June 7, 2012

Consider Your Steps (6/7)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 13-15.

“The naive believes everything, but the sensible man considers his steps.

“A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless” (Proverbs 14:15-16).

The wise and sensible man is compared to two different types of people: the naive and the fool. Both of these people end up in sin. The fool acts arrogantly, rejects the truth, and follows after that which is evil. The naive is simply ignorant of the truth and, as a result, ends up believing a false way that on the surface seems to be right. Where the naive and the fool are the same is that neither one is careful to be sure that what he does is right.
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June 3, 2012

The Beginning of Knowledge (6/3)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 1-3.

The book of Proverbs is a book about wisdom. Wisdom, as we often point out, is the application of knowledge. So in discussing wisdom, we need to have the proper foundation of knowledge. But how do we begin to acquire knowledge. Solomon gives us a starting point:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).

If we want to acquire the knowledge that will enable us to gain the wisdom that God desires us to have, we must have an appropriate fear of the Lord. There are a few reasons for this:
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April 19, 2012

The Christian’s Walk

Walking

In the Scriptures, the term walk is often used to describe the way in which we conduct our lives. God expects His people to conduct their lives in a certain way. Paul wrote to the brethren in Colossae about this: “So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects” (Colossians 1:10). How do we walk in a worthy manner?
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March 29, 2012

Qualifications to Lead

Man with Tie

During an election year, it is common for people to discuss what characteristics qualify a candidate for public office. The Bible certainly addresses the role and desired character of civil authorities, but I want us to focus on a higher authority in this study – God.

In the Old Testament, God was the Israelites’ King (1 Samuel 8:7). In the New Testament, Christ is the person of God identified as our King (John 18:37). He is in a position of ultimate authority, even over our civil rulers (Ephesians 1:20-21). But what qualifies Him to be our King and worthy of honor and respect?
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March 15, 2012

“Surely I Am More Stupid Than Any Man”

Man looking away

Agur described himself as being “more stupid than any man” (Proverbs 30:2). Yet this man demonstrated that he possessed valuable insight and wisdom that we would do well to learn.

“Surely I am more stupid than any man, and I do not have the understanding of a man. Neither have I learned wisdom, nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One. Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son’s name? Surely you know!

“Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar” (Proverbs 30:2-6).

In these first few verses of this chapter, there are several bits of wisdom we should consider. Notice some of the things which this “stupid” man understood.
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February 23, 2012

Things That Are More Valuable Than Gold

Gold

In our troubled and uncertain economy, gold is seen by many people as a wise investment. We certainly want to be good stewards of the blessings we have received (cf. Matthew 25:14-30). This could lead us to obtain gold. Yet we must remember two points. First, even a “safe” investment like gold is uncertain (cf. 1 Timothy 6:17). Second, as we will focus on in this article, there are some things that will always be more valuable than gold, regardless of how much this precious metal is worth in relation to our nation’s currency.
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January 14, 2012

"Where Were You When I Laid the Foundation of the Earth?" (1/14)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Job 38-39.

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7).

Man occupies a prominent place in God’s creation. In the beginning, God told Adam and Eve, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Yet many exaggerate the importance of man to the point where they forget God and view themselves as the ultimate standard and authority.

We need to remember what God was teaching Job in this question. No matter how important we think we might be, we are only here because God created us and the world around us. No matter how wise we believe we have become, our wisdom pales in comparison with God’s because His wisdom is behind all of the things in the natural world, even those things which we cannot comprehend.

God is the Creator. Therefore, all wisdom, blessings, and truth come from Him.

Tomorrow’s reading: Job 40-42

[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]

Daily Notes & Observations contains all 365 articles from this series and is available in paperback from Gospel Armory.

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