Daily Devotional
               Betty Miller shares her daily devotionals which are based on the book of Proverbs in the Bible.   

  The Wisdom of God

Verses for the Day:

Proverbs 15:6-7(KJV):
6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.
7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.

Proverbs 15:6-7(Amp):
6 In the house of the (uncompromisingly) righteous is great (priceless) treasure, but with the income of the wicked is trouble and vexation.
7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge (sifting it as chaff from the grain); not so the mind of the self-confident and foolish.

Thoughts for the Day:

These verses in Proverbs continue to make a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, and tell us the reward of each.  In the house of those who are righteous there is much treasure, verse 6 states, while the income of the wicked comes with trouble. Some people have a hard time believing that this is true because they know righteous Christians who have no money and are struggling in the area of finances. To understand the meaning of this verse, we must understand what the Bible means by "treasures."  What the world defines as "riches and treasures" is not the same definition as the Bible definition of these words.  God speaks of His "true riches" in the Bible.  What would be the definition of those riches?

Money cannot buy health or save someone’s life. The Bible says that we are to seek the true riches of God, not the riches of this world. His riches are things that money cannot buy. How can money deliver a wayward teenager from drugs and sin? How can money buy peace in our souls in the face of fear all about us? How can money keep a marriage together? How can money save a soul from hell? Only God’s riches are available to do these things. We are truly rich when we have faith in God.

Certainly God does want to bless us with material things, but it will be Him that we are seeking when these things come, not the things themselves. Many today are seeking God for what He can do for them, instead of asking God how they can serve Him. We cannot seek mammon and God at the same time. Here are some scriptures that compare the riches of God with the riches of this world. They also list the dangers that come with worldly wealth.

Luke 16:11-13:
11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Mark 10:23-25:
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Matthew 13:22: "He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful."

Matthew 6:19-21:
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Colossians 2:2-3:
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Proverbs 10:2: "Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death."

Psalm 37:16: "A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked."

Proverbs 30:8-9:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

Ephesians 3:16-19:
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Hebrews 11:24-26:
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

Matthew 6:31-33:
31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Verse 7 says that the lips of the wise will share the knowledge of the Bible. They will claim the promises of God. God wants to bless His children with earthly blessings and promises to do so. However, claiming and confessing only material things can hurt our relationship with our Lord. The foolish focus on worldly things, while the wise concentrate on the things of God. Many today are heard claiming cars, property, houses, etc., but we seldom hear them claiming souls. We should be sure our priorities are right when claiming and confessing. The Lord's greatest desire is for us to grow in Him and to bring others to the knowledge of His love. God will add unto us every material blessing that we need if we seek Him first and His righteousness.

Prayer for the Day:

Father, we come to You in Jesus' most precious name, thanking You for Your love for us. Lord, You see the areas in our lives that are not in balance in the area of material things. We ask that You reveal those to us and help us to walk in the path of righteousness and Your holy balance in these areas. Deliver us from any lust for the things of this world and give us a vision of the rewards that await us in the world to come when we do Your will. Let us not worry about finances, but rather cast all of our cares upon You, for You care for us. Heal us today spirit, soul and body so that we might serve You by walking in a victorious Christian life. Let our lights shine so that truly others might see Your love in  us. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.