Proverbs 28:17
“A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.” Murder and violence are not to be tolerated, for they always lead to destruction. Just four chapters into Genesis, the first Book of the Bible, we find a murderer. Genesis 4:8 “And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.” The flesh of Cain rose up and slew his faithful brother, Abel. These two brothers were raised in the same household by the same parents, yet they were vastly different. Their offerings were incomparable. The Lord only had respect unto Abel’s offering which resulted in the ultimate division between the brothers. Genesis 4:9-10 “And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.” Jealousy and rage got the best of Cain and caused him to do the unthinkable, which made him a fugitive. Genesis 4:11-12 “And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.” Although we are likely to never physically become murderers, as sinners we often make haste to shed innocent blood. Jealousy is dangerous, and it can make us do things that we were never intended. Cain did not plan to kill his brother. What sin will cause us to flee into a pit? Temptation is all around us, so we must boldly guard ourselves against it. Proverbs 1:10 “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” Whatever tempting situation you find yourself in today, remember that sin does not have to be the answer. Psalm 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Guard yourself by delighting in the Word of God and the Wisdom of Truth. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 17-18 | 1 Timothy 2 | Proverbs 11
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Proverbs 28:16
“The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.” To want understanding is to be without it, and therefore foolish. Those without Wisdom, especially those in authority, seek to oppress those around them. Ecclesiastes 4:1 “So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.” Covetousness is a sin of those who desire something they do not have. The rich and powerful are rarely content with what they have, but contentment is something that we all struggle with. Luke 12:15 “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” How often do we covet that which is not ours? In today’s technological age of social media, the art of comparison abounds. We are constantly bombarded by the superficial façade of our friends and followers. Our feeds are full of prideful posts that display the materialism and narcissism of people that makes our flesh desire to have what they seem to have. This is simply another tactic the devil uses to oppress our minds and discourage our spirits. When we realize this, it makes it much easier to deflect the effects of covetousness by choosing to seek shelter under the shadow of the wings of Wisdom. Psalm 17:8-12 “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about. They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly. They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.” The roaring lion seeks to devour God’s children. May we not be ignorant of his devices, and instead seek to counter his attacks with the Word of Wisdom. Satan flees at the mention of the Name of Jesus. He has no power when the Word of God is mentioned. We can fight the devil the same way that Jesus did, by quoting the Word. See what happened the many times Jesus said, “For it is written” in Matthew 4. When you are a faced with oppression or covetousness, turn to the Truth of the Scriptures for the Wisdom you need to defeat the attacks of the enemy. Hebrews 13:5-6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 15-16 | 1 Timothy 1 | Proverbs 10 Proverbs 28:15
“As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.” We have most likely all heard the phrase, “Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my!” This saying is a famous line from the iconic movie, The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy was scared of what her, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow would encounter. As they journeyed, they soon came upon a roaring lion, which would turn out to be the Cowardly Lion that would continue on with them. In our journey through life, we too often meet a roaring lion; yet this one is no fictitious character from a movie. The lion we come across is very real and seeks to devour us. 1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” We must not be ignorant of his devices. He places wicked people all around us. Some in ordinary relationships, some in high places of authority, and even some within the walls of our churches. 2 Corinthians 2:11 “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” God has given us a Wise Plan in order to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” We have a whole armour of Wisdom for the battle. God have given us five pieces of armour to defend ourselves against the tactics of the roaring lion that constantly seeks to devour us. See Ephesians 6 for the description of each piece of armour. We are wise to daily put on each piece so that we can boldly stand for the Lord. Ephesians 6:13 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” There is only one offensive Weapon that we need. The Sword of the Spirit is not for us to fight the battle on our own, but rather for Him to fight for us. He need only speak and the devil is defeated. Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Allow the Wisdom of the Word of God to pierce through the hardness of your heart today as you choose to trust the Lord to fight the devil for you. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 13-14 | 2 Thessalonians 3 | Proverbs 9 Proverbs 28:14
“Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.” True happiness lies within a healthy fear of God. If we do not truly fear Him, we will never be truly happy. Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” A fear of the Lord is where wisdom begins. When we stand in awe of Him, having a healthy and holy reverence for Who He Is, we have the capacity to become wise through Him. Proverbs 3:13 “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” Happiness lies within delighting in the Word of God. When we fear Him, we will desire to know Him. He has given us the Scriptures so that we can read and study to know Him more. Psalm 112:1 “Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.” Refusing to fear the Lord results in the hardening of our hearts. As a heart hardens it becomes unaffected by sin and ignorant of the need to confess and repent. This is such a dangerous state for a person to be in. Choose today to wisely continue to resist the hardening by strengthening your fear of the Lord, for then you can find true happiness. Proverbs 2:1-6 “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 11-12 | 2 Thessalonians 2 | Proverbs 8 Proverbs 28:13
