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Day 9
Day 9 | Praying Prior to Reading Scripture
ACTIVITY
Your Call To Act (C.T.A.) today is:
- Pray out-loud for 1-minutes prior to reading scripture that God would teach, rebuke, correct, and train you during the reading.
- Then read Proverbs 2.
- Follow this with praying out-loud for 4-minutes using the P.A.C.T. method
When you are done, note one thing that God revealed to you in the comment section below.
PROVERBS 2
1 My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9 Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.
12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
to walk in dark ways,
14 who delight in doing wrong
and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
15 whose paths are crooked
and who are devious in their ways.
16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
and ignored the covenant she made before God.
18 Surely her house leads down to death
and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
19 None who go to her return
or attain the paths of life.
20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,
and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the unfaithful will be torn from it.
TRANSCRIPT
Goal: Praying to Reveal Living Scripture
Fellas, we are now into week two and day nine.
So today we are going to change things up a little. Today we are going to pray and read scripture, but we are going to do it a little differently.
We have to keep in mind that scripture is a living thing. Initially, this may sound strange to you but stay with men. In the Gospel of John, John, the author, tells us that Jesus and the Word are one in the same thing. We learn that Jesus is the living Word of God's Word in the flesh. So, when we read the Bible, we're not reading just another book. The Bible is not static writing like all other books. When we read this book, we're reading something that is a revelation from the mouth of a timeless God. The Apostle Paul says it this way in 2 Timothy 3:16, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." That means this book is rich and powerful. It's breathed out or inspired by God. It's not inspired by men but instead written down by men, fallible and sinful men just like you and me. Yet men who were moved by the Spirit of God. And God gave them His words, not their words so that we might know about Him. And these words are useful for four things:
- Teaching—to show us the path
- Rebuking—to show us when we are off the path
- Correcting—to show us how to get back on the path
- Training—to show us how to stay on the path
Since this book has incredible power, it's essential to approach this book differently—with reverence. Not that we worship the Bible, that's called bibliolatry, but rather that we worship the God of the Bible.
So today here’s your activity. Before reading the text, I want you to pray out-loud for 1-minute that God and the Spirit would teach, rebuke, correct, and train you during the reading. Pray prior and then read Proverbs 2. And then when you are done, follow this up with 4-minutes of prayer. In the coming days, repeat this pattern for a few days until you get in the rhythm. Pray prior for a minute, read, and then close your time in prayer.
When you are done, note one thing that God revealed to you in the comment section below.
DEVO
Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words—Proverbs 2:16
The adulterous woman of this text is not an attempt to demonize women; it's a call to attention for men using something sexy, which gets a man's attention. It's a warning by King Solomon, the wisest man of his day, that there are persuasive people in life who have appeal, allure, and attraction, much like two people who seek infidelity. The real seduction of this text is two adventurous people and their mutually seductive ideas. So today, don't be fooled by the next adventure and seductive idea and thus become the fool. Instead, be wise and be saved from "adulterous decisions" that lead down a path of regret.
DO THIS: When presented with the next best idea from an adventurous person—pause, and consider if it is wise and in line with God's will.
PRAY THIS: God, keep me from fools and foolish decisions. Give me the wisdom of King Solomon.
Share That You Completed Today's Challenge
Wisdom gives us discretion and protection from evil. Praise God for His Word!
Completed
I love Proverbs. The Wisdom that is available if we ask and seek for it. Lady Wisdom over lady folly or lady adulteress. Lord, I pray for more wisdom and clarity in my life as my soul pants for you!!
Great prayer time
The Path is Narrow but God and Wisdom will guide you.
Gods wisdom will protect you from a lot of things.
Proverbs 2:3 “indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,”
Cry out to God (Pray) Wow! So awesome!
The wicked and unfaithful can never be called wise
The Lord revealed to me the wisdom of obeying his word…it keeps my life building others up
What impacted me the most was a statement for the Lord to give me wisdom like king Solomon. Now that is awesome
God’s word
Living word applicable to my situation today, awesome God.
incredible words and challenges
but we trust in God.
Every “good path” consists of 3 things; righteousness, justice, and equity
The key that stood out to me in Chapter 2 was that you had to be willing to accept God’s word. “Making your ear attentive”, “inclining your heart for understanding”. God’s word is always available you need to be prepared to receive it.
I’m adding wisdom to stay clear of fools and their foolish ways to my daily prayer. These temptations only lead to paths of destruction.
Following God’s word and wisdom leads to the true ‘good life’. Following the wrong path will only lead to destruction. I’ve asked for him to help give me wisdom to stay on the right path.
Wow! Do I put the same amount of effort into seeking God’s wisdom and understanding as I do for success at work? What ‘pay day’ am I working for?
By praying before reading I am preparing my heart & mind for what God has for me to learn.
Completed
True wisdom is from God
True wisdom is the Fear of God
True wisdom Is God.
Blameless is such an incredible word and challenge
I thought proverbs 2:8 was very uplifting. It states that God will protect the ones that are faithful to him. Sometimes seeking biblical wisdom is hard with worldly desires and thinking surrounding us, but God states that he will surround us in this pursuit of wisdom.
I learned that in order to understand God, we need to have God’s understanding. How we can’t truly know who He is without Him revealing himself to us.
Praying and reading the Word out loud helps me stay focused and awake!
Wisdom is a gift from God given to those who seek it.
God calls me son. His desire is for me to sit down with Him and listen to His instruction. What an awesome Father He is.
The upright will inhabit the land…
If I pay attention to what I read in the Bible, it will tell me what is right, just and fair. More importantly I need to live it, not just know it.
