Category: Proverbs–BibleTrekToday
Living worthy of the Gospel
Scripture reading for June 15th: Philippians 1, Psalm 119, Proverbs 26
Philippians 1:27-30 “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.”
Paul wrote a positive and encouraging letter to the Church at Philippi. He stated upfront, that God had begun a good work in them and would see it through to the Day of Christ. (1:6) Paul was in jail in Rome and faced uncertainty concerning his ultimate fate at the hands of the Romans. He knew that he could very well be executed and shared his heart about this possibility. But his pastoral concern was for the church. He wanted them to continue in the faith and stay steadfast, even as this would result in suffering just as he was. They were to have no fear of those afflicting them. This peace of God on their lives would bring conviction on their tormentors. God was at work and all who trust in Him will ultimately be kept safe!
Psalm 119:75-77 “I know, O Lord, that Your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. Let Your steadfast love comfort me according to Your promise to Your servant. Let Your mercy come to me, that I may live; for Your law is my delight.”
Prayer: Father God, You are faithful in all our afflictions, working all things for our good and salvation. Help me to live in Your peace in today’s afflictions and to pray for those who are tormenting me. Keep me from fear, evil speech, gossip, or judging others. Use my lips to declare Your love and Truth to those You send me to. My desire is to live a life worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, my Lord.
Proverbs 26:20 “For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.”
Standing firm!
Scripture reading for June 14th: Ephesians 6, Psalm 118, Proverbs 25
Ephesians 6:13-18 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the Gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.”
Paul concludes his encouraging letter with simple advice to fellow believers. They are in a war with dark spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. The path of victory is already provided by their Lord Jesus Christ. If they will put on the full armor of God and stand firm, victory is already won! Standing fully clothed in Christ’s armor is simply explained. The belt is Truth (Jesus is the Truth), the breastplate is Christ’s righteousness, Their feet have the Gospel of Christ, and their sword is God’s Word, Jesus Christ! He is their salvation helmet and faith in Him is the shield of protection. Praise the Lord for His perfect armor!
Psalm 118:14-17 “The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly, the right hand of the Lord exalts, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly! I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for providing Your strength through the Holy Spirit to stand firm in Jesus Christ, our Armor! Lord, I want to be a faithful messenger, sent by You to those who need salvation. Use my feet to go to the lost and my mouth to speak Your Word of Truth. You are my strength and my song of salvation! You have done valiantly and defeated all my enemies! I recount Your awesome deeds!
Proverbs 25:13 “Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.”
Avoid the trap of sexual sins
Scripture reading for June 13th: Ephesians 5, Psalm 117, Proverbs 24
Ephesians 5:1-5 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among the saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of God.”
Believers are called to be imitators of God, the Father, because they are His children! God is love and demonstrated that love through the giving of His Son, Jesus Christ for us, to free us from sin’s penalty and power. Because of this, we must live differently than the world. Sexual sins of fornication, adultery, and homosexuality are not at all proper for God’s people. Even the filthiness and crude joking about sexual matters are not allowed. Paul emphasized that those continuing in these sins will have no inheritance in God’s household or kingdom. Thanksgiving and righteous living are the path to blessing! God wants His children to be blessed and holy like Him!
Psalm 117: 1-2 “Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol Him, all peoples! For great is His steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever! Praise the Lord!”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your steadfast love and the example of Jesus Christ to show us Your will and ways through Your Word. Lord I want to respect You and also those in authority in the government. Help me to discern how to do that when those in earthly authority rebel against Your commands. Have mercy on them, our land, and us Lord, for we have sinned greatly in sexual immorality and idolatry.
Proverbs 24: 21-22 “My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise, for disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?”
Members of one another!
