Category: Proverbs–BibleTrekToday
Never put yourself first!
Scripture reading for November 27th: 3 John, Psalm 101-102, Proverbs 21
Key Scriptures: 3 John 9-11 “I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who like to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.”
John mentions by name a man who was causing trouble in the church. Diotrephes was known for his self-centered attitude and failure to submit to those God had placed in authority in His Church. John warned the believers not to imitate evil, but to imitate what was good. This man had not seen God and was not doing good. Even worse, he was in Christ’s church family and thought of himself as a believer: he was deceived!
Faith Confession: Lord, help me to practice good and avoid bad examples. I will respect those You place in authority and show hospitality to the brothers and sisters, putting others before myself.
Psalm 101:2-3 “I will ponder the way that is blameless. O when will You come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.”
Enjoying a “full reward”
Scripture reading for November 26th: 2 John, Psalm 98-100, Proverbs 20
Key Scriptures: 2 John 8-11 “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”
John stressed to all of Christ’s followers the importance of abiding in Christ and His teaching. Departing from the teaching of Jesus means we depart from God the Father as well as Jesus the Son. Anyone teaching a different gospel is not to be entertained or even greeted. Those wanting to enjoy a full reward must be watchful and abide in Christ’s Word.
Faith Confession: I freely chose to abide in Jesus Christ and His holy Word. Through the Holy Spirit I am watchful for those who would teach another Gospel or advocate a different teaching. I desire a full reward for me and those I am with!
Proverbs 20:27-28 “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts. Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.”
Assurance of eternal life!
Scripture reading for November 25th: 1st John 5, Psalm 97-98, Proverbs 19
Key Scriptures: 1st John 5:11-15 “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. And it is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.”
John assured his readers of the reality of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation was a gift that came by faith alone. It was a gift of God the Father, coming through the obedience of His only Son, Jesus Christ. We can have confidence in Jesus Christ. We can ask God for anything in His will and expect to receive it. Praise the Lord for confidence in Jesus! Ask largely and receive gratefully!
Faith Confession: I am confident of my salvation because I simply and dependently believe on Jesus Christ, Son of God and His finished work on the cross. I am thankful that I can ask God in His Name for anything in His will!
Psalm 97-11-12 “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to His Holy Name!”
Abiding in God and His Love!
Scripture reading for November 22nd: 1st John 4, Psalm 95-96, Proverbs 18
Key Scriptures: 1st John 4:13-17 “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is so also are we in this world.”
Believers in Jesus Christ have received the Holy Spirit to live in them and mark them as belonging to God’s eternal family. This gift of the Holy Spirit has come through faith and confession that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and God’s Son. Through the Holy Spirit, God’s love is shed abroad in our hearts and we experience His love and presence. This love and presence of the Holy Spirit gives us confidence as we approach our seeing Jesus and at the Judgment seat of Christ.
Faith Confession: I have received the Holy Spirit, a gift of God’s grace. The Spirit abides in me and bears witness that I am God’s child and loved by the Father. I have confidence on the day of judgment through His indwelling presence.
Proverbs 18:10 “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”
Christ destroys the Devil’s works in us!
Scripture reading for November 21st: 1st John 3, Psalm 93-94, Proverbs 17
Key Scriptures: 1st John 3:7-10 “Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil: . .
John tenderly tells the members of Christ’s church how to keep from being deceived. Everyone born of God has God’s seed in them. God’s seed, the Word, produces good fruit and not continual sinning or violation of His Word. It destroys the devil’s works in them. If someone claims to be born of God and lives in sin, they are lying for they are still under the devil. Don’t be deceived, look at the fruit!
Faith Confession: I am thankful that I am born of God through the living Word, by faith in Jesus Christ. I live now by the indwelling Holy Spirit Who applies God’s Word to my life. Lord keep me from deception this day!
Psalm 93:5 “Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits Your house, O Lord, forevermore.”
Having eternal impact!
Scripture reading for November 20th: 1st John 2, Psalm 91-92, Proverbs 16
Key Scriptures: 1st John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world–the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life–is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
John cautioned followers of Christ to hold the things of this world with an open hand. The human desires for power, material things, and status did not come from God the Father, but from our flesh and the world we live in. This world and its desires are passing away. It is very temporary. As Christ’s disciples, we must seek and obey the will of God. That is eternal and life indeed!
Faith Confession: Lord, forgive me for holding on to the things of this world and often following its desires. Help me today to embrace Your will and obey Your word with joy and eternal hope! You promise the best is yet to come! Amen!
Proverbs 16:20 “Whoever gives thought to the Word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.”
Walking in the Light of Jesus!
Scripture reading for November 19th: 1st John 1, Psalm 89-90, Proverbs 15
Key Scriptures: 1st John 1:5-9 “This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say 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.”
John was the “beloved” disciple. He followed Jesus when he was very young and now as an old man, he wrote to the Church of Jesus concerning the light of Truth as found in Jesus. If we walk in the light of Jesus, we will experience true fellowship with God and one another. The blood of Jesus will continually be at work bringing cleansing and sanctification from sins we confess and repent of. Denying real sin in our lives cuts us off from Jesus and truth.
Faith Confession: I desire to walk in the light of Jesus and His Word. I want to be sensitive to sins and find repentance and cleansing through Jesus’ blood, keeping my fellowship with Him and His church.
Psalm 89:1 “I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
Patience for repentance!
Scripture reading for November 18th: 2nd Peter 3, Psalm 87-88, Proverbs 14
Key Scriptures: 2nd Peter 3:8-10 “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”
As the Apostle Peter concludes his last letter before being martyred, he pointed the church to God’s long-suffering and mercy. Although it seemed that the Lord was slow concerning His promise of returning, God was really being patient with all men, not wanting any to perish. They should call on the Lord while His patience remained (repentance), because a day was coming when there would be His sudden return. To the unrepentant, it would be like a thief and would bring great destruction on the heaven and earth and eternal loss for them.
Faith Confession: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your mercy and great patience towards sinners, of which I have benefited. Use me today to share the good news of Your patience and desire to save those who are perishing, headed for eternal death.
Proverbs 14:11-12 “The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
God’s protective care!
Scripture reading for November 15th: 2nd Peter 2, Psalm 85-86, Proverbs 13
Key Scriptures: 2nd Peter 2:6-10 “. . .if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes He condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if He rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard; then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.”
As Peter faced his own execution, he wrote to believers concerning God’s ability to punish the wicked and also to save and keep the righteous. God is faithful and is a righteous judge. He will punish the wicked who are captured by sinful flesh and resist and despise God’s authority. He will deliver the righteous from trials. The Lord is true to His Word!
Faith Confession: I trust God to right all wrongs and to keep me at peace in the midst of this world and it’s evil people. To Him be all glory and praise!
Psalm 85:8-9 “Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people, to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.”
Escaping the world’s corruption!
Scripture reading for November 14th: 2nd Peter 1, Psalm 85-86, Proverbs 12
Key Scriptures: 2nd Peter 1:2-4 “May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”
Peter prayed for God’s grace and peace to be multiplied towards all believers as they grew in their knowledge of Jesus. God’s divine power through the Holy Spirit living in them would give them all they needed for living in the hostile world and reflecting Christ’s holy life to those around them. It is by faith that believers claim and live out the promises of His Holy Word and escape the world’s corruption and their own sinful desires.
Faith confession: I have received from God everything I need for life and godliness through an increasing knowledge of Jesus Christ, Son of God. Lord help me daily to faithfully appropriate Your promises and escape the corruption of the world and my sinful flesh.
Proverbs 12:28 “In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.”