Latest / A Chapter a Day Bible Reading / May 16 - Proverbs 3

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May 16 - Proverbs 3 · A Chapter a Day Bible Reading

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  Hello friends, shown here it is Thursday.
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  It is the 16th of May. Thank you for inviting me into
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  your day. As we get closer to the end of
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  the week and we continue in our journey reading through the Book
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  of Proverbs are Proverbs. What a fascinating book, right?
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  And there are all these controversies.
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  You know that the more you learn about something, the more
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  controversial it becomes. What you what you just assumed
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  was simple, is never simple. And the assumption is that,
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  yeah, these were written by King Solomon as he was ruling, but
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  the more that they have learned, the more that they are starting
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  to realise with consensus, is that these were likely written
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  during the exile, or after the exile in Babylon, which is a
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  long time after Solomon. Because as they've looked at
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  these, they have seen parallels between Proverbs and other
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  wisdom writings of the ancient Near East.
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  And it's very likely that as they were exiled in Babylon that
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  the Israelites heard this other literature and they thought, no,
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  these are the teachings of our people.
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  And so they captured their wisdom, their wisdom handed down
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  from the wisest man in their National History, and they've
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  captured their version. Which doesn't talk about the
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  correct way to live to gain prosperity, but it talks about
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  the best way to live in wisdom, in submission to the Lord though
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  it is putting a very God centric slant on the idea of wisdom.
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  And so here we are able to take note of this incredible writing
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  which brings such richness and tradition and shares it all in
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  the light of us as people of the living God.
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  How awesome is that? So today, gather around with me
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  like little children sitting on the knee of our Father as he
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  will teach us more about trusting in God and finding
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  wisdom as we read together. Proverbs Chapter 3
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  My child, Never forget the things I've taught you.
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  Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live
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  many years and your life will be satisfying.
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  Never let loyalty and kindness leave you.
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  Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
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  Write them deep within your heart.
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  Then you will find favour with both God and people, and you
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  will earn a good reputation. Trust in the Lord with all your
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  heart. Do not depend on your own
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  understanding. Seek His will in all you do and
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  He will show you which path to take.
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  Don't be impressed with your own wisdom.
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  Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
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  Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your
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  bones onto the load, with your wealth and with the best part of
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  everything you produce. Then He will fill your barns
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  with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.
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  But child, don't reject the Lord's discipline, and don't be
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  upset when He corrects you, For the Lord corrects those He
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  loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom He delights.
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  Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains
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  understanding, For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and
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  her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than
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  rubies. Nothing you desire can compare
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  with her. She offers you long life in her
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  right hand and riches and honour in her left.
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  She will guide you down delightful paths.
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  All her ways are satisfying. Wisdom is a tree of life to
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  those who embrace her. Happy are those who hold her
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  tightly. By wisdom the Lord founded the
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  earth. By understanding He created the
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  heavens. By His knowledge the deep
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  fountains of the earth burst forth, and the Jew settles
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  beneath the night sky. My child, don't lose sight of
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  common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will
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  refresh your soul. They are like jewels and a
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  necklace. They keep you safe on your way,
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  and your feet will not stumble. You can go to bed without fear.
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  You will lie down and sleep soundly.
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  You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that
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  comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security.
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  He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.
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  Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it's in your
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  power to help them. If you can help your neighbour
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  now, don't say come back tomorrow and then I'll help you.
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  Don't plot harm against your neighbour.
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  For those who live nearby, trust you.
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  Don't pick a fight without reason when no one has done you
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  harm. Don't envy violent people or
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  copy their ways. Such wicked people are
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  detestable to the Lord, but he offers his friendship to the
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  godly. The Lord curses the House of the
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  wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright.
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  The Lord mocks the mockers, but is gracious to the humble.
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  The wise inherit honour, but fools are put to shame,
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  Lord, in this proverb you tell us to trust in you with our
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  whole heart, and not to have backup plans, and not to depend
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  on ourselves, and not to have things in the wings ready to
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  swoop in if plan A fails because you just don't fail.
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  That's so hard for us to wrap our head around, Lord, because
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  everything else can fail from time to time.
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  So Lord, give us the boldness, give us the faith to be able to
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  just commit ourselves 100% wholeness.
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  Bolus to you go all out in our faith, knowing that you will
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  never let us down, that we can depend on you entirely, and that
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  you bless us with abilities that we can use and wisdom that we
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  can live by. But ultimately that it is you
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  who will empower us. And it's you that we can lean
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  back into Holy Spirit, strip our hearts of those defences that we
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  build up to protect us, just in case you fail.
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  Because we just don't need them. Strip us clean so that we can
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  fall deep into your embrace. Ah, we love you and we pray.
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  All this in the name of Jesus. Amen.