I know this is true in my case, but I feel many people “cry for discernment” and understanding and wisdom, but expect it to come the way it did for Solomon. He asked God for wisdom, and God gave him wisdom AND riches. But (again in my case) no one wants to “search for her as for hidden treasures”. I guess that is what we are trying to do with this 35-day challenge, train ourselves to search for God and his wisdom. After all, “the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Not just reading but learning from the Bible. Liked the line “ store up my commands in your heart “ The heart is central to our living.
The importance of wisdom.
Long before the birth of my ancestors, scripture was a live and applicable. And it is still today for me and my kids.
I also like the SHOW, OFF, ON, STAY path (walk) explanation.
God protects and makes successful His people who walk according to His Word.
I know the book of Proverbs is full of wisdom but in my recent prayers I have been seeking wisdom to be man, husband, and father God created me to be and the fact that Proverbs 2 dealt with seeking wisdom like searching for it “as hidden treasure,” just very timely but then again very much intentional according to God’s plan for me.
I like the word picture that we are to seek wisdom as a hidden treasure.
That comes from digging into scripture to find golden nuggets of wisdom.
Gaining wisdom doesn’t come easy. You have to want it and work for it. But it’s worth investing your life to find it. The returns are beyond what we could ever think or imagine.
This struck me as I see many fall and ask themselves why. This verse seems to me the way many have faltered. They not need to ask why but get back on the path.
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
Wisdom helps you in life
ok
scripture is more than just words, its life
Wisdom makes a difference!
Excellent words of wisdom. Lord, help all of us men search for your wisdom and find it in your Word, and help us to walk uprightly so we can live in your land!
Nice Don ⚡️⚡️
(1/31/21) Proverbs 2:11 The Passion Translation
“If you choose to follow good counsel, divine design will watch over you
and understanding will protect you from making poor choices.”
Lord help me know which teachings I should share and which ones I should leave out. .. especially the ones I do not accurately understand.
if you …. you will be rewarded with discernment which will allow you to pick whether to follow Gods wisdom. This creates the internal battle (which is good) versus not discerning and following your own desires.
Today I feel like the Lord showed me how close I have been to that adulterous woman in my life, and how there are really two paths I can choose here. I can either pursue wisdom or the ways of the world. That adulterous woman will lead me to death and destruction so why would anyone willingly choose that? I pray for wisdom and for strength to choose wisdom.
Enjoying reading the Wisdom of Our Lord. 🙂 Seeing first hand how I need to correct my path as I move forward in life.
God revealed to always seek His way and not follow the ways of the world because the latter only brings death.
I have a natural tendency to gaze on the wrong things. And no, it’s not always easy to turn away. The Word reminds me that the only way to healing is focusing on Jesus.
Turn away—in your mind! 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
Gaining understanding and wisdom from God requires a genuine;y deep desire for Godly insight and a willingness to dig deep. It requires searching, listening, and concentration. (I have to want it badly enough to pursue it.)
completed
God revealed to me again just how important it is to be in his Word daily, since that’s where He gives wisdom from.
I am in it with you—the WORD. 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼
Gain wisdom
Praying your day will be full of wisdom! 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼
Complete
Asking for God’s wisdom is so assuring for me. He is always there to guide me
Gods Word will help me stay on God’s path and not stray away from his righteousness .
Lord, I pray for your wisdom to fill me today. May it help me pursue what is right, just, and fair. Direct my life down the path of integrity that I may bring glory to your name.
God will guide our hearts and to not listen to those who are wicked.
If I will simply ask God for wisdom and align with His word of wisdom, I will be on the safe path rather than the path of death and destruction
God tell us to live a blessed life, so he says don’t do those kind of things, but rather live a blessed life that is honoring to God
I have been asking God for wisdom in my job search, that He would give me insight as to the types of job opportunities and companies I should be pursuing. I was reminded today that all wisdom comes from God – from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. Praise God!
Seeking wisdom is needed, it ain’t free.
Search for wisdom with passion and zeal!!
This verse shows me that I need to remember to stay upright and on course. The whole Chapter is reminding us, and that means we NEED to be reminded. Wisdom will be granted to those who accept his word. I love being reminded and that God loves us so much that he keeps reminding us. Amen!
I am feeling very distracted this morning but I am fighting to focus upon God especially that I feel that I need to get busy with the day’s activities. God is revealing that I need to place him at higher priority than getting things done.
I am not normally a very adventurous person which has often been described as a character flaw. I’m not sure about that!
Praying for wisdom is perhaps the wisest thing to do.
His promise of protection through discretion and keeping my paths with the righteous while striving for insight, wisdom and understanding. God calls them buried treasure. Buried treasure – unlocking a mystery. Reminds me of the quest to find the Titanic and to finally see what it story it really told. Gives me the chills thinking about God’s word in that light now! Thanks Vince!
If we seek the Lord He will teach us lead and guide us in His ways.
Wisdom and integrity are a vital part to doing God’s will. He will teach and give us wisdom. We need to treasure it. We need to have integrity as well and use them together to make good decisions that is God’s will and ultimately, please him.
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
I do need the wisdom and knowledge of God, but more importantly I need to apply it to my own life for transformation to take place. I know a lot of men that have a lot of knowledge of the word of God but I don’t see it in there lives.
Yes!!!!
Wisdom is something that we need to seek and hold on to, if not then we will go down the ways of the wicked which leads to death.
Great words!
Make solid, Godly choices !
My life is awesome because God is in it. Thank you Lord for everything.
It struck me that these exhortations were written down by Solomon, son of David. Both of whom had many problems in life from following adventure some women
To not allow ourselves to given to our sinful nature but to seek Gods will for us all.
How we need to not gravitate towards the wickedness or the perverseness of men and women so that we may walk the path of life.
to keep my eyes on him and his words of life
If, If, If.
If I accept His Word, (and apply it to my heart)…
If I call / cry out to God to for help to understand it…
If I read it to find its meaning to me like searching for a treasure…
THEN…I will understand the awesomeness of God. I will know Him
and He will protect me / teach me / give me understanding / guides me from whatever comes my way.