Scripture reading for June 12th: Ephesians 4, Psalm 116, Proverbs 23
Ephesians 4: 25-32 “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor be put away from you along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Although each believer is a dwelling place of God by His Spirit, there is also a corporate dwelling of God by the Spirit in His larger Body, the Church. Paul explains that we are joined together through faith in Christ. Because of this, we are to treat one another with honor and respect. This means telling the truth and respecting others property and reputations. It means doing honest work and sharing with those in need. It looks like godly speech, honoring and building up one another. Kindness and forgiveness are the normal attitudes to be practiced from the model of Jesus Christ, Who was kind and forgiving!
Psalm 116:8-9 “For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the example of Your Son, Jesus Christ my Lord! Thank You for the Holy Spirit dwelling in me empowering me to walk before You in the land of the living, loving You and loving my neighbors. I have given You my heart as a dwelling place and my body to love and serve You and those You place in my life, whether family or friends. May they see Jesus Christ in my life today.
Proverbs 23:26 “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe My ways.”
God’s ‘Mystery’ revealed!
Scripture reading for June 9th: Ephesians 3, Psalm 115, Proverbs 22
Ephesians 3:4-9 “When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. Of this Gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of His power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, Who created all things.”
Paul was given grace and stewardship of a once-hidden mystery, now revealed in Jesus Christ. This mystery was that God’s plan of salvation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ was to make adoption into God’s forever family available to both Jew and Gentile alike! The ‘unsearchable riches’ of Christ Jesus is forgiveness of sins and the Father’s Gift of the Holy Spirit living in all who repent and believe. Social status, male or female, Jew or Gentile made no difference to God, Who alone created all things and gives grace to those who humbly receive it. God wants all those who receive His Gift and grace to share it as a man shares bread with the hungry! Blessings flow to those who faithfully share and bring increase!
Psalm 115:13-15 “. .He will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great. May the Lord give you increase, you and your children! May you be blessed by the Lord, Who made heaven and earth!”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the ‘unsearchable riches of Your Son! Thank You for the light of the Gospel and the Gift of the Holy Spirit revealing the path of adoption and new birth. Thank You for revealing the mystery of Your Gospel to both Jew and Gentile! Give me a ‘bountiful’ eye to share this ‘Bread’ with the hungry and may all my children and offspring be blessed to receive and increase!
Proverbs 22:9 “Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.”
One Lord, One Church, One Spirit
Scripture reading for June 8th: Ephesians 2, Psalm 114, Proverbs 21
Ephesians 2: 17-22 “And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the Cornerstone, in Whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
Paul, writing to believers, both Jew and Gentile, sought to enlighten the eyes of their hearts to understand the big picture God had revealed to all mankind through His Son, Jesus Christ. God was building a house and inviting all who would believe on His Son into His household. This privilege of adoption and citizenship would be through the “Cornerstone” of faith in Jesus Christ and repentance. No longer would there be a building, but each believer would be a “dwelling place” for God’s Presence by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would give both Jew and Gentile access to God as Father. What a “Precious Treasure” is the gift of the Father to all who will believe! God turns our rocky hearts into a river of “Living Water!”
Psalm 114:7-8 “Tremble, O earth, at the Presence of the Lord, at the Presence of the God of Jacob, Who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for turning my hard and flinty heart to a river of “Living Water!” Thank You for the precious Treasure of the Holy Spirit, God the Spirit living in me. Thank You for Christ’s righteousness and eternal life. Use me to publish the “Good News” of one Savior, Jesus Christ, one Holy Spirit from the Father, and one new dwelling place of God, believers who make up Christ’s Body!
Proverbs 21:20-21 “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it. Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”
Enlightened eyes of the heart!
Scripture reading for June 7th: Ephesians 1, Psalm 113, Proverbs 20
Ephesians 1: 15-20 “For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and you great love for all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power towards us who believe, according to the working of His great might that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, . .”
All true wisdom and understanding comes from God Himself Who alone is the Truth. Inner understanding requires God’s Truth to bring light to the darkness in our souls because of sin. He must heal our inner blindness through revelation. Paul declares that God has done that through the Gift of the Holy Spirit from God. The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sins and leads us to repentance and new birth. The Holy Spirit reveals our future hope and our inheritance as adopted children of God. The Holy Spirit empowers us to understand the grace we received through Jesus Christ, God’s Son, through His crucifixion for our sins and resurrection for our justification. Praise the Lord for our Amazing Savior!