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” The need to hide our sin is engrained within the very fabric of our being. Our flesh often causes us to try to hide or even lie about our wrongdoing. It can even begin to convince us that no one will ever know the truth of what we have done. There are many examples of this within the pages of Scripture. Adam and Eve tried to hide their sin. Genesis 3:8-10 “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Cain tried to hide his sin. Genesis 4:8-9 “And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?” Achan tried to hide his sin. Joshua 7:21 “When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.” Regardless of how hard we may try to hide it, God sees everything. The truth of our sin will come out one way or another. There is no need to hide from Him. Numbers 32:23 “…behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.” Thankfully, there is not only a Remedy for our sin, but also one simple requirement. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We need only humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God, and honestly confess our sin. It is that simple. When we are enticed to cover up our sins, may we reject the temptation to hide and choose to immediately confess them to the Lord. He is Faithful to forgive us by His grace and mercy. Lamentations 3:22-23 “It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 9-10 | 2 Thessalonians 1 | Proverbs 7 Proverbs 28:12
“When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.” The state of the church determines the course of a nation. Look around today and compare the average church in America with the current events in our country. Proverbs 14:34 “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory. There is joy in seeking the Lord through the pages of His Word. 1 Chronicles 16:10 “Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.” There is great liberty in righteousness. Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” The Statue of Liberty stands tall and shines brightly in New York Harbor proclaiming the freedom that is found in America. How much more is the liberty that has been given unto us through Christ! He has made us free, and yet we often choose to entangle ourselves over and over again in the bondage of sin. Matthew 5:14-15 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” Rather than hide the Light within us under a bushel, may we choose today to rejoice as we shine brightly for all to see. 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.” Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 7-8 | 1 Thessalonians 5 | Proverbs 6 Proverbs 28:11
“The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.” Wealth cannot make us wise. The love of the money we possess often causes us to make poor choices. 1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Riches tend to make us look to ourselves, resulting in pride. Poverty tends to make us look to God to meet our needs, resulting in faith. Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Our reliance upon God to provide for our every need creates within us a faith that enables us to diligently seek Him. When we must ask in order to receive, our faith is strengthened as we seek Him provide time and time again. Wisdom rarely makes us wealthy, but oh what greater riches are ours when we choose Him. Ephesians 2:7 “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” True wealth and wisdom is found in the Word of God. He is where we find everything we need. Romans 11:33,36 “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!...For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” If given the choice of wealth or Wisdom, which would you choose? Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 5-6 | 1 Thessalonians 4 | Proverbs 5 Proverbs 28:10
“Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.” When an enemy devises a plan against us, it will come back to them like a boomerang. Those who try and set the righteous up for failure have forgotten that we are not our own, we are bought with a price, and the Lord will fight the battle for us. Exodus 14:14 “The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” Planned pits always backfire. If we choose to dig a pit for someone else, we are sure to find ourselves in that pit before long. Likewise, if someone chooses to dig a pit for us, they will fall into it themselves. Proverbs 26:27 “Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.” The brothers of Joseph planned a pit for him, yet found themselves in their own “pit” years later. A famine left them nowhere to turn but to the very place where the Lord had preserved their brother. When he revealed himself to them, can you imagine the looks on their faces? Perhaps the images of that pit flashed before their eyes as their evil plan backfired. Joseph is a great example of mercy and love. Instead of holding a grudge or seeking vengeance upon his brothers, he chooses to forgive and forget. 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.” Planned pits can have a far greater purpose. He realized that through it all, God had another plan far greater than Joseph’s brothers had that day. He found himself possessing good things that he would have otherwise never had. If God can use Joseph’s situation for his good and His glory, He can use anything we face today. Psalm 40:1-3 “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 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. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” Wait patiently on Him today with faith that you will soon possess the good things that He has promised to His children. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 3-4 | 1 Thessalonians 3 | Proverbs 4 Proverbs 28:9
“He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” Faith begins when we hear the Word of God. Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Our communication with God comes from us reading the His Word so that He can speak to us, and then us praying to Him. When we neglect to hear what He has to say, sin begins to creep into our lives. Psalm 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” If we choose not to spend time in the Scriptures, there will be consequences. Sin keeps us from God. He cannot even look upon sin. When Christ was on the cross, becoming our sin for us, our Heavenly Father turned His back upon His only begotten Son. When that happened, darkness fell upon all the land. The Light of the World had become sin for us so that Light of the Gospel might be shown unto us. 2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” The Light of the Gospel is shown through the Word of God. The Apostle Paul wrote that there would come a day when the Word of God would not be heeded to or even heard. We cannot apply that which we do not hear. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” Turning away our ears from the Truth is the most unwise choice we can make. When we reject Him, He will reject us. Sin not only keeps us from God, it keeps our prayers from Him. Psalm 66:18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” Simply put: the unheard Word results in being unheard. Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 1-2 | 1 Thessalonians 2 | Proverbs 3 Proverbs 28:8
“He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.” Unjust gain is unwise. That which we acquire unjustly is soon to disappear. Lying to receive something is vanity. It is dangerous to receive that which we have no right to have. Proverbs 21:6 “The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.” There is nothing good about us; our righteousness is as filthy rags. Anything we receive is a gift from God, but He requires that we be honest and truthful in our character. Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” It is wise to work. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” We must work hard, with the faith that God will provide every need we have. He knows what we need before we even ask. Luke 12:29-31 “And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Rather than seek to receive unjustly, let us trust the Lord to provide. Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 27-29 | 1 Thessalonians 1 | Proverbs 2 |
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