Scripture: Proverbs 3: 5-7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.^{[a] 7} Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

Scripture Commentary:

My way is the right way; it’s the only way! Does this sound familiar? These days everyone feels that s/he is wise. We have been told to do some things but for many, those things don’t fit our plans or the way we do things. So we go off doing what we want, not caring who or what it may affect.

We’re all going through a trial in our lives with coronavirus. We have people telling us what to do to be safe, and people telling us to go into the world as if nothing is different and to do what we want.

God has placed His Holy Spirit in us to guide and direct us. As Jesus said, “My people know my voice.”

What is the difference between sound judgment and discernment?

Discernment is the ability God gives us to think and make correct choices. For sound judgment we need to know the voice of God. If it’s not God’s voice we hear, if it’s focused on “me, myself, and I,” then it’s Satan’s.

So the question is are you listening to God or Satan?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Proverbs Chapter 3

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Proverbs:

Trust in the Lord

Use God’s Gifts to You

Scripture: Proverbs 3: 5-7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.^{[a] 7} Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

Scripture Commentary:

Do you trust in the Lord with all your heart or do you do things your own way?

I was going to do something in my life. I just knew this was what God planned for me. No one could tell me differently. But as time went by it did not happen. I would say that it was in God’s hands.

As time passed, I found that it was God testing my faith in Him. As I questioned this I realized that God saw the problem that lay ahead. Because it was in His hands, I was able to avoid a costly mistake.

God is the only one to go to and to trust.

We must trust Him completely and not lean on ourselves. He is a better judge of what we need than we are! We must not be wise in our own eyes.

Solomon said we must acknowledge God in all our ways and turn everything over to Him. In many ways you may already acknowledge God, but it is in the areas where you attempt to restrict or ignore His influence that will cause you grief.

Trust in the Lord in all things. He will guide you in the path to go because He loves you.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Proverbs Chapter 3

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Proverbs:

Knowledge of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom

Let God Help You Make Decisions

Scripture: Proverbs 10: 2

Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.

Scripture Commentary: What has lasting value?

Some people bring unhappiness on themselves by choosing ill-gotten treasures. By craving satisfaction, they may do something that destroys their chances of ever achieving something of lasting value. God’s principles for right living bring lasting happiness because they guide us into long-term right behavior in spite of our ever changing feelings.

Scripture: Proverbs 10: 4

Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Scripture Commentary: God gives you new opportunity every day.

Every day God gives you opportunities to grow, serve and be productive. Yet it’s so easy to waste time, letting life slip away.

Refuse to be a lazy person, sleeping and frittering away the hours that are meant for productive work. God has a job for you to do.

The gift He has given you is to be used to glorify His name. Don’t let anything become more important than your search for God’s wisdom. To know God is not just to know the facts about Him, but also to stand in awe of Him and have a relationship with Him.

Don’t be the disgraceful son and sleep your life away. Be fruitful and go into the world talking about Jesus Christ.

Read the Entire Chapter:

Proverbs Chapter 10

Proverbs 10: 19, 31-32

In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.(19)  The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.(31)  The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness. (32)

Scriptures: Proverbs 4: 24

Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

Scripture Commentary:  The words you use say a lot about the person you are

The words you use to express yourself offers a picture of who you are and what you are about.  You know what is appropriate and what is not; you know right from wrong.  When in conversation, expressing yourself in a godly manner is respectful to God.

Be careful not only about what you say but also how you say it.  Chose your words as you would chose your friends.  Bad friends can lure you into doing the wrong thing.

Young people are quick to want acceptance, and as a result, they would never want to confront or criticize a friend for wrong actions, plans, or language.    Remember this: it is easy to get opinions from people who will tell you only what they think will please you but such advice is not helpful.

Instead look to those who will speak the Godly truth, even when it hurts.  These words, said in love, have the most value.

Think about the people from whom you get your advice.  What do you expect to hear from them?

Think about the words you chose and the advice you give.  Chose those words prayerfully!

Read the Entire Chapter:
Proverbs Chapter 4
Proverbs Chapter 10

Scripture verses from Proverbs 7

Proverbs 7: 1

My son, keep my works, and lay up my commandments with thee.

Proverbs 7: 4-5

Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

Proverbs 7: 7

And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding.

Scripture Commentary: Steps to Avoid Sexual Sin

People argue it’s okay to break God’s law against sexual sin if nobody gets hurt. Somebody is always hurt; spouses devastated, children scarred. Partners can escape disease and unwanted pregnancy, but they lose their ability to fulfill commitments, feel sexual desire, trust, and be entirely open with another person. God’s laws are not arbitrary. They apply to all.

There are definite steps you can take to avoid sexual sin. First, guard your mind.  Don’t read books, look at pictures, or encourage fantasies that stimulate the wrong desires. Second, keep away from settings and people that tempt you to sin. Third, focus on the future, not the present moment. God’s law doesn’t forbid good clean fun. God warns us against destroying ourselves through unwise actions or running ahead of his timetable. Running ahead means running into the timetable of Satan.

Read the entire chapter:
Proverbs Chapter 7

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding. Then shall thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 2: 1,2,5

Commentary:

To know God is to seek Him. We don’t seek Him only when we need his help, we seek God because we want to be with him. God has given us the gift of wisdom, but we have the choice of how we use it. If we are rebellious and foolish, it will take a great effort on our part to find and use. When we are on the path, we discover that true wisdom is in God and that he will guide us and reward our sincere and persistent search.

God gives us wisdom and victory, but not for drifting through life or acting irresponsible with his gifts and resources. If you do not use your gifts that God gave you, then you lose them, and Satan begins to work on you to become one of his workers. If we are faithful and keep his purpose in life, God will keep us from the things that will lead us astray. We gain wisdom through a constant process of growing. By studying the Word of God we are better to evaluate courses of action and consequences. We are the children of God and he has given us His gift. Use it for his glorification.

Scripture: Proverbs 3: 5-7, 12

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Scripture Commentary: ‘Lean not unto thine own understanding’ means that you trust in the Lord for all things

For three years a man did something that he felt was a good investment for himself and his family. He waited and waited and no return on the investment came.

From the beginning he put it in God’s hands, but God had to show him something. Even though he put it in God’s hands, he thought it would produce immediately. The lesson he learned was that God’s time is different from his own.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding.” The man did not follow this.

God answered the man in his own time. God knows what is best for us and when is best for us. He is a better judge of what we want than even we are. We must trust him completely in every choice we make, and not be wise in our own eyes. He will make your path straight and protect you.

Proverbs Chapter 3

Scripture: Proverbs 12: 1-2, 12,19

Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord: but a man of wicked devices will be condemned.(1, 2) The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.(12)  The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Scripture Commentary: Learning God’s word will make you successful in life

Proverbs 12 is a list of dos and do-nots. Starting at verse one, it begins with whoso loveth instruction. Gaining knowledge by learning how to do something is good, but learning about God is to learn about wisdom.

When you have accepted Christ in your life, there is no end to what you can learn. Learning from God’s Word will make you successful in life, and your efforts will stand the test of time.

Do not be influenced by people who knowingly cheat and lie, and succeed by doing wickedness in life. Their success is short lived and not what our God teaches. These people’s sinful ways will twist the facts to support their way of life. In time they are likely to be trapped by their own lies.

Truth is always timely. It applies today and in the future because it is connected with God’s unchanging character. Think for a moment about the centuries that have passed since these proverbs were written. The Bible has withstood because our God is truth.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Proverbs Chapter 12