Saturday 30 April – Proverbs 23
Satan’s Trap – Busyness
Having lived in two western nations now, both in the United States and in England, I have noticed how much people work. One thing in common is that each society I have lived in teaches you to chase the dollar, and though the American Dream was born in America, I believe it permeates most of our societies. There seems to be an unspoken measure of status – that you haven’t made it until you have your own home, a car in the garage (or parked on the street if you live in England!!), name brand clothing, a job of some status with a future of more status, and all the modern gadgets to make life easier. I know I have left something out but you get the idea!
Verses 4 and 5 really jumped out at me because no matter what you do for a living or wherever you are, society places some expectations on what is acceptable to chase, and it always seems to be money and wealth and riches. To chase those requires a lot of work because they are always just that little bit out of our reach. One of satan’s biggest schemes on this earth is to keep us busy. We may even be busy doing good and right things, but we need to make sure that the things we chase have eternal value. These verses tell us that riches will not always be with us, and we should be chasing things that will last forever – and this advice comes from a man who is reputed to be one of the richest men the world has ever seen!!
Some Questions to Ask
What do you value? What do you chase after? Do you value the riches of this world more than the riches of heaven? Do you overwork just to gain these riches? Do you have little time with God because you are too busy doing the wrong things? Even though I work in full time Christian work, I have to constantly ask myself these questions because I fall into the same trap of chasing after things that I think are so valuable to God, only to find that they are not. We have to stop doing what we think is right, and do the things that God is saying are right for us at this time of our lives!
Prayer:
Ask God
* to show you if you are too busy for Him.
* to show you what you should cut out of your life.
* to give you the courage to take action in these areas.
* to help your fellow cell members deal with this issue too.
Friday 29 April – Proverbs 22
How Are Your Friendships?
I remember a couple we knew – let’s call them John and Jo – who we used to spend some time with many years ago. We would go for dinner at their house fairly often and while Jo was preparing the meal, John would chat with us. During the meal, John would pull down and criticize Jo about all the things that she had done wrong with the meal. After the meal, she would retaliate and tell John of all the things that he had done wrong to her during the day or during the week. As you can imagine, these evenings could be quite uncomfortable. Though we ourselves did not normally behave like this, after an evening with John and Jo criticizing each other, it rubbed off on us and we found we were doing the same thing.
Verses 24 and 25 reminded me of this situation. We have to be careful who we allow to influence us in our relationships. When we are around people who have a strong negative influence on us and we are becoming more like them day by day, we need to take Solomon’s advice here and not make friendship with an “angry” man, or go with a “furious” man, lest we learn his ways and become like him. (Substitute “angry” and “furious” with any negative quality).
It sounds cold and callous to evaluate our friendships in this way, but all I am suggesting is that we make sure that the friends we have, and the people who influence us the most, are good for us and make us more like God, rather than pull us away from Him. It doesn’t mean that we cannot be friendly with negative people, but we limit our time with them and pray before and after we are with them so that we don’t take on any of their attributes. And if we realise that we ourselves are a person that pulls others down, we need to change. As God reveals more about who we are, so we must give that area over to Him and allow Him to change us.
Prayer:
Ask God:
* To show you those who are having a negative influence on you.
* To reveal the negative trait.
* If there is anyone of your friends who needs to hear about this principle.
* If you are a negative influence on any of your friends and what you can do to change that.
Thursday 28 April – Proverbs 21
Righteousness
In the last chapter, we looked at integrity, which is closely linked to righteousness. This chapter has some more insight into righteousness, and I thought we could explore a few concepts together on this subject.
In v.3 we see that God values righteousness and justice more than sacrifice. Today we are not bound by the OT system of sacrifices, but we still need to have our hearts cleansed, and we still need to acknowledge our sin and receive the forgiveness that Jesus offers.
Verse 21 says that if we search for ways to be righteous, we will find righteousness. As we search for righteousness, it will become part of our life and we will be known for our righteousness. There also seems to be a link between mercy and honour. In this world, there is not a lot of mercy, but as we are merciful, we will become honorable. This is contrary to the world, which says that we find honour by dominance and achievement, and we must get to these places by stepping on those in our way.
