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 4:10-13(KJV): "Hear, O my son, and receive my
sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt
not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life."
Thoughts for the Day:
The book of Proverbs has a lot of
wisdom in regard to instructions that will promote longevity. In reading the first three
chapters, many of these things have already been mentioned. One of the first
instructions given, is for young people to be obedient to their parents. Young children
that do not obey their parents can expose themselves to dangerous situations that can
ultimately take their lives. Many teens think their parents just do not know what
they are talking about. They feel they are just old fashioned, and many teens even
think they are smarter than their parents. They fail to recognize that with age comes
something that only time can produce and that is experience. Young people who
fail to take advantage of their parents, grandparents and elders' experiences are missing
a wonderful opportunity to learn some valuable lessons about life. Lessons that can
keep them from harm and also lessons that will help them not to make the same mistakes
their elders made.
Another warning in Proverbs, that
if heeded, will bring long life, and that is the one regarding staying away from loose
women. The same would apply to women staying away from lustful men. If young,
unmarried people heed this warning and remain chaste before marriage, they can be spared
the pain and possible death that sexually transmitted diseases produce. Virgins can enter
marriage without all the emotional scars from previous failed relationships, plus they do
not have to face their mates with the stigma of a disease that can be transmitted to their
spouses.
Another warning that will add years to one's life is
the one that admonishes us to keep away from the bad crowd. If we get involved with
the wrong kind of people, it can also lead to our downfall and even death. The Bible
says if we go down that path instead of the right path of the Lord, it will lead to death.
The wrong crowd has no morals, and will commit all kinds of crimes, including
thievery and murder. There is an old saying that goes like this: There is no honor
among thieves. This simply means that if they will steal from others, they will also
steal from you in time; even if they claim to be your buddy. Because they have no morals,
they can stoop to murder and you could be a victim of their anger and lack of character.
These are just a few of the things the Bible
mentions we should avoid, and in doing so, we have the promise of a long life. The verses
above tell us, that when we keep God's instructions and His wisdom, we will not stumble
and fall, but rather walk in the pathway of life. God will watch over us and keep us from
the evils of the devil, when we are determined to walk in the ways of the Lord.
Prayer for the Day:
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us
instructions in the Bible on how to have a long and good life. Lord, I know that
when I pray and ask you to watch over me and my loved ones, that You hear, and You answer
my prayers. You are such a wonderful Father! I am grateful for Your love and
watch care. I desire to walk in the pathway of life, so Lord, I would ask that You keep me
on that path. Please warn me when I am straying, so that I do not get off the
straight and narrow way. I realize that I can be blinded by my own desires and ideas, that
at times, look good to me, but might not be good later on. Help me to today, not to
be discouraged by what seems like a delay in the answer to my prayers. I know as I
continue to look to You in faith, You will prevail in my behalf. In Jesus name, I
pray. Amen.
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