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Today is Tuesday July 20, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Proverbs, chapters 1-3. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-20

Today's Message: Knowledge & Wisdom
There is a saying that comes to mind as I read the chapters for today, “Knowledge is power” I remember this cliché when I was little. Knowledge truly is power, the more you know the more you are able accomplish. As Christians, if we are to accomplish the task that God gives us than we need the knowledge to do it. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” - Proverbs 1:7. The word knowledge is defined as an acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, from a study or investigation. The only way for us to accomplish God's will for our lives is by receiving the knowledge we need to do it and the only way to receive that knowledge is by studying and getting acquainted with the facts and truths contained in His Word. Amazingly, just this morning I was telling God how blessed I was for knowing the truth, I spent thirty-four years of my life living on half truths of what someone was telling me until I started reading God's Word for myself, but God never gave up on me, He even let me fall for a time, but it was only when I fell that I was able to receive the whole truth. God is amazing, He knows exactly what we need to obtain the knowledge and wisdom we need to understand the truth and act on it. Interestingly, the word wisdom is defined as having knowledge of what is true or right and acting on it. So, as we study God's Word we receive the knowledge we need to accomplish God's will, the more we study it the wiser we become, giving us the wisdom we need to do what He says when, He knows we are prepared.

The Book of Proverbs is the twentieth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains thirty-one chapters. Most of the Proverbs we written by Solomon, David's son, except for the last two. The book was first written to the Israelite's, but the truths for practical living are applicable to all believers. The purpose of the book was to teach wisdom, instruction, and correction to all, what we are to learn from it is that God's Word is what gives us the wisdom, instruction, and correction we need to live a prosperous life lead by God. “To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.” - Proverbs 1:2-6. It is recorded in I Kings 4:32 that Solomon spoke three thousand proverbs under the inspiration of God. Some of these are preserved for us by the Holy Spirit in the Book of Proverbs. Some of the Proverbs Solomon set in order himself, meaning that he not only wrote them, but also arranged them in the order in which they are presented in the Bible. Other Proverbs of Solomon were put in their order by King Hezekiah’s men.

The word proverb is defined as a brief saying referring to common facts or knowledge. Each verse in Proverbs is a concise summary of an important truth. It is difficult to make a general outline of the book because each chapter and often each verse within the chapter deals with a different subject. However, the reason for writing the book this way is to condense wisdom to help us remember spiritual truths better. In other words, the Book of Proverbs is full of brief sayings referring to the knowledge of great spiritual truths. Proverbs get us to stop and think about a common, but wise and simple fact. For instance, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” - Proverbs 1:10. As you think about this verse you can understand that sinners are wicked and will try to entice you to do wicked things too, therefore, you are not to consent to it. This is common sense, but it happens way too often because we do not want to feel like an outcast or hurt someones feelings. What we are doing by consenting is hurting ourselves, because it will bite us good when reality sets in.

Solomon, along with approximately 40 other writers of the Bible, was inspired of God to record exactly what He wanted us to know in order to be the person He created us to be. “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” - Proverbs 2:1-5. God's Word is more valuable than any of the most precious jewels out there. The more we learn it the more knowledgeable we become, the better our relationship with God. Fearing God, means to respect Him and His Word and to follow His commands. If we say that we want God in our lives, but remain in the world we are going to be chastised for it. He does not do it to scare us away from Him, but to correct us and teach us. “When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;” - Proverbs 2:10-12. God is trying to keep us from getting ourselves into something that is going to hurt us not only spiritually, but morally, and mentally as well. Sin destroys us and as long as we continue to live in sin we will become more and more corrupted and dig ourselves further and further into a whole.

It's all Satan's fault, he gets sinners to entice us and grab hold of us when we are at our weakest moments, but praise God for His mercy because He can pull the most corrupt person out of the pit he dug himself into. “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.... Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” - Proverbs 3:3-6,9-13. We must daily increase our knowledge of God's Word, even if all we do is read one verse, it is the only way we will receive the wisdom we need to accomplish His will for our lives. As we grow in His Word we learn to trust His judgment rather than our own corruptible understanding, then He will direct out paths and show us what we need to do to stay in His will, not only by what He learn in the Word of God, but what He reveals to us through the Holy Spirit. So, acknowledge God, which can only be done through His Son, honor Him by following all His commands, including giving tithes, accepting His correction, and even His chastening us. He does all these things for our own good and we will truly be blessed as we find wisdom and understanding of His Word and how truly prosperous life can be by following it. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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