Don’t wander …from His path..avoid the detours.. they will devour you
I learned from( Proverbs 9) Do not be mislead by other people wicked devices…but follow the way of knowledge and wisdom also understanding. Doing it this way may help me to think before acting out of my emotions.
Proverbs 2-Applying your heart to understanding and seeking after God’s wisdom like it is silver or treasure. Amen
“Cry out”…”seek”….”then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God”. All times I’ve read this chapter, this really hit me today. This is so good.
turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding….
This struck me. The word tells us to Love God with our minds and heart. This verse reminded me of it. And I thought, we need to turn to and keep God’s wisdom in our minds and hearts. That is to say in the seat our logic and emotions. We not only need to think right, and know God’s truth, but we also need to let it be our passion and let it guide our feelings and emotions.
Focused
Verse 10 says that knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. We often refer to knowledge as power, which give more of a fierce image. But God’s wisdom will enter our hearts and it will be pleasing to our souls. He’s so powerful and yet so gentle at the same time.
God revealed to me the real treasure that it is to spend time with and learn from Him each day so, I need to slow down, soak it in and make time to do it right instead of just “checking the box” each day.
Great idea to pray before reading the living word
I believe that if you truly are trying to understand the word and putting your heart into it that’s where God starts to give you true wisdom.
What I learned: If you seek God, you will find Him. And if you follow Him, He will fill you with many blessings that can only come from Him (wisdom, knowledge, understanding).
I want to follow God and have Him be the desire of my heart. The problem is that sometimes I get in my own way and make selfish choices – time, money, and my attention. God, please help me to keep focused on Your will. Help me to decrease and for you to increase in my life.
Be slow to anger and don’t ignore Gods daily wisdom
God is the only way to reach this goal.
My take away is the presence of the Lord. I later heard a story of Billy Graham. When he was getting to the end of his life, he was visited by someone. They were amazed to think that,, “here is this man who preached the gospel all over the world to more people than anyone, ever; and now here he is, alone (relatively speaking).”
When asked about this, Mr. Graham said, “I am never alone when I am reading the Bible, in it, God reveals Himself, and is my friend'”
That is my take-a-way. Jesus is my friend, and I pray that the Spirit reminds me continually, I AM NEVER ALONE!!!
To be on the watch out for the wicked. The word “wicked” kept jumping out at me during my reading. I understand that Satan will use my past wickedness against me but God has forgiven them and encourages me now to be wary.
God’s word is so vital in defeating Satan.
Honestly,I used to shrug off the fact of saying a prayer to God before a bible study.I used to say to myself that I would pray after so there is no need for me to have a prayer before.As I practiced it today I realised I had a different feeling as I approached the Bible.
Verse 3 really stands out for me. I see as you don’t have to do it alone and have all of the answers. It’s as easy reaching out and trusting our Heavenly Father!
I can constantly be swayed by fools and foolish decisions. I forget to rely on God with everything and I get taken in by foolish people who have the world’s desires in mind. Sometimes it is not even a person who entices me , but an idea. It can be a scene on my favorite T.V. show. It can be an add on the internet or even an idea spoken on the radio. This world has a way of getting a hold of you with empty promises, while God’s promises overflow.
I’ve struggled with the term “fear of the Lord”. But this reading helps me to understand that when you seek God with all your heart and ask for wisdom He will then allow you to understand what He means. Thank you Jesus! Amen
Complete
Completed
A casual approach to God’s Word will lead to a casual relationship with Him. Lord help me to slow down & dig deeper.
Vs 6 “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
We have to be open to hear His wisdom, knowledge and understanding. If we aren’t prepared to hear, we don’t listen
The wisdom I need can only come from HIM!!
What I understood was that you must walk on the path to Christ if you want wisdom and he will give it to you.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
I want to receive this knowledge and understanding
Feed on only the fruit God offers, every other “wisdom” is sour. Be a hawk that eats only good fruit, not a vulture that eats what is already dead
Prov 2:3 is my verse for my work. I need insight. Like you told me Don. …..
v3 indeed, if you call out for insight
For wisdom to enter your heart and knowledge be pleasant to your soul. Maybe this is like a great sermon, or a truth about Jesus that gives you joy. So often I am enticed by the pleasures of sin. I pray that I will direct myself toward knowledge.
Today I feel like the Lord showed me how close I have been to that adulterous woman in my life, and how there are really two paths I can choose here. I can either pursue wisdom or the ways of the world. That adulterous woman will lead me to death and destruction so why would anyone willingly choose that? I pray for wisdom and for strength to choose wisdom.
If I could only strife to live daily the words of this chapter
I like how you explained teach, rebuke, correct, and train in terms of a path.
Proverbs 2 talks about the good and bad consequences for everything that we do, yes there are comments to adulterous women, but like Vince said in the Devo tab, that’s not JUST about adulterous women, but about ANYONE that wants to derail your progress of maturing in your faith by taking you down a sinful path, man or woman doesn’t matter.
Complete
One thing that I got out of the reading is to never stop thirsting for the knowledge of God from the Bible. That being a Chris isn’t a destination, but a journey.
Every day we have a choice to follow God or the ways of this world. God please give me strength, decisiveness, and will to follow your wisdom and your ways in all I do.
God is a shield to those that are faithful. What a huge blessing! The Almighty Savior playing full-back for our daily struggle. Thank you Lord!
The prayer at a given specific time of the day is good idea. I Feel at peace, I like the momentum.
Wisdom from God’sword provides discernment and protection from the evil snares of our ingodly world.
I wonder how often I don’t seek wisdom or seek out understanding or do I just want to be understood.
Proverbs 2 verse 3 stood out to me, it reminded me that god wants us to not try doing it ourselves but call on him and he will give us everything we need.
Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you
Wicked men are cut off, only wise men can remain in the land. To be wise, run towards God when dealing with worldly obstacles. Stay in him.
God revealed to me that there are really two paths that you can take… a path of righteousness, where there are promises for protection and a crooked path that leads to destruction.
*Wisdom* from the Lord is key to staying on the straight path!
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9 Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
The benefits of seeking wisdom and applying it, keeps us from evil and on the right path. Fills us with life and light and away from death and darkness.
That I really need Him. 5 minutes isn’t a long time to spend in prayer. But it is so worth it.
I learned praying ahead helps me to receive His word and still my heart. Praying afterwards helps me to better understand and identify with God’s word
Nothing helps to ConQuer your mind like spending time in the Word.
It is in seeking wisdom from God that I will find direction for my life, “to understand what right and just and fair – every good path”. This is my desire.
God taught me that treasuring His commands leads to a life of Integrity, which allows othet yo see Christ!
One thing revealed to me from this lesson today. The comfort that comes from the Father, when I am ( excuse the Pun ) All in with Him who promises me Blessings beyond my comprehension. What a great God we serve.
Reading daily scripture =wisdom
I didn’t get past verse 1 before the rebuking and correcting started. I’m called to ACCEPT God’s words (rather than argue with Him, though He loves me even if I do) and STORE them up in my heart (not just reading, but memorizing, reviewing, and dwelling on Scripture till it fills my mind and soul). I’ve been filling my time with so much “other” stuff, most of it “good” stuff, but it’s still quietly edging God out. I’m grateful for this program and for you all, brothers, helping me get back on track and stay on track.
I need to work on pursuing God’s wisdom by taking time to read and study His word as well as to know Him through prayer. This will allow me to live a full life in Him and be the man that He created me to be.
I very much liked this process.
“For the Lord gives wisdom” so simple but so often forgotten.
I love God’s promises in the holy scriptures, like verse 7.
Proverbs 2: Turning your ear to wisdom applying your heart to understanding
I’ve been praying for God to protect and rescue persecuted Christians like Asia Bibi. This past week, I looked up her status and found that after 10 years of being in danger of execution, God rescued her last May.
As I read this chapter, I was reminded that the most frequently stated command in the Bible is do not fear. In this chapter, God is inviting us to Him, and He will give us wisdom, which is the antidote to fear.
I missed yesterday and I have no excuse. Sorry men.
Free will that we have been given and how we use it is our choice which path we will take.
If I consistently meditate on God and keep his commandments in my heart throughout my day then I will receive God’s wisdom and then I can apply that wisdom throughout my day.
I need to seek His wisdom. He will give it to me
You are my source of wisdom God! Thank you for showing me the ways.
Hearing God’s words will bring us wisdom which will keep us from the darkness.
Pursuing wisdom will bring direction and protection to our lives
I appreciate the promise that if we seek wisdom we will find it, that God will be faithful and reveal things to us. I want to rely on actual promises in scripture, not just what I think is there.
How satan is constantly trying to derail my spiritual walk.
God will do great things for us if we allow him to.
I have to confess I had the wrong attitude about this study the first several days. It started very slow. I already pray every day. I already ask and confess and thank and often do it out loud. I already read the Bible. God forgive me for thinking so highly of myself. I said I was all in the first day and I haven’t been. Today, I will start doing better.
Thanks Blaine for reminding me to not think so highly of myself and thanks for being so honest and open about your reality.
#brotherhood
Look for it, search for it, Find the knowledge of God
It seems clear that the Lord favor rest on those who walk up rightly and honor Him.
The wisdom that comes from above also has more value than anything.
Completed!
Wisdom is my take away
I find 2 things fascinating here. Not necessarily learned, but confirmed. Number one, we have to clarify that this is not a rebuke of women, and our modern society requires that we justify this passage by saying it’s not a rebuke, when the message is intended for ALL OF US, as a warning and rebuke. We’re missing the point by shying away from the point. The “seductive woman” is seducing us even in this very analysis that begins with an apology.
Number two, I find it fascinating how much we have turned from the Bible, and search for its truth and teachings elsewhere. We are not allowed to discuss the Bible in our public schools while teachers are tasked with providing students lessons on “Social-Emotional Learning ” and conflict resolution, our politicians try desperately to avoid direct association with its message while clumsily delivering its message, and we find ourselves ultimately constantly yielding to this seductive path and in the process rebuke righteousness itself. This activity asked us to pray for the wisdom of Solomon; it was he who was able to discern by offering to cut the baby in half, determining that the more fit mother would give it away to give it life. Modern society trying to be clever has been trying to devise ways to not call it a baby at all. Our wisdom and lack of humility are cutting us off from the land, the source of truth and the life it gives.
Let His Wisdom continue to open doors/plant seeds. God is God, we are not.
Wisdom….we learn, but do not have wisdom…I want that Wisdom of the heart.
So true that seeking Godly wisdom and keeping it will protect me from harm. Prob 2:10-12.
What was taught to me through scripture today was that wisdom will saVe me from evil men. The idea that some people want to do evil things and harm others thus getting more people on their side is weird to think about.
I am thankful for the God that looks out for us and loves us.
We have the choice to be “upright and blameless” or “perverse and wicked”, the choice is ours and the consequences are spelled out. Which way do we choose? Thankfully through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, it is a much easier choice.
The PACT approach is helpful but I find that it ends up being more along the lines of “PACACATACATAAT”. Confession for sure leads to pleading or asking the Holy Spirit to do some work on my behalf. Proverbs always takes me to that place of self-assessment and the recognition that I need the spirit’s help and wisdom.
One thing I learned from a God today was reminder on peer pressure and how easy it is to get involved in that. Gossip, allowing someone to lead you down the road of bad talking about someone else. It makes you fit in in situation but is that what I have been called to do Fit In?
