April 3, 2008

Today's Reading - Proverbs 3
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Following Scripture Verses

1. My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2. For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4. So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9. Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
11. My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12. For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
19. The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21. My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22. So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26. For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
27. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
28. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
29. Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30. Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31. Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32. For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
33. The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
34. Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35. The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Today's Pathway:
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"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." - Proverbs 3:6

Today's verse is the second half of a familiar, well-loved portion of Scripture. Verse 5 told us to trust in the Lord completely and to not trust our own instincts or thoughts. Verse 6 continues that idea, concluding with the promise that God will direct our paths if we follow through on these principles. The first part of the verse tells us that if we expect God's guidance, we must be willing to "acknowledge" Him in every thing we do.

What does it mean to acknowledge God? The Hebrew word used here is the standard word that would be translated "know". In other words, in every decision you make, on every path that you tread, you need to know that God is there, and you need to know the God Who is there. I like the King James use of the word acknowledge. When you acknowledge someone, you recognize who he is and that he is present. You don't necessarily have to have a long conversation with him, but he knows that you know that he is there. This is very much the idea that is being conveyed by Solomon. When I get out of bed in the morning, I need to realize that God is there. When I make decisions about what I am going to do during the day I need to realize that God is there. And then, I need to act in accordance with my knowledge that He is there. Knowing that He is present, and yet ignoring Him, is foolish indeed.

Do you know God? Do you know that He is there? Do you live every day of your life based upon the reality that He sees and hears everything? When we start to truly believe that, and live like we believe it, then we can have confidence that the Lord will always lead us in the way that we must go.

Pastor Mark J Montgomery