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 8:12(KJV): "I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions."

Thoughts for the Day:

Proverbs is a very practical book of the Bible that explains many spiritual principles that affect even things like --   finding out new inventions. This verse tells us that through wisdom and prudence people can discover witty inventions. The definition for  prudent according to the Webster's New World Dictionary is: 1.) capable of exercising sound judgment in practical matters, esp. as concerns one's own interests 2.) cautious or discreet in conduct; circumspect; not rash 3.) managing carefully and with economy.

The Bible is telling us in this verse, that new ideas concerning inventions, come from being wise and prudent.  When we study the Bible our minds become enlightened so that the Lord can give us those new ideas.   Many of the great inventions and discoveries came to Christians, as they prayed and had a relationship with God.  George Washington Carver is just one man that comes to mind.  This tremendously talented black man, who was born of slave parents, made more than 300 products from the peanut alone.  He produced 75 products from the pecan and 118 from the sweet potato. Dr. Carver's chemical discoveries increased the income of the south many millions of dollars. His death in 1943 made world wide news. God had answered his humble prayer, found in his writings: "The secret of my success? It is simple.  It is found in the Bible. I prayed that my life and work had helped in a small way to make the world peaceful and make Him happy." He was referred to as man's slave who became God's scientist.

Another great scientist, astronomer, and mathematician, who was a also a devout Christian, was Sir Isaac Newton, who discovered how the universe is held together through the force of gravity. He also invented the the branch of mathematics know as calculus and discovered secrets of light and color. He was an Englishman born in the 1600s. He is sometimes described as "one of the greatest names in the history of human thought."  Why did this man discover so many "witty inventions"? Here are his quotes about God and the Bible: "I have a fundamental belief in the Bible as the Word of God, written by men who were inspired. I study the Bible daily." On atheism he states, "Atheism is so senseless. When I look at the solar system, I see the earth at the right distance from the sun to receive the proper amounts of heat and light. This did not happen by chance." ¹

Our list of great men should also include Christopher Columbus.  His greatest discovery was not the New World.  As a young boy Columbus trusted Christ as his Savior and discovered the ways of God.  This little known fact, was the reason for his adventurous life. He felt that God wanted him to explore the world and find new land and people so that Christ could be proclaimed. Kings and Queens promised and failed him, before he finally got the ships and backing he needed to set sail. He became an excellent sailor and businessman.  He overcame all the problems he faced with God's help, even mutiny and being bound in chains. Here are his remarks from his writings: "At this time I both read and studied all kinds of literature: cosmography, histories, chronicles, and philosophy and other arts , to which our Lord opened my mind unmistakably to the fact that it was possible to navigate from here to the Indies, and He evoked in me the will for the execution of it; and with this fire I came to Your Highnesses.  All those who heard of my plan disregarded it mockingly and with laughter.  All the sciences of which I spoke were of no profit to me nor the authorities in them; only in Your Highnesses my faith, and my stay.  Who would doubt that this light did not come from the Holy Spirit, anyway as far as I am concerned, which comforted with rays of marvelous clarity and with its Holy and Sacred Scriptures." ¹

From just these few examples of great men, we can see that they gained their insight and guidance from God and the Holy Bible. The saddest thing about these men's lives, is that many of our recent historians and writers have eliminated the facts of their relationship with God.  Most of our modern textbooks have simply left out the reason they were successful, as they have failed to mention the commitment and dedication to God each of them had. Our children are being denied their godly right to know the full story in their history books, when the influence of God and the Bible have been removed from the records. They need to know that witty inventions come from God's wisdom and His prudence.

¹Rhodes, Bennie Christopher Columbus   (Mott Media, 1000 East Huron, Milford, Michigan, 48042)

Prayer for the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the great men of the past that You have used to bring us to this place in history.  Lord, I pray that in all the nations of the world that the true God and the Bible will be known.  Lord, may we here in the United States, bring Christ, the Bible and prayer back into our schools. Lord, without this Christian influence some of  our children are becoming murderers and our schools are not safe. Lord, our nation was founded as a Christian nation, may we not deny you in our schools, businesses, and homes.  Comfort all those families who have lost their children due to the violence in our schools, and forgive us for not raising our families in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  Help me to bring the light of Your Word to all and help to change this world for the better.  In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.