbs 20:6 “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” We live in a time when promoting yourself seems to be the way of the day. There are very few people that are simply faithful, and have no agenda or ulterior motive. Luke 14:11 “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” The Word of God promises that many blessings are in store for those who are faithful; yet, the dishonest and unfaithful will not be left unpunished. Luke 16:10 “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” Will the Lord find us faithful when He returns? Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 23-24 | 1 Timothy 5 | Proverbs 14 Proverbs 28:19
“He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.” God has given each of us a distinct and specific purpose for our lives. When we seek to fulfill that which He has called us to do, we will never find ourselves in want of need. The phrase “tilleth his land” references working and serving while worshipping the Lord. There is satisfaction in serving Him. Proverbs 12:11 “He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.” There is provision in serving Him. Psalm 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” The sole purpose of our life is to glorify the Lord in service to Him. There is no higher calling in this world than to be a servant for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is our reasonable service to be His servants. Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Till the land He has given you today. No matter how big or small, there is a purpose to be fulfilled. 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.” Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 21-22 | 1 Timothy 4 | Proverbs 13 Proverbs 28:18
“Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.” Most of us had a relative when we were younger that always reminded us to straighten up. Whether we were slouched over at the dinner table or slumped over as we walked down the street, we needed the reminder. As Christians, we need reminded of the need to walk uprightly much more often than we were ever told to sit or stand up straight. There is safety in walking uprightly. Proverbs 2:6-7 “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.” There are blessings available by walking 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.” There will be consequences when we neglect to walk uprightly. Proverbs 10:9 “He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.” We reap what we sow; that phrase works both ways, positively and negatively. What are we sowing today that we may reap tomorrow? Galatians 6:7-9 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Will you find safety and blessings or will you reap the consequences of neglecting to walk uprightly? Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 19-20 | 1 Timothy 3 | Proverbs 12 |
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