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:
5 A wise man is
strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
Proverbs 24:5 (AMP):
5 A wise man is strong and
is better than a strong man, and a man of knowledge increases and strengthens his
power.
Thoughts for the Day:
This verse in Proverbs
tells us that strength is gained by wisdom and knowledge. We hear so many
people today talk about being tired,weak and "burned out." One of
the major reasons this is so, is that men try to do things in their own strength
without God.
Yes, mankind is endued with natural strength and ability; however, there is an end to
men's strength. Men grow old and lose their strength, sickness can rob a
person of their strength, an accident can cause a handicap that is debilitating with loss of strength, or lack of proper nutrition can cause loss
of strength. So what kind of wisdom and knowledge will make us strong? The
strength this scripture is talking about is the strength we find in God.
The Bible teaches us that we are to be strong in the Lord, and not rely on our
human strength as it may fail us.
Ephesians 6:10:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
This scripture
does not tell us to be strong in ourselves, but rather, to be strong in the
Lord. If we yield to the Lord and ask for His strength by faith, then we will
walk in the power of His might. Sometimes we need mental or emotional strength;
at other times, we need physical strength. It is available to us through the
power of the Holy Spirit. God's strength is available to us no matter what
condition we might find ourselves in. In the natural, as we grow older, we become
weaker. However, there are accounts of older men in the Bible who were full of
strength in their old age. Moses and Caleb are examples of older men who were
strong. Here is a scripture that describes Moses when he died. He not only
was strong, his eyesight was still good, as well.
Deuteronomy
34:7 (NIV):
Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not
weak nor his strength gone.
Caleb was 85 years
old and was still a strong warrior that was ready to battle for his inheritance.
Joshua
14:10-13:
10 And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and
five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children
of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and
five years old.
11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my
strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to
come in.
12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for
thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were
great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to
drive them out, as the LORD said.
13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for
an inheritance.
In light of the
fact that God is no respecter of persons, we can claim that same strength today,
if we are serving God. My husband and I are in our "golden years" and we are not
planning to retire, but rather, we are asking God to "re-fire" us to complete
the work He has for us to accomplish in this earth. By the grace of God we are
not planning on going home until that task is finished. Strength and long
life are promised to God's people, but we must live for God and not for self. If
we yield to sin in our lives, we can lose our strength and our lives as Samson
did. The Bible records this man's deeds in chapters 13-16 of the book of
Judges. He is recorded as the strongest man in the Bible. As
long as he served God, he triumphed in every battle; however, when he yielded to
lust and had an affair with Delilah, she conspired against him and he was
captured by his enemies who blinded him and threw him in prison. What a
terrible thing he suffered. In his agony, he cried out to God and God gave
him one last burst of strength in which he brought down his enemies.
Judges
16:28-30:
28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray
thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at
once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood,
and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other
with his left.
30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with
all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that
were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which
he slew in his life.
This is an example of
how sin can weaken us, while a commitment to God brings strength for any task we
face. Even in old age when our natural strength is waning, the Lord will
give us HIS strength to witness to the generation in which we live. King
David asked the Lord in Psalm 71 for that strength and he received it.
Psalm 71:9-18:
9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength
faileth.
10 For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take
counsel together,
11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to
deliver him.
12 O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.
13 Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them
be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.
14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
15 My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day;
for I know not the numbers thereof.
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy
righteousness, even of thine only.
17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy
wondrous works.
18 Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have
showed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to
come.
The verse in
Proverbs declares that knowledge brings strength. The knowledge of the
scripture below is available to all who claim it and receive it by faith!
Philippians
4:13: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me.
Prayer for the Day:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I thank You for Your promise of strength. Lord, I know that it is through Your
wisdom and knowledge that we gain strength. Lord, I am grateful that I can call
on You when I feel weak and when I feel that I am unable to go on. Lord, I want
to use my strength to do Your will. I want to love You with all my heart,
and with all my soul, and with all my mind, and with all my strength. I know
then, that I will be able to love my neighbour as myself. You said that
there is no greater commandment than this. May I always be faithful in loving
You first, and then in loving others. I ask this in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Amen.
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