I have known that I should pray before reading, but have often jumped in to my daily reading without preparing my heart.
I have not found the way to look back to previous days comments, so have only seen what 2 or 3 have said.
I also wonder why I have to enter all of my info every day when I check to remember it!
Your browser may not be set to allow cookies, or there may simply be a glitch in their (beresolute’s) code. Mine auto-fills when I click, but I still have to click.
“So follow the steps of the good, and stay on the paths of the righteous.”
The path is laid out before us be those who have gone before, it’s our job to follow.
Revealed: God wants to Guard us, Shield us and give us Wisdom. It is however reserved for those who wish to live a just, faithful and blameless life.
Man that was a great reading! Verse 2 really stood out to me: “turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding.” I see the part of ‘applying your heart to understanding’ as really trying to absorb what the Lord is saying. Not only reading (or hearing) the word it but digging into it, meditating on it, feeding on it, surviving on it. I’m very excited to do that with you guys for the rest of this challenge!
Today God revealed to me that even the concept of servant leadership is a misnomer. If our goal is to be a leader, even if through servitude, then our path is misguided. Our goal should only be to serve the Lord and pursue him. Leadership may or may not be a byproduct of this servant heart. That is up to the Lord.
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Lord, please help me to remember this. I struggle with wanting more head knowledge when You are eager and willing to provide true wisdom that brings life to our souls and to thise around us.
Hey friends. Sorry I’ve been so sparse in my response. I’ve been far too busy with everything recently. Today, I learned that I don’t take God’s word serious enough, as in I didn’t acknowledge its power. While reading today, I realized I needed to take action in storing God’s commands within me. I plan on doing an exercise tomorrow morning on this.
God speaks out knowledge and understanding. It is He who promises wisdom and is our for the asking.
In my search for God’s direction beyond my current internship, I was encouraged by Proverbs 2 to take serious the seeking of God’s wisdom. As if it were a treasure hunt.
It’s kind of simple but that correct & rebuke aren’t the same thing.
Knowledge and understanding come from Him AND He also wants those in His leaders. Beautiful thing is that He provides the way for that to happen…seek Him!
If we strive for wisdom, integrity, and knowledge we can achieve it through God and doing so will protect us from evil.
I need some time on this before I can truly comment. I’ve listened. I’ve read and I’ve prayed. Stay tuned.
Turning your ear to wisdom and your heart to understanding is something that stood out for me. Again just being intentional with my time with God
Accept the Lords word, and seek it. He gives wisdom, it enters your heart, and saves you.
There are lots of promises for those who seek God. I liked chapter 2.
Trust God’s wisdom, His security, for He loves us more than we can grasp. Trust and obey.
Yes Jay I saw that last night , I figured every couple of days of scrolling back.
Thank you for brining this group together
Seek wisdom earnestly ! So much in this I’ve missed before , gaining knowledge and understanding . He shields those who walk with integrity, guarding the path and watching over His saints ! Once again shows God is always with us
I’ve been putting off praying until later in the day, usually when things have calmed down and I have down time. Today I put it off till 6 pm and was given a sign to stop what I’m doing and pray!
The Lord’s wisdom will not find us. We must seek Him if we wish to attain it.
Wisdom comes from God. Pray for that wisdom to lead the lost to Christ.
I believe that since we hold that very treasure, we should take inventory of anything we may be lacking. He gives wisdom to any who seek it with their heart, and I can’t think of a greater treasure than to have God’s Word in my possession. O Lord my God, grant into each of us the discernment we need to share this word with a lost and dying world, I pray.
Late getting my thoughts in here, but seeking wisdom in the Word seems like an obvious thing, but for some reason, I find myself not necessarily going there when discerning decisions in my life, or when trying to turn back from “ways of wicked men”. I need to place God and His word at the top of my priority!
Finished. Love the wisdom of chapter 2. To not be led astray from His path
P.A.C.T is keeping me on track!
Wisdom will save me from the grips of adultery. Seeking God through His word will keep me on the right path to be in right relationship with him and my wife.
Day 9: “Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;”
Proverbs 2:9-10 ESV
https://www.bible.com/59/pro.2.9-10.esv
I love thinking about how when I am reading God’s Word and spending time with Him through prayer, that He is correcting my thought life to align with Him. I love the idea of “understanding righteousness, justice, equity, and every good path.” I pray for that in my life!
Great thoughts here Nick!
I must keep seeking and exploring God’s Word daily!
Let’s do it together, brother
How interesting that wisdom must enter into you. More often than not, I feel like I look for the wisdom that is with in me already… Not realizing that wisdom is a gift others have to offer to us. All we have to do is search and listen for it
If you look for as for silver and search for it as a hidden treasures……
I’ve looked for the wrong type of treasure for 45 years. I stumbled across this verse a few months ago and it opened up my heart to His word and His plan. Now I feel richer than ever even though I live pay check to pay check
Killer! Love it, you have been prayed for today. Day one of new treasure!
One thing that I thought stood out to me is how wisdom will protect us from the evil path. It’s not just praying, reading the Bible and going to church that will keep us from sinning; we also have to be wise and make wise decisions.
Bingo!
Verse 7 has been crucial to me, because during my wayward times there have been men who have been my shield and brought me back into the fold
Two things stood out to me today in Proverbs 2. Verse 6 “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Sometimes I catch myself thinking that God will just put new knowledge and understanding directly into my brain when I ask through prayer but what I am reminded of is that God gives knowledge and understanding by straight up telling you, by speaking to you, in many different ways. Through the living word, through quiet whispers, through pastors and teachers, through relationship with others.
Verse 21 “For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;….” Guys, I think this is speaking to the Kingdom here and now and the coming Kingdom that Christ will bring on His return. When a new earth is created and Jesus rules from Jerusalem.