Psalm 113: 2-4 “Blessed be the Name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the Name of the Lord is to be praised! The Lord is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens!“
Prayer: Father God, thank You for enlightening my inner eyes with Your Holy Spirit! Thank You for revealing Your plan of salvation and adoption through the crucifixion and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ! Fill me afresh with the Holy Spirit and power to share the Good News of Your wisdom and love for all sinners and those in darkness. I will praise You now and forever! Amen!
Proverbs 20:12 “The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both.”
Wise to what is good!
Scripture reading for June 6th: Romans 16, Psalm 112, Proverbs 19
Romans 16:17-20 “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise for what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”
Paul closes his letter to the Roman believers by personally sending greetings by name to over thirty workers there, plus their families! His last appeal is for watchfulness over the brothers for those causing doctrinal divisions. These people are not serving Christ Jesus, but their own appetites. They try to seduce those who are young and immature. Paul encourages them in their obedience. His pastoral desire is that they stand firm, opposing evil and standing strong for good. He encourages them that God’s power will soon crush Satan and his evil schemes through the grace flowing from Jesus Christ! He rejoices in this prospect and their obedience!
Psalm 112:1-2 “Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed!”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for being a God of peace that gives His people victory and discernment. Thank You for Your amazing Word and instruction and the peace that is ours through Your promises. I claim that my offspring will be mighty in the land and that those following me in faith will be blessed by You and protected and used for Your glory!
Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.”
Endurance, encouragement and hope!
Scripture reading for June 5th: Romans 15, Psalm 111, Proverbs 18
Romans 15: 4-7, 15 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through the endurance and through the encouragement of Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Jesus Christ, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. . . . .May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Our God knows exactly what we need and even before we were born, He has written it down for our instruction. His purpose is to encourage us because He is for us, not against us! He has a glorious future planned for us so He wants us to hold fast to Him and His awesome and glorious Name. He wants us to dwell together with our brothers and sisters in harmony, and with one voice to bring Him and our Father glory! We are called to be encouragers and show hospitality by welcoming others into God’s forever family! This brings God eternal joy and fulfills His desire to share His eternal covenant of love, mercy and peace with all people! Praise His awesome and holy Name!
Psalm 111: 9-10 “He sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever. Holy and awesome is His Name! The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”
Prayer: Father God, Your Son Jesus Christ is my strong tower of encouragement and hope in a world that is sometimes very dark and foreboding. Thank You for the eternal covenant of life and peace which brings me hope and joy each day as I anticipate Your coming. Help me to live in harmony with others of like-precious faith and to welcome them into Your forever household. Fill me with the Holy Spirit today!
Proverbs 18:10 “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”
The Kingdom Law of Love
Scripture reading for June 2nd: Romans 14, Psalm 110, Proverbs 17
Romans 14:15-19 “For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”
God’s people are governed in His kingdom by the law of love. The central focus is not rules about foods, eating or drinking, or not eating or not drinking. We must all respect our brothers and sisters and their current growth and understanding. Mature believers should limit their liberties to help the younger believers. God’s kingdom rule is one of love and righteousness through faith in Jesus. As we rest in Jesus, we have peace with God and with those around us in HIs kingdom. This promotes joyful living and friendship with God and others.
Psalm 110:1-3 “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool.” The Lord sends forth from Zion Your mighty scepter. Ride in the midst of Your enemies. Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of Your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.”
Prayer: Father God, I thank You for Your rule of righteousness, peace and joy coming from faith in Your Word and grace through Jesus Christ. Your scepter is one of righteousness! I give myself to You freely to be filled with Your Spirit and love for my brothers and sisters. Make me sensitive to their needs and growth in faith (or the lack of it); that I may love them properly, bring peace, and build them up.
Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”