In vv.25-26 there is a link between righteousness and giving, and between laziness, covetousness and greed. It follows, then, that the righteous are not greedy or lazy but giving and hard workers. For us to be righteous we need to work hard and hold those things with which God blesses us lightly. To summarise righteousness:
· It is valued by God
· It can be found if we look for it
· It is linked with mercy and honour
· It is giving
· It cannot be bought
· It is not lazy or greedy
I hope that today you have some practical pointers on what righteousness looks like and how you can practically apply it to your daily life. We are all on a path to becoming more like God as we take on His character. Let’s hold each other up and keep each other accountable as we point the world towards our living God by our righteous behaviour.
Prayer:
* Ask God to show you if there is anything in your life that you need to bring before Him to receive His forgiveness.
* Ask Him to show you one aspect of righteousness that He would like you to implement in your life at this time.
Wednesday 27 April – Proverbs 20
Integrity
Reading this chapter of Proverbs and trying to find one idea to write about is a hard task when every verse is packed with wisdom that we can spend the whole day meditating on. I did find a couple of themes, though, and I want to talk about one of them, which is integrity.
In v.7, it says, “A righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.” All of us want to see our children blessed, and if you don’t have children yet, deep in your heart you will find that you would want your children blessed if and when you do have them. It is sobering to realise that for our children to be blessed it depends on us; our integrity is paving the way for the blessings to come.
There are three other verses that talk about honesty which is a key part of integrity. Verses 10, 17 and 23 all talk about how much God detests dishonesty. Often we have an issue about being honest – with God as well as other people.
In a world where terrorist threats are a constant reality, it is our faith that is on the line here. What do we have to do to change our world? What is our responsibility as Christians to the world around us? First and foremost, I believe that we have to walk in integrity and righteousness. We need to be above reproach in every area of our lives. People need to be able to look at us and have hope that the world could be a better place. People need to be able to look at us and see that it is possible to have a successful business without dishonesty, to have a good time without getting drunk, to live a holy life and have life, not religion. Our integrity will pave the way for the world to see that there is a better way.
Prayer:
* Ask the Lord to show you areas where you do not have integrity.
* Then ask Him to show you what He wants you do about the things He has shown you.
* Commit to go into the world today and be above reproach in everything you do.
* Thank God that He shows us how to live through His Word.
Tuesday 26 April – Proverbs 19
God Is In Charge
Many different subjects are covered in today’s proverbs. Maybe there was one in particular that surprised or challenged you? If so, don’t rush on. Linger over that verse and allow God to say what you need to hear.
But if you were not struck by one verse in particular you might find it helpful to sort out the characteristics of a wise man and those of a foolish one. I found the following marks of a wise person – his walk is blameless (v.1), he does not act hastily (v.2), he will prosper (v.8), he will be patient and forgiving (v.11), he is kind to the poor (v.17), he disciplines his children (v.18), he listens to advice and accepts and obeys instructions (vv.16, 20), he fears the Lord (v.23) and he will learn from correction (v.25). Is this you? How many characteristics of wisdom does your life show?
Why not read through the passage again and pick out the characteristics of a foolish man, jotting them down in the notes column? Is there anything in that list that describes you?
Amongst all the proverbs in this chapter about human behaviour there is a verse that tells us something very significant about God. Verse 21 says, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (NIV). This is a key principle that we need to understand if we are to be wise. God is in charge. What He says goes. Nothing and no one can prevent what He has decided will happen. There are two consequences of this that we need to grasp hold of. Firstly, there is no point trying to take charge of our own lives and decide what we will do with them. It is only as we come in line with God’s purposes for us that we will find success and fulfilment. But secondly, it tells us how secure we are when we are walking in God’s purposes. People might oppose us, they might mock us and seek to undermine us. Satan might try to throw all kinds of obstacles in our way. But if we are doing what God has called us to do, they will not win.
Nehemiah is a good example of a man who knew that his enemies could not destroy what God had planned. You might like to read Nehemiah chapters 4 and 6 to build your confidence in the God whose plans will go through, no matter what.
Prayer:
* Take time to consider your life over the last 24 hours. Are you still living according to God’s wisdom or is there something you need to repent of in order to get back on the right path?
* Praise God that His purposes will prevail.
Monday 25 April – Proverbs 18
The Importance of Words
Once again we find that many of the proverbs in today’s reading are to do with the way we speak, and we are reminded that a person’s words show what is in their heart (vv.2, 7). A few days ago we looked at the words of Jesus who said, “For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45, NIV). What comes out of your mouth? Words of wisdom that build other people up and show that you are wise, or words of gossip, criticism or dissension that show your foolishness? By the words he speaks, a fool will stir up trouble and bring ruin on himself (v.7), whereas the wise man will reap a good harvest from his words (v.20).
In The Message, v.21 reads, “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit – you choose.” Words have incredible power to hurt or to heal. No wonder the psalmist asked God to, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Ps.141:3, NIV). Take a few minutes now to read Matt.12:33-37 and James 3:1-12, which also talk about the importance of words. Did you ever realise before that you would have to give account to God one day for every careless word you have spoken (Matt.12:36)? This really is a key area that we need to get right in our lives. Why not use the notes column to jot down the kinds of speech you want to cultivate (e.g. words of encouragement or kindness) and the things you want to avoid (e.g. gossip, boasting, negative talk)?
Prayer:
* If you feel convicted about words you have spoken, repent now and ask God to change your heart so that your speech is wise, not foolish.
* Ask God to give you opportunities today to build other people up by the words that you speak.
* Pray for the other members of your cell group, that they would also learn the importance of the words they speak over themselves and over other people.
Sunday 24 April – Proverbs 17
Keeping The Enemy Out
There’s a lot of help in this chapter for relationships. How often have you been aware of the truth of v.14? I see it so often at school as I have to step into a situation to stop someone doing/saying something, and invariably they say someone did it to them first! The concept of not retaliating seems totally foreign to them. But it’s not just children – we grow up in a culture where people are encouraged to pursue their ‘rights’ – if someone wrongs you, sue them or pursue a case against them.
How different, then, is the teaching of the Bible (v.9)! Not only are we encouraged to forgive an offence, but to actually cover it over and not even speak of it! This is love in action. Jesus also taught us that we should forgive seventy times seven (Matt.18:22), in other words continually, because who’s going to count to 490? 1 Cor.13:5 reminds us that love keeps no record of wrongs. Forgiveness is easier said than done, but is vital if we’re to remain in an intimate relationship with Jesus. Remember, He can’t forgive us if we refuse to forgive someone else. Is there anyone you’re struggling to forgive – even if it’s only for some small offence? Resolve to get it sorted out today.
The other serious challenge in this chapter comes in v.11. God takes rebellion seriously – in fact He likens it to witchcraft! (1 Sam.15:23). He teaches us quite clearly that He has put authorities in place (e.g. governments, bosses, teachers, church leaders, parents, etc.) and we are called to obey them (unless they are expecting us to do something contrary to God’s Word). If we resist them in any way, or go against what they ask us to do, whether we want to admit it or not, that is rebellion.
In the spiritual realm, when we walk in rebellion we open the door to the enemy, giving him a legal right to cause trouble in our life. He will be like the merciless official until we come in repentance and submit ourselves to those that God has put over us. This may make us feel uncomfortable, but it’s one of those principles that operates whether we like it or not! Is there anyone you are resisting but to whom God is asking you to submit?
Prayer:
* On this Easter Sunday thank the Lord for His unconditional love and the total forgiveness we find in Jesus.
* Ask the Lord to show you any areas of unforgiveness or rebellion and give you grace to deal with them
* Pray for the other members of your cell, that God would help them to walk in His ways of forgiveness and submission.
Saturday 23 April – Proverbs 16
In Him We Live
The book of Acts reminds us, “In Him (God) we live and move and have our being” (see Acts 17:28,). Similarly Hebrews tells us that our very existence depends on Jesus (Hebrews 1:3). And, in case we are slow to grasp this truth, Jesus makes clear our dependence on Him: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
The book of Proverbs is often seen primarily as a practical book, and of course it is very practical, but it is only practical because it is also spiritual. It takes spiritual truth and shows us how it looks in everyday practical situations. This chapter shows us the spiritual reality that it is God who holds our lives in His hand. Then it brings out the practical results of recognising or rejecting that spiritual reality.
Did you see just how involved in your life and mine the Lord is? He is the one who directs our words (v.1). He tests our motives (v.2). He gives us success, and even works in our failures (vv.3-4). He resists the proud but gives favour to those who honour Him (vv.5, 7). He not only forgives our sins but also directs our steps and keeps us from sin (vv.6, 9).
This is the truth, the spiritual reality, and we cannot change that. The choice we have is to recognise or reject God’s hand. Let me give you an example: the truth is that ‘the Lord works out everything for His ends’ (v.4, NIV). Now, practically I can choose to plan and work with the Lord and reap success, or I can reject Him and reap disaster (vv.3, 4, 7, 20). We can enjoy the Lord’s favour or face His anger.
Humbly submit your day and all your plans to the Lord, declaring your total reliance on Him, seeking His help and direction, and you will be blessed and will be a blessing to others.
Prayer:
* Give God thanks for His wonderful involvement in your life.
* Ask the Holy Spirit to expose any pride in your life, repent of it and ask for grace to grow in humility.
* Stand against the arrogant spirit which runs through our society and undermines respect for authority. Pray for a re-establishment of respect for God-ordained authority.
Friday 22 April – Proverbs 15
Listening and Speaking Well
What is the biggest reason for breakdown in relationships? What causes most strife in my own family? Answer in each case – poor communication! Conflict often arises when I fail to listen carefully or when I open my mouth before putting my brain in gear. Although the chapters, and even verses, in Proverbs are not arranged thematically, this chapter brings together much wise counsel on listening and speaking well.
Did you take notice of the power of words as you read? Look again at vv.1-3. What you and I say can inflame or calm a situation, can educate or mislead, can bring healing or break someone’s heart! How can we take control of our tongues so they bring blessing to those to whom we speak? The key lies in what’s inside us, as Jesus tells us, “For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45, NIV). Proverbs says the same thing. It is the wise who love the Lord and walk in His ways, whose hearts are humble and at peace with God, who speak life. As we live by the Spirit and seek to speak by the Spirit we will weigh our answers and so bring apt, timely words to each conversation.
The other strong thread in this chapter teaches us how to develop a godly heart and to speak godly words. How do we grow in these things? Once again we are reminded that we grow as we listen to others. We grow as we receive correction. We grow as we ask for advice. How good are you at receiving correction or asking for advice? It’s not easy to do this. It requires much humility, but it’s a lesson we must learn if we are to have solid, mature relationships in our lives.
Prayer:
* On this day when we remember the crucifixion of our Lord, thank God for the work of Jesus on the cross that makes it possible for us to live an abundant life in relationship with our Father.
* Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to keep you humble and teachable so you can continue to grow and mature.
* Pray for the grace to bring soft and timely words into any potentially explosive situations that you encounter today.
Thursday 21 April – Proverbs 14
It’s Your Choice
As we read through Proverbs we encounter lots of people who are described in many different ways, but when we look closely we recognise that the people fall into two groups.
One group are those who fear God (vv.16, 26, 27). These are the wise (vv.1, 16, 24), the prudent (vv. 8, 15), the discerning (vv.6, 33), the upright (vv.2, 9, 11) and the righteous (vv.19, 32). These people know God, they love Him, they have a relationship with Him, and this shows in the way they approach life and in what they experience as they go through life. As they choose to walk with God and follow His wise ways their family life is strengthened (vv.1, 11), the Lord keeps them under His protection (vv.3, 26, 32), they increase in knowledge (vv.6, 18), they prosper in every way (v.24), they find life and health (vv.27, 30), the favour of God follows them (v.14) and their nation (v.34) and they bring honour to their God (v.31).
The second group are those who choose to ignore or reject God. These are the fools or the foolish (vv.1, 3, 7, 8, 16, 24). In the Bible a fool is not someone who makes a mess of life out of ignorance, but someone who wilfully chooses a destructive course (v.11, 12). These people are also described as simple (v.15), devious (vv.2, 17), wicked (vv.11, 19) and mockers (v.6). They have rejected God and His ways and reap the consequences of their choices: loss (v.2), ignorance (v.6), bitterness (v.10), destruction (v.11) and death (v.12), to name just a few.
We are all in one or the other of these two groups – we are either for Jesus or against Him. However, even if we have asked Jesus to forgive us, give us life and rule our lives, we still face a daily choice to live wisely or foolishly (Ephesians 5:15-18). Which of the many pieces of good advice on how to live wisely and well in this chapter do you need to act on today? Read the chapter again slowly and pick up what the Holy Spirit highlights for you.
Prayer:
* Thank God for all the blessings He loves to lavish on His children.
* Ask the Holy Spirit to help you live wisely and make the most of every opportunity today.
* Pray for people you know who are still rejecting and ignoring God and His love. Ask God to open their eyes to the truth.