THE GOOD AND THE BAD

Today’s Reading: Proverbs 9-10

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

The beautiful view looking from the balcony of the Beit Bracha guest house in Migdal (the hometown of Mary Magdalene), next to the Sea of Galilee. This Christian ministry house is run by CMJ (www.cmj-israel.org). Looking down on this restful garden the proclamation is clear. Every believer has the responsibility to share his or her faith, in person and in support of ministries who do share the faith!

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verses: Proverbs 9:8-9

Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;

Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;

Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

In Proverbs 9 wisdom is personified as a woman who invites a guest into her house. Foolishness, similarly personified, does likewise. Wisdom and foolishness both presume the necessity of choice. Both invitations are heard and it is clear that the listener cannot have both! A choice must be made! The most urgent and pressing business in life: MAKING A CHOICE!!!

The second section of Proverbs begins with chapter 10. There are 375 proverbs to come. In the Hebrew language letters have numerical value. It’s interesting that the letters in Solomon’s name add up to 375. In this chapter the list of the rewards of the two people are opposites. The wise person receives many blessings; the unwise one reaps a harvest of sorrow and death.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, You give such great blessings to those who live in Your wisdom! I pray that You will put a watch over my mouth so that, with Your Word and Your Spirit, I will communicate only that which will bring encouragement, life, love, knowledge, good food for the soul, strength, and wisdom. I come to You, Lord, in and through the Person who does all this and much much more, the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I’ve just turned in my Bible to Hebrews 4:9-13 where I read about the Word of God being living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. In Nazareth Village there is a Roman two-edged sword from 2,000 years ago. I don’t think that any symbol does an adequate job of describing the power of God’s Word. I experienced that power as a boy in our family devotions. For example, I can’t begin to count the number of times I heard my father quote Proverbs 10:22. “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” Never once did I think that Dad was talking about material possessions. He served for four years in a country circuit with two congregations, one in Haley’s Station and the other in Admaston, Ontario. We had a big garden with lots of vegetables and farmers would often bless us with a gift of meat. It seemed that we only needed money for gas for the car, and that cost about 20 cents a gallon. I knew we were “blessed” and “rich” in the things that were really important in life. Dad read the Scriptures out loud to us at breakfast and at supper. I got the message!!!

Yours for all God has for us,

David

P.S. I chose the key verses because giving “Instruction,” “Teaching,” which will result in “An increase in learning” is a primary purpose for this blog! Here are some of our fellow learners atop the famous mountain in Israel called Masada. The cable car that carried us up the mountain is behind us.

The Fortress of Masada rises from 1,300 feet below sea level to 100 feet above sea level. You can see the cable car wires on the left.

The cable car ride up Masada!