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 20:10 (KJV):
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to
the LORD.
Proverbs 20:10 (AMP):
10 Diverse weights (one for buying and another for selling) and diverse
measures, both of them are exceedingly offensive and abhorrent to the Lord.
Thoughts for the Day:
These scriptures in Proverbs
are dealing with integrity versus cheating. In Bible days much
of the trade was done by weighing items on a pair of scales. While the
item to be purchased was placed on one of the trays, the other tray held
a corresponding weight and when the scales were balanced, the amount
could be determined. Since the item was sold by quantity, and the price
was determined by weight, a fair and equitable price was established.
However, just as we have crooks today, there were traders who tampered
with the weights, causing the customer to pay for more than they actually
were getting. The weights and measures were unjust, which resulted in a
false balance or standard. The Lord says that a false balance is an
abomination to Him because it is cheating. Our God is a just God, so He
loves justice and equity. He wants all of His children to be fair and
just too, and never cheat each other in any way.
Cheating is a major problem in our
society today. Students cheat on their tests in school, thus failing to
gain the knowledge their diplomas say they have. People cheat when they
file their income taxes, so they do not have to pay the right amount,
leaving others with their share of the tax burden. People cheat in
business by overcharging, causing the market price of an item to be
unstable. People cheat by engaging in unfair contracts that are in their
favor and not equitable for both sides. People cheat to win games
unfairly. People cheat on their spouses by having affairs. Cheating is a
form of dishonesty. No one likes to be cheated, as it is an injustice to
our sense of fairness.
However, since we live in a world that
is sinful, we most likely have all cheated at sometime in our lives.
We also have all been cheated at sometime. The only remedy for this sin,
is to ask the Lord to forgive us for our cheating and being dishonest.
He most certainly will forgive us and also deliver us of this evil, if we
come to Him and confess our sin.
1 John 1:8-9: "If we say that
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
After we receive forgiveness, we then
should forgive those who have cheated us. We are told to pray for those
who despitefully use us and to overcome evil with good. Many people
become very bitter and harbor unforgiveness in their hearts when they
are misused. This attitude will destroy them unless they learn to give
their hurt to Jesus and ask the Lord to forgive those who have wronged
them.
Matthew 5:44-45: "But I say
unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in
heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and
sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."
Matthew 6:14: "For if ye
forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive
you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your
Father forgive your trespasses."
Romans 12:19-21: "Dearly
beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it
is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore
if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so
doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of
evil, but overcome evil with good."
We must pray for those who have taken
advantage of us, or treated us unfairly, or cheated us. The Lord will be
their judge, just as He is our judge. He will judge all men fairly, as
He has eyes to see what really happened in every situation.
He knows those that cheat. He sees the motives of men's hearts.
He is the final judge of men's affairs and He will do that which is
right. If we have cheated or defrauded any man, we first
must repent, and ask the Lord to forgive us; then, we must ask them to
forgive us and make it right by restoring the portion that was taken
wrongly.
Genesis 18:25: "That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay
the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the
wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do
right?"
Prayer for the Day:
Dear Father,
Thank You for the love and forgiveness that You show us daily. Lord,
help us to overcome any sin that the enemy tempts us to engage in.
Lord, forgive us for the times we fail You. We also forgive those who
have hurt us and sinned against us. May they come to repentance so that
they might know Your forgiving love too. We all need Your love and
mercy. Lord Jesus, be merciful to our family and our friends. Watch
over our children and our grandchildren and keep them from harm. Guide
us daily in the right path so that we do not stray from the straight and
narrow. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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