#boom
Wisdom will enter my hear and knowledge will fill you with joy! God continues to reveal that this is why we must remain close and grounded with him. Wisdom and Knowledge!
Be aware of the adulterous woman looking to seduce you. To in this day and age that’s very common.
Seek insight and wisdom. Go after it.
There are 8 things that we are commanded to do in the first few verses. While we know there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation, there are many things we are called on to do. I am grateful that He has made it possible for our efforts, while futile alone, to be fruitful.
Wisdom and discretion are key to my walk with God.
All wisdom comes from God.
There is a distinction between what God has set forth to do and be done and what we as humans are to do and I think it’s important to understand this.
What struck me was that I when I ask for wisdom in order for me to receive it, I need to spend quality, uninterrupted time in his Word to receive it.
Verse 6, “For the Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding”
Lord give me wisdom and strength to be obedient to your instruction!!
All In!!
I found it interesting when he mentioned that Jesus and the word are one in the same. I had never heard anyone make that connection before. Makes things pretty simple. If you want more Jesus, spend more time in the word.
My one take away from today’s lesson and Bible reading is how much God loves me. What an incredible Father to take the time to instruct me on the path to the good life and ultimate prize of eternal life with Him. What a fantastic family to be adopted by. THANK YOU God!!!!!
To stay the course in the covenant I’ve made before God.
I need to want the wisdom of God so bad that I am willing to cry out for it aloud. When we do what is right, we can trust God to bring success in His time. We must remain teachable because those who delight in evil (deviant sexuality) will be torn from their blessings. God determines what is moral according to His Word. We can’t justify sin or change the Bible.
I know that Proverbs 9 talks about the fear of the Lord being the beginning of wisdom, but that point is a recurring theme, and is definitely hinted at in this chapter as well.
I know that it is Proverbs 9 that talks about the fear of the Lord being the beginning of wisdom, but that point is a recurring theme, and is definitely hinted at in this chapter as well.
How absolutely wonderful to be addressed as a child of our Creator, where His holy and living WORD speaks to us as, “My son.” He addresses us directly. How reassuring is that?
And to think from verses 7 and 8, I can claim His promise for my son-in-law as he travels and works to bring the Gospel into Muslim communities. “For He guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”
6. The Lord gives Wisdom; From his mouth ie. The Bible. Comes Knowledge and Understanding
I feel humbled today and I understand that my path and journey will be testing and rough. The past few days I have battled with how long will this session take as it seems to have increased by a few minutes but then I calm down and am reminded what truly matters!
In daily life we have things (evil, negativity) that try and deter us from our path and prevent us from walking with him and in his grace. I’m guilty of it and it’s something I thought was real but all it did was hurt me my wife and my family. It’s a hard road, but we have to do our best as men to be the example and show gods spirit through our actions and life.
“Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.”
We could all use more discretion in the way we deal with life as well as more understanding.
God taught me there is a direct relationship between having His knowledge and wisdom, and discernment of what is acceptable and right. This is an important truth as I sometimes struggle with ‘grey area’ matters that are not clearly spelled out in Scripture
The word “integrity” popped put to me.
God wants us to focus so much on him that we cry out for more of him. His insight and Wisdom should become an adventure like seeking hidden treasure. In living this way God’s ways will guide, protect and lead us in every good way.
Pray aloud for wisdom.
During the “C” confessing, I am dealing with lower back right now. my pain as it is challenging to stay focused but, I realized this pain is nothing compared to the pain and suffering Jesus endured.
I was at a standstill coming up with something to thank God for in the PACT section, and he revealed to me that He is working in my life. That is something to be thankful for.
Seeking Gods wisdom and guidance is one of my daily asks. Listening and relinquishing my controlling ways one of my biggest daily challenges. I need to hang on tight to his understanding better and cast off the noise of external worldly distractions that are not mine to own.
What stood out to me was the training portion. To accept God’s words, to ask for His understanding, and seek out God.
The one thing I learned is that it’s a little scary to pray that God would teach correct and rebuke me with his word. Yikes.
Wisdom is easily found. We need only search for it. We too easily give up and second guess ourselves on the wise thing. Let’s become more resolute in our wisdom!
Boom!
Verse 2: “turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding”… it is a twofold statement not only do you have to listen to the wisdom but it needs to sink into your hear and be applied to your life.
I need to stay focused on Christ and his word so as not to be fooled by temptations that lead me to regret or destruction.
I need to stay plugged in and focused on Christ and his word in order to not be fooled by temptations that lead astray.
I was really challenged by the first several verses that discuss how if we want wisdom and understanding that comes from God, we need to pursue it — it’s an active pursuit that requires effort and longing for it on our part, but God is so willing and ready to grant it to us when we do pursue Him. So often I do not view this wisdom and knowledge as precious as silver and hidden treasure, and therefore do not put nearly enough effort into pursuing God and his wisdom and understanding, and it is in those times especially where I struggle more with sin, bad attitude, selfishness, etc.
I have personalized the prayer before reading scripture
* Teaching—show me the path
* Rebuking—show me when I am off the path
* Correcting—show me how to get back on the path
* Training—show me how to stay on the path
Stay in GOD s word daily and seeking him out in everything I do. If I do this it will show me the way to his Kingdom
Wisdom is (are) treasures we should seek.
Love that.
When we seek God and His wisdom with all earnestness, He is faithful to respond, revealing the immeasurable treasures of His Word.
Lord I need and seek that kind of wisdom.
I have been spared from wicked men and their wicked schemes and the enticement if adulterous women by I have been spared from wicked men and their wicked schemes and the enticement of adulterous women by God’s hand of protection!
Today after prayer and then reading proverbs 2, I was then able to sincerely ask for forgiveness for straying to the dark side. The Word is truely winderful.
I have been spared from wicked men and their wicked schemes and the enticement if adulterous women by God’s hand of protection!
