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 7:4-27(KJV):  "Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart.
11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death."

Thoughts for the Day:

Proverbs records a blow by blow description of how a young man is seduced by a prostitute, with the warning to avoid her strategies. The first verse begins by telling every young man to make wisdom and understanding the women that he should pursue. Wisdom will make a wonderful "sister" and understanding a great "aunt" that will give the good advice that he needs. Their counsel will keep him from strange women, because they have true love and concern for him.

Verse 6 describes how the prostitute is of a different nature. She will watch out of her window for a young man that she thinks she can seduce.  The ways of this seductress are also an analogy of how Satan attempts to lure the believer into his clutches.  The devil may use sex and pleasure to tempt us, but he also has an arsenal of others things that he can use as well.   He knows our weak areas and will try to exploit them. Just as this harlot has things that smell good, look good, taste good, and feel good; so the devil uses these same tactics.  After dangling his bait before us, he may often say something like the harlot in verses 19-20.  "Jesus is away on a long journey.   You have plenty of time to indulge in sin with me before he comes back!"     

Beware of the flattering words of the enemy.   This portion of Scripture closes, reminding us that "Many strong men have been slain by her."  In other words, we cannot count on our own strength to resist temptation.  At some point we will fall, unless we  humble ourselves and call on the mercy of God to help us in our hour of struggle.  Without Jesus, death and hell await for all of us, just as the whore leads men to her house of death.

Prayer for the Day:

Dear Father in Heaven, Thank you for giving me the power to overcome the tricks of the devil so that I will not fall into his traps.   Lord, I pray for all the young men that I know, that they might be kept from the ways of harlots. Lord, I also pray for those who are trapped in the bondage of prostitution.  Lord, l know that You love them and want to free them from their life of sin.  Help these women today, to cry unto You for deliverance. They can be made clean by Your blood.  Keep us all in Your hand and protect our children and grandchildren from the ways of the enemy.  I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.