Read Proverbs 4 – 7
Highlights:
How often have we heard someone say they wished they knew what they know now when they were young? Hear the instruction of a father (4:1) to spare the child heartache and misery. The pitfalls of wicked living, bad company, immorality, and temptation. Don't miss the right way to live (4:18,20-22)! Mark down the seven things that the LORD hates (6:16-19). Again a simple person is pointed out and his destination predicted (7:7; 7:24-27).
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil (Prov. 4:25-27).
When we waver off of the Lord's path, we are headed for certain trouble. That is what the writer is warning us of here in these Scriptures. We should make these verses a must to be applied to our lives.
There is great wisdom in these words. He instructs us to keep our eyes centered on the direction we are traveling. Of course, this assumes we are on the Lord's intended road for our lives. If we follow His road, He will make our way clear. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth (Luke 3:5).
The writer further goes on to say not to walk in evil ways or evil places. We must be careful not only to watch our steps, but to walk the path that the Lord shows us. Many times we may know the right way to go and still not head in that direction. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin (James 4:17).
The enemy will use every tool at his disposal to draw us off the path the Lord has us walking down. He will entice us to sin in more ways than one. Often times, the devil will come from many angles. He has many devices in his repertoire of weapons. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world (1 John 2:16).
As believers, sometimes in our decision making we use the thought process of just choosing the lesser of two evils. That is flawed thinking. There is always a right choice. Sometimes the right choice might not seem like a good choice, but it doesn't have to as long as it's a God choice.
Where do we find the answers and directions we need in life? We find them in our prayer life by the guidance of the Holy Ghost and in our study time with the Word of God. In these, we find the path that the Lord would have us follow.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Cor. 10:13).
Thought for Today:
Godly wisdom gives the power to overcome temptation. (Prov 4:11-13)
Christ Revealed:
By the teacher of wisdom (Prov. 4:7,11). Christ is the Teacher in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3).
Word Studies:
4:12 straitened, hindered; 4:13 fast, firm; 4:24 froward mouth, deceitful talk; 5:3 strange, adulterous; 5:6 moveable, irresponsible, unstable; 5:19 ravished, delighted; 5:22 holden with the cords of his sins, ensnared, held fast by the control of his sins; 6:12 naughty, worthless, wicked; 6:26 whorish woman, prostitute; 7:10 subtil, deceitful; 7:18 solace, delight, enjoy.
Prayer Suggestion: Confess your sins to the Lord; He is quick to forgive (Ps. 32:5).
Optional Reading: Titus 2
Memory Verse for the Week: Galatians 6:9