Today I learned that I can understand the fear of the Lord by turning all my attention to God and asking for insight. Last night a brother in Christ (Mike) explained to me that fear of the Lord can be defined as per John MacArthur as
the state of mind in which one’s own attitudes, wills, feelings, deeds and goals are exchanged for God’s. I can’t help but feel blessed that my brother Mike shared this with me and then the very next day it comes up in scripture and that scripture than explains how to understand this “fear”.
God is everything and I’m all in for him.
Searching for God’s wisdom by surrounding myself with upright men and good influences. I’m beginning to think understanding at the heart level is sympathy?
This chapter is full of truths and commands. Lord, help me to focus on what You want me to focus on. I do not want to dabble in your truth. I want to be ALL-IN. I trust you. You have my full heart In Jesus Name, Amen.
What stood out to me was the beginning and the middle of this chapter. “If you accept my words”, “wisdom will enter your heart”. It doesn’t get much more powerful than that.
Verses 3 & 4 stand out and tell me what to do, and where to begin, to find wisdom to walk in Gods commands.
1- thing that stood out is how God allows us understanding for the wisdom He gives us. Seems to be an extra measure of His great love for us. Many times I’ve told my boys to be wise and not explained the reason why which would give understanding.
His love for us is perfect. He is for us – not against us.
When we diligently seek his wisdom, he is faithful to give us wisdom for our daily lives.
Wisdom seeking is serious business with long term consequences. It takes effort.
‘Wisdom to my heart and knowledge to my soul.’ I many times see the right path as to be revealed by purely head knowledge exposure, but there is a deeper and longer lasting place for wisdom that leads to the right paths.
I tend to lean on my own wisdom a lot it matters that I believe to be “less important” and lean on God’s wisdom in matters that I feel are more important or out of my control. I need to stop doing this! I need to lean on Him and His wisdom in all things.
Father in you I will put my trust!
What I learned is that Gods wisdom is available to me, but is not going to arrive at my doorstep in a gift box. In the beginning verses of chapter 2, the writer is imploring is to seek Gods wisdom. We must desire, read and study His Word so we can be taught, rebuked, corrected and trained. Thank you Jesus!
AMEN!!!
AMEN!!
Amen! Wisdom is ours to be had!
Holy Spirit, please teach me, rebuke me, correct me and train me.
You need to search if you intend to find.
Thank you Jesus for turning my ear to wisdom and applying my heart to understanding.
Praying before reading reveals so much more…
True wisdom comes from God.
Often, when I recognize sin in my life I have prayed for God to change me. However, I have rarely stored up God’s command through regular Bible reading. I felt rebuked and corrected in this. Praying for help to avoid sin is great, but I’m not plugging into everything God is offering to help correct me when I leave my Bible unopened.
I used to love evil but this proverb shows me I love wisdom more and this wisdom in from above which is perfect I Thank God for that every morning
Love this reminder that scripture is living and should be treated so differently than any other reading.
From the reading verses 12 and 16 really stuck out to me and are saying “Wisdom SAVES us from the ways of wicked man and the adulterous women.
As we pray gentlemen, we need to ask and plead with Jesus to give us wisdom, wisdom way beyond ourselves that we would not fall victim to wicked men and or adulterous women. It is clear in our culture that Satan uses these things often to derail men seeking God.
Have I ignored any covenants I have made with God?
v6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Why not hear from God first each day. Get the communication line open.
As any believer and follower of Jesus Christ, the P.A.C.T. prayers help me personally to keep short account of my sins with God. Whether or not it is the driving reason behind my anger seeming to subside and not explode, I can’t say, but thank you Vince for this 35 day challenge that is helping me to be more like God’s man, King David, in my leadership, but may we all remember that being a good leader has NOTHING to do with being a good father. So may the rest of us fathers out there be good spiritual leaders and examples AS WELL AS good fathers to our children.
You are welcome. Keep it up. God is smiling on us. We are better together!
What stood out to me was verse 3
“ if you call out for insight”. I need to exercise passionate prayer to know the Lord better so His wisdom can penetrate my heart! All In!
Amen Brother so true
Be wise and be saved from adulterous decisions. Praying for you all today.
God revealed so much to me in this text today. I read it and then listened to it. Every word definitely had a new impact on me.
All I can say is who have to TRUST your God and everything you ever need will be answered with prayer.
He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
God made it clear to me this morning that the reason I’m currently in a very frustrating situation is because I wanted to do this thing by my self without seeking the wisdom and guidance of others who have experience. My pride is what has landed me where I am. But I know where to go from here!
#boom. Keep moving forward!
God revealed to me that I should pursue Him with zeal to gain wisdom and knowledge so as to not fall victim to snares set by the enemy. Doing so I will find protection and grace in His kingdom
Do I look for wisdom as if it were silver or a hidden treasure? I think of treasure hunters as being totally consumed by the thoughts of finding the treasure, but do I seek God and his wisdom like that?
Verse 4 comes at me cause I don’t seek and the search the scriptures like I should.
Wisdom and knowledge come from God and His Word. Pride and sexual desires lead to a empty head and a empty heart. We all need to ask God for the strength to resist these temptations.
True and pure wisdom comes from God.
Wow, all a can really say is…God Is Awesome. I am so glad that He is alive. Despite having to clean up dog poo before starting my quiet time, i wasnt sure what God was going to show me. I feel free. The praying for the scriptures to come alive , just like yesterday with verse 1:33; today verse 2:7 jumped out. The whole context did as well, verses 3- okay thd whole chapter. Thank you living God.
Once again, this simple reminder of praying before reading God’s word is exactly what I needed. God is good!!
Acknowledge and accept his word. It leads to wisdom and salvation
God has all the wisdom and understanding to face my day if I am just willing to let go and let him take charge. Not only of my spirit, but of my thoughts, actions, schedule, tasks, and conversations.
Praying for all of you !!
Living a Godly life is a choice it has to be done Day by Day Minute by Minute Good News We are on thg he right track !! Live it
Acknowledge and accept his word. Follow his path for it leads to wisdom and salvation
Verse 16 starts a great lesson for men of all ages. Be wise my friends!
indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
The scriptures are telling us to reach out, call out for insight and wisdom, reach out and Sind of the world can be easier to navigate. Without help, we cannot help ourselves for we don’t see the light.
Trust the spirit of God that is in you, for wisdom and truth will set you free.
If I look for answers in God’s word as I would for riches, if I search for answers (truth) as earnestly as I would for a hidden treasure, then I will understand who God is, the truth about His character.
In my reading today God told me “I will give you wisdom; knowledge and understanding. I hold your success in my hands. I will guard your path in this life and will protect you. I will help you understand what is right and just and fair. I’ll tell you what path to take as decisions face you during this day. I will cause wisdom to enter your heart. You’ll find it very pleasant. I will give you discretion. It will protect you, along with the understanding that I give you. This wisdom I give you will protect you from the evil that comes at you from every direction.”
Wow! Even though trouble may come my way, God has assured me that this will be a good day. Thank you, Lord.
The Path, staying on the path of righteousness. Learning is Wisdom. Dear God teach me, rebuke me, correct me, and train me to STAY ON THE PATH. It’s about the Love God has for us, not to punish us. We are Blessed.
The temptation and subduction of sin will always be with us. But if we turn immediately to God when tempted, He will help us.
Before I even listened to today’s message and before reading today’s scripture, not knowing anything about Proverbs 2, I prayed for and about what is in Proverbs 2. So , as He always does, God revealed to me that I need to put more trust in him, that he is all knowing and knows what I need. He’s truly an amazing God.
I love it. Powerful. I am in tears for you, tears of great joy. See God and be encouraged.
I’ve read the first few chapters of Proverbs recently. It seems as if they were directed at me. I’ve struggled with lustful thoughts most of my life. Praise God that he is delivering me from the grasp of addiction. He has been encouraging me and helping my marriage become stronger.
I am praying this for you!
Seek the Word of God – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on you own understanding. Proverbs 3:5. Knowing God is knowing the path to life everlasting.
wisdom and discretion is the key to a productive life
Verse 4 ” if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure (5) then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find knowledge of God.” This is the verse that jumped out at me. How fervently do I seek GOD? I ask myself this very often. Am I as “good” a seeker as the others? Do I seek correctly? Am I as good a Christian as those around me? I know others feel the same way and it strikes me that we make it too complicated. The answer is simply to SEEK. Like silver! Like Gold! The more I seek, the more I will be given. The saying “you sow what you reap” comes to mind. I will seek!
Just wondering if you guys are aware that you can go back to previous days and read the comments of those who got started later than we did?
Yes, Jay, thank you for bringing that up (and for bringing this program to our attention). I go back to see if people post after me, and I also check the open forum as well. And I jumped ahead, too…shh… I just wanted to be sure that it “picked up” from the past two days (day 1 go get a Bible, day 2 start reading Proverbs…um, okay…), as I was not sure how we were going to go forward with the Proverbs readings. It does keep expanding, reaffirming and adding. Just my opinion, I think this is a very good program…!
Chapter 2. IF YOU receive my words, call out, and seek, THEN YOU will understand SO YOU will be delivered and walk in the way of the good. If then so.
Wisdom is a gift from God through His Word. It gives us knowledge and understanding if we truly seek it.
Chapter 2. IF YOU receive my words, call out, seek it ; THEN YOU will understand; SO YOU will be delivered and will walk in the way of the good. If then so.
Gods wisdom is better than anything else in this world.
Very powerful and humbling chapter !
Today was a good reminder for me to pray before reading/studying the Bible. I often do but not always. That to me means doing it in my own strength and not God’s power.
God revealed to me today to break-off my relationship with my girlfriend. Staying with her would only lead to my destruction.
Wow awesome brother!
Stay in GOD s word daily and seeking him out in everything I do. If I do this it will show me the way to his Kingdom
We should be seeking wisdom and understanding from God’s Word. This should be a higher priority than the pursuit of treasures in this world.
My comment went under the public group today!
When we seek him for understanding, he will not only reveal to us what we need, he then will also protect us!
I need to be alway asking and seeking God wisdom and guidance and really be pray-full and the decisions and choice I need to make to be in his will
This portion spoke peace and centeredness over me.
“For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.“
I am struck by the desperation, passion, and excitement of the one who is searching. Searching as if for treasure, yet this is much more valuable than treasure. I want to “cry aloud” for this understanding and seek it for the value that it is.
Verses 2-5 spoke to me. I need to always be searching and asking God for His wisdom and His understanding and make it a priority to seek them out.
Makes me think that seeking wisdom will never be finished but there is a truth and the constant seeking is our way of expressing our reverence to God.
Search for godly wisdom like it’s a hidden treasure
Follow the word of God and you will receive everlasting life.
Proverbs provides the detailed road map to navigate the challenges of our journey. We need to stay on the paved roads to avoid getting lost.
God’s wisdom will protect, guide and save us.
What really stuck out with me was verse 5 I am not sure why but I felt like knowing what it truly meant to fear the lord was more than just reverence but also a desire to learn more to dive deeper into the word and prayer to seek his understanding striving for discernment and wisdom that only God can provide
Desire in our hearts can bring His wisdom or our downfall. It’s our choice.
Love it!
How blessed we are that our Lord gives us, wisdom, knowledge, understanding and especially grace.
Thank you Father God for your wisdom help me to apply it to my heart so that I can understand your path more clearly.
Just testing…
Me too…
Hey, it works now!
Are you testing me 😉
Muhuahhhhh 🙂
discernment and understanding will protect you.