Proverbs 3:5-18
‘Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’(2 Peter 3:18). If we are to know the Lord, we must come to an end of ourselves: ‘Be not wise in your own eyes’(7), ‘do not rely on your own insight’(5). True knowledge of God comes through faith: ‘Trust in the Lord...’(5). True knowledge of God is heart-knowledge: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart’(5). Knowing Christ involves growing in grace. We cannot get to know God apart from the grace of God working within us. Growth in grace is not always a smooth pathway (11-12; Hebrews 12:5-11). Never forget: ‘the Lord’s discipline’ is an expression of the Lord’s love. ‘Lord, You are more precious than silver, Lord, You are more costly than gold, Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds, And nothing I desire compares with You' (13-15; Mission Praise,447).
Proverbs 3:19-35
'‘You will walk on your way securely... for the Lord will be your confidence’ (23,26). Trusting in the Lord, we are to say, ‘He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold’(Job 23:10). Our faith is under threat. There is the danger of ‘sudden panic’(25). We are faced with the ‘man of violence... the perverse man... the wicked... the scorners... fools’(31-35). What are we to do? Even in the most testing and trying times, we must hold on to this: God is at work for our holiness - ‘Refiner’s fire, my heart’s one desire is to be holy. Set apart for You, Lord, I choose to be holy, set apart for You, my Master, ready to do Your will’(Songs of Fellowship, 475). Submitted to God’s holy purpose, we rejoice in this: Nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:39).
Showing posts with label spiritual growth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual growth. Show all posts
The Gospel Promise And The Gospel Warning
Proverbs 2:1-15
There is a real call for spiritual growth here. We are to accept God's words, storing up His commands, turning our ears to wisdom and our hearts to understanding (1-2). If we are to grow in the fear and knowledge of God, we must pray for insight and understanding. These blessings are greater than silver and hidden treasure (3-5). In the Christian life, there is both promise and warning. There is God’s promise - you will be led in a way that ‘will be pleasant to your soul’(10). There is His warning - make sure that you do not ‘leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways’(13). It is very important that we take time to read God’s Word, since it is ‘the Lord’ who ‘gives wisdom’. We must listen for God’s Voice, speaking to us through Scripture (6). As we listen to Him, we will be led in ‘every good path’- protected and victorious (7-9).
Proverbs 2:16-3:4
We read the warning about ‘the adulteress’: ‘her house leads down to death’(16-18). We also hear the warning of the Gospel: ‘the wages of sin is death’(Romans 6:23). We are told that ‘none who go to her return or attain the paths of life’(19). Left to ourselves, none of us would return to God, none of us would find the way to life (Romans 3:10-12). Some seek ‘prosperity’(1). They seek ‘a good name in the sight of... men’(4). We must not, however, make these things the be-all and end-all. There is more to life than material possessions, more than high ratings in the popularity stakes. There is eternal life - ‘the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’(Romans 6:23) - and the forgiveness of sins - ‘justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’(Romans 5:1).
There is a real call for spiritual growth here. We are to accept God's words, storing up His commands, turning our ears to wisdom and our hearts to understanding (1-2). If we are to grow in the fear and knowledge of God, we must pray for insight and understanding. These blessings are greater than silver and hidden treasure (3-5). In the Christian life, there is both promise and warning. There is God’s promise - you will be led in a way that ‘will be pleasant to your soul’(10). There is His warning - make sure that you do not ‘leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways’(13). It is very important that we take time to read God’s Word, since it is ‘the Lord’ who ‘gives wisdom’. We must listen for God’s Voice, speaking to us through Scripture (6). As we listen to Him, we will be led in ‘every good path’- protected and victorious (7-9).
Proverbs 2:16-3:4
We read the warning about ‘the adulteress’: ‘her house leads down to death’(16-18). We also hear the warning of the Gospel: ‘the wages of sin is death’(Romans 6:23). We are told that ‘none who go to her return or attain the paths of life’(19). Left to ourselves, none of us would return to God, none of us would find the way to life (Romans 3:10-12). Some seek ‘prosperity’(1). They seek ‘a good name in the sight of... men’(4). We must not, however, make these things the be-all and end-all. There is more to life than material possessions, more than high ratings in the popularity stakes. There is eternal life - ‘the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’(Romans 6:23) - and the forgiveness of sins - ‘justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’(Romans 5:1).
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