Finding Wisdom and Understanding
Proverbs tells us that wisdom and understanding are more valuable than silver, gold, and fine jewels. It also says that nothing you could possibly want can compare to acquiring them.
Wisdom and understanding go hand in hand with long life, riches, honor, pleasantness, and peace. They are a tree of life to those who lay hold of them, and those who hold fast to wisdom and understanding will be blessed. So, why wouldn't we spend more time, in the Word and in prayer, seeking wisdom and understanding? Good question!
The book of Proverbs is like a textbook for our lives. The entire book is packed with both wisdom and understanding. Wisdom and understanding are sprinkled throughout the book, wrapped up in the beautiful promises of God. Let's explore a few of those promises today.
“The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.” Proverbs 3:33 4 Ways to Gain God's Blessing:
I've attended quite a number of funerals in the past few years. Most of them were funerals for people who were members of the church we attend. There seems to be a generation of church members, some of them charter members, being ushered into Heaven's glory, one by one. At each of these funerals there has been the memory of the righteous, and that is a lovely thing! It's a blessing. Their family members, and church members alike, take great comfort in knowing that these dear people loved God and we will see them again. The memories we have of them are a blessing. The memory of the righteous is a blessing.
“The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22 We Simply Cannot Outgive God!
"...blessed is he who is generous to the poor” (Proverbs 14:21). I've known people, maybe you have as well, whose lives look like a funnel of God's provision. They seem to be trying their best to outgive God, and we just cannot do that. It's impossible! When we give, He gives. And when He gives, we should give. I don't think generosity comes naturally to most of us. We like to hold on tightly to "our" things, don't we? But remember, we are only stewards of what God provides for us. When we grasp the concept of being stewards, and not being able to outgive God, generosity becomes a blessing!
“Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.” Proverbs 16:20 Giving Thought to the Word
Proverbs 16:20 tells us that when we give thought to the Word, we discover good, and that's exactly what we're doing today—discovering good. I hope you find time every day to give thought to God's Word—His love letter to you. It's our textbook for life. Its promises, like those found in the book of Proverbs, are a roadmap through the desert as well as over the mountain tops.
How are you intentional about incorporating Scripture into your daily life and into the lives of your family? I've found hanging Scripture on the walls of our home has great advantages. Growing up, my boys shared a bathroom and hanging over the toilet (I found over the toilet in the boy's bathroom a great place to hang Scripture for obvious reasons) is a framed piece of artwork with these verses from Psalm 139:
"I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made... Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" Psalm 139:14, 23-24
While it's not Proverbs, this is a great example of being intentional about getting Scripture in front of the eyes of your family on a daily basis. Children, especially, need to be reminded that they are uniquely and wonderfully made by God for a specific purpose.
We have such precious, little time with our kiddos that we have to be intentional about teaching them to love God and His Word. I know when you're in the trenches with little ones, or teens, it seems like life is moving at at snail's pace and you will always be in this season. But trust me friend, you will not. This season will pass so quickly.
You will look up one day, and your window of opportunity for godly influence will have passed. Don't miss any opportunity to be intentional about instilling Scripture into their little (or big) lives!
What is your favorite promise of God found in the book of Proverbs?
I have a few resources to share with you today that will help you with that goal of being intentional about instilling Scripture into the lives of your children.
All of these are excellent resources to help you mold the little lives God has entrusted into your care. Let's be intentional with the promises of God found in Proverbs.
Scripture Art
We are all about displaying God's Word on the walls of our home. And when it's as beautiful as these prints—bonus!
Praying Proverbs Over Your Child
It's our responsibility as parents to teach our children to be more like Christ, and we need help with this daunting task. The book of Proverbs is God’s textbook for the task of childrearing.
"The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.... Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart." Proverbs 29:15, 17
Let me introduce you to the best child-rearing book ever written—the book of Proverbs. Read it, study it, meditate on it, teach it to your children, and PRAY IT OVER THEM! This is a great resource for character building!
There are so many ways to use the book of Proverbs to raise godly children. Besides the list here, there's also the chapter-a-day way. There are 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs. Each chapter is packed with wisdom from God! Read a chapter a day to your children for a whole month. You can start today. Whatever day of the month it is, start with that chapter. Be sure to checkout our Praying Proverbs Over Your Child blog post.
With this list, you can easily identify areas your child struggles in. Consider having them find the verse that deals with the particular situation they are struggling with and write that verse out or memorize specific passages where they struggle.
We are super excited to bring you this resource! The Ultimate Guide to Praying Proverbs Over Your Child is a lovely, 4-page guide to help you better pray for your children. At the end of the resource, you'll find a space to record specific areas they need to work on. I find this helpful as identifying the problem is sometimes half the battle. Join Me For Our Summer 2020 Book Club-Style Bible Study!
We love truth, don’t we? We yearn for it! We need it. We want to know what the Bible says about truth. We long for the truth of God’s Word to permeate our everyday lives so that we never question, even on the bad days.
How do you know whom to listen to or what advice to take when you have an important decision to make? With the Internet, we have access to an overwhelming amount of information. Well-meaning people tell us all sorts of things. Some of it is true and some of it is not. It’s up to us to discern the difference between the two. Proverbs 14:6 says: “A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.” We want wisdom and knowledge, we want to be women of understanding, and we hunger for truth. Making any decision requires a thought process. Proverbs 14:15 cautions us not to believe everything we hear. “The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.” We can’t believe everything we hear or read. Instead, we should take our time and work through decisions with prayer. We don’t have to make decisions based on other people’s opinions. After all, what God has to say on the subject matters the most. We must be prudent and seek out the truth. I know no other book of the Bible that says more about truth than Proverbs. The book of Proverbs is full of truth. In Proverbs 14:1-12, Solomon tells us the best place to seek truth is in God’s Word.
Join me, Tuesday, June 2 - Tuesday, August 4, for our Summer 2020 Book Club-Style Bible Study—a ten-week study of the book of Proverbs. Let’s seek the truth together and record what we find because She Loves Truth! Grab a cup of coffee and download the She Loves Truth Bible study today!
6 Comments
2/21/2020 05:05:33 pm
You're so very welcome, Janie. I love the book of Proverbs, and I'm so excited that we will be studying it for our Book Club/Bible Study book this summer!!!
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Janine
2/21/2020 05:05:32 pm
We have been reading Proverbs this school year and doing a study on it, so your post is very timely.
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2/25/2020 03:42:34 pm
We simply cannot outgive God. Clinging to this today.
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2/13/2021 01:07:54 pm
Absolutely, Lauren! His promises give hope to the hopeless and life to the lifeless.
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