“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.” What a wonderful thing to have full and safe trust in a wife. A virtuous woman is worthy of this trust; she has qualities that go far beyond a good personality or a pleasing manner, having righteousness toward God and integrity of heart. She will not be easy to find, but any man seeking a wife would do well to put faithfulness, integrity and commitment to the Savior at the top of their list of search criteria. Unfortunately, the concerns of many will be outward appearance accompanied by warm, fuzzy feelings. These superficial things cannot last. While strong character stands the test of time, beautiful faces and passionate affections fade quickly and thoroughly. Consider that which is truly important and be blessed or hold the standard of the world and be left disappointed, desiring more. Who can find a virtuous woman? God knows many. He has set them aside for virtuous men that seek Him.
“The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.” I found myself sad today to understand so well the meaning of this verse. I have experienced this evil flight and known the fear of revealed sin. Even the most secret sins have caused anxiety and cover up, haunting me at every turn and causing me to avoid righteousness. Yet in moments of closeness with God, I have felt as though I could do anything! We, in times like these, can face any obstacle that life and the enemy put in our path, free from guilt and confident in victory. Disobedience causes nothing but hesitation and fear, while obedience gives us peace that we may face the battle without hindrance. We should confess even the smallest sins each day and rid ourselves of those phantom footsteps. We do not make these confessions for God’s sake; we make them for our own. They show us our frailty while revealing the wonderful, loving character of our God. When we are close to Him, nothing can cause our hearts to fail!
“If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” Those who fall down or give up under pressure are usually given a pass these days. It seems we have become too anxious to make an excuse for those who take the easy way out. I can think of a rare instance when it would be noted that someone lacked the strength to overcome; yet this verse makes it clear that the strong person holds their ground in trials. Those who are mighty in character are ready and able to face adversity, trusting in The One who grants grace for every moment. We should understand that the storms of life are either upon us or just around the corner, holding tight to Jesus, who is able to calm or help us endure them all. If you fail during these tests, let’s be honest and admit we we’re lacking strength – then prepare for the next, building confidence in Jesus. There can be no shame in lacking strength if we rely upon our Mighty Savior. In His grace and mercy He uses even our weakness to glorify Himself.
“Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.” Why is money so attractive to us? We can all understand the truth of this verse as we look at our account balance shrink over the course of a month. It is amazing to see much become little after what seem like just a few nickel and dime expenditures. I believe we could eliminate most of our selfish desire for money if we could only internalize its fleeting nature. Even the things we purchase are fleeting, as they break down, get old, wear out and are lost or stolen from us. Money could be much better used to encourage the brethren or assist in the spread of the gospel. These investments will pay eternal dividends and accomplish the goal God has set for our lives – to see Himself glorified with our time, effort and resources. Let’s see money as a tool to minister and avoid being snared by its fleshly appeal.
“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Many people want to ignore this verse. Modern Christian philosophers call it arcane and persuade parents to instead embrace worldly methods. Some will even tell us we don’t understand what the verse means, calling the rod “figurative”. This method of viewing scripture is dishonest, as any man of clear conscience can understand this simple English. Passages like these have been on my mind lately. I have been praying that we stop explaining away the obvious and begin just reading the scripture as it is written. Doing this will help our children and allow us to stand before God knowing we have not been negligent. Families can use all the Godly advice they can muster these days and it would be wise to start right here. Let’s not allow the misguided and incorrect Bible teachers of today persuade us to dismiss observable reality.
“The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.” Sin always promises one thing and delivers exactly the opposite. This slothful man desires riches, but his sin provides nothing but more desire. While the enemy tries desperately to convince us that seeking our own pleasure will satisfy, we find only that it empties us and increases the intensity of our hunger. We find a different outcome for the righteous man; he spends no time desiring riches, but rather gives without regard to his own desire. This righteous man is only the more likely to receive gain, even if it does not come in the form of financial resources. Doing right by following God, and specifically giving, results more in the riches of peace, joy and a clear conscience. Though we all tend toward sloth because of our flesh, we should examine the results and choose instead to remain faithful. If we do, we are likely to reap a grand harvest of God’s eternal blessing!
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” It is unfortunate that this subject is on the “do not address” list for so many Christians – Pastors, Missionaries and other Bible teachers included. We are sometimes tepid in our response to questions on the matter because there is no “thou shalt not” passage in scripture. I have not hesitated to voice my belief