Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 6:20-24
Prov 6:20-24
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you. For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
James 4:4-5
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?
God made all that exists, and he made it all so that it works in harmony. But it only works harmoniously if we trust him and follow his will for us and our lives. Not only does he know what is best, he provides all we need so that we can follow his will and have this good life. “He jealously desires the spirit he made to dwell in us.” He is patient, not wanting any to be lost but for all to serve him.
Since he approached Eve in the garden, the devil has been spreading the lie that if we follow God and his will, that we will be missing a lot of good and a lot of fun in life. The truth is that we only avoid evil when we trust God and when we don’t, we begin to have all kinds of problems. To be sure, sin can be fun, but it is temporary and the pleasure short-lived. In contrast, to follow God provides eternal glory.
Do you want a life free from strife and disorder? Would you like to live free from all jealousy and unfulfilled ambitions? If you desire a life that is filled with peace and love, gentleness, and reasonable behavior, then follow the wisdom that God gives us in his word. There is no better place to start learning than the Book of Proverbs. It is written by a man who tried it all to find happiness and fulfillment in life and concluded that the whole meaning of life is to fear God and keep his commandments because in the final day, he will bring every deed into judgment, even the secret things, whether good or evil.
O Lord God, give me wisdom to face trials in life. Give me wisdom to practice patience and to listen more than I talk. Give me wisdom to be calm headed and reasonable, even in the midst of disagreements with others. Help me be willing to yield my preferences to those of others. Thank you for the successful surgeries and treatments that I have been praying for on behalf of some dear friends. Use me to your glory. I pray in the blessed name of Jesus my Savior.
Robert
