Read the Bible in a Year (23JUL19)

DAILY REMINDER – Today, July 23’s Bible reading is Proverbs 30-31.

NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, July 24’s Bible reading is Ecclesiastes 1-4. May God bless you with the reading of His WORD.

PROVERBS MOMENT – (23JUL19) “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar” (Proverbs 30:5-6). There are many deceivers in the world when it comes to the Word of God –men and women who have their own ideologies as they pertain to the things of God. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Unfortunately, many Christians are deceived by so-called men and women of God because of their eloquent speech, degrees, titles, financial status, and church following. Yet, Christians should ask themselves, “Is this person giving a Word from the Lord?” 

A few years ago, Pastor Paula White’s husband, Jonathan Cain, told a church during a marriage conference that couples should watch pornography if they did not know how to sexually please each other. Pastor White tried to laugh it off and dress it up, but that message was put into the atmosphere. Only those couples who were truly in their Word would have recognized that they were being taught a false teaching. The Bible says, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). The Word of God lets us know that we must not only guard our actions, but our thoughts, and what we WATCH. Therefore, when a couple “watches” pornography, they are inviting the unholy into their bedroom, and defiling what should never be defiled. This is why Christians must be students of the Word of God for themselves because there are many deceivers in today’s pulpits who are wolves in sheep’s clothing, and they are adding their own philosophies to the Word of God. They will, however, pay for their deceptive practices because we are never to change the meaning of what the Word of God says to appease our own desires. God’s Word is a sure thing and it does not need to be modified to suit man’s sinful desires. Having a relationship with God through reading, studying, praying, and fasting will enable the Holy Spirit to bring discernment when it comes to the things of God. Something to ponder….

QUESTION OF THE DAY - (23JUL19) Have you ever wondered why God allows some people to have certain blessings and others have been denied of them? The writer of Proverbs wrote, “…give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal; and so dishonor the name of my God” (Proverbs 30: 8b-9). The writer was asking the Lord to protect him from himself. He did not want to become rich where he would be arrogant and forget the Lord. He also did not want to become poor where he would resort to stealing and dishonor God in that manner as well. He just wanted to live a simple life where he would rely on God and not be caught up in the possessions of this world rather rich or poor. The writer was wise in his thinking.

Sometimes, we may want God to grant us certain requests, but He does not do it because if He did, we would forget about Him, or turn the answered prayer into a god. The Lord will not give us anything that will turn our hearts away from Him, for He will be second to nothing or no one. Whenever we seek the Lord for something, we should always do so with His will in mind. He knows the end from the beginning and sometimes, the answer is no to our prayers because of His divine protection for us. The Lord loves to give us good things, but He does not want what He blesses us with to become a stumbling block in our life where we lose focus on Him. Something to ponder….

PROVERBS MOMENT – (23JUL19) “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies” (Proverbs 31:10). Proverbs 31 begins with the mother of King Lemuel giving words of wisdom to her son. Some scholars believe that the king was actually Solomon with his mother being Bathsheba, while others believe it to be a fictional character or pseudonym for some ruler. Regardless of the lack of information concerning the true identity of this king, the mother gave timeless advice for the wise to follow when it comes to having a wife of noble character.

A noble wife is a woman whose husband can have complete faith and confidence in her God-given role. She is quite opposite of Lady Folly who leads men to destruction with her seductions. The noble wife supports her husband and brings him good throughout their marriage. She works eagerly with her hands rather inside and/or outside of the home. She takes great care to provide for her family, and she works diligently to see to it that they are lacking nothing. She is often the first one up and the last one down at night because she is busy ensuring that everything is ready for her family for the next day. She shows generosity to those in need as this is a trait of her honorable character. When emergencies arise, she does not fear because she has made preparations for her family to have what they need during unforeseen events. Her husband is greatly respected, and she does not do anything that will put him and her family to shame. The noble wife embodies strength and dignity, for she is a woman of great wisdom. She is never idle but ensures that her household is well taken care of. Her family praises her because they see her value and appreciate her worth. Many women may obtain worldly success, but they cannot compare to this woman of God. Outward beauty fades, charm can be deceptive, but the woman who honors God is one worthy of praise.    

Sometimes women can make the mistake of comparing themselves to women such as Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, Oprah, and other women who are in the public eye, Yet, are these women embodying the example of a Godly woman? Many women are role models of Lady Folly rather than Lady Wisdom. Even if they have the wealth, fame, stardom, and what many may view as success, they often lack what a real woman of God would embody -- holiness. Therefore, Christian women are to model themselves off of the Word of God rather than the vanity of the world. A true man of God will want a real woman of God because in her, he will find the helpmate that will support his walk in the Lord without hindrance, and they will be able to serve the Lord together as a couple and family. “He who finds a wife, finds a good thing and receives favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 18:22). Something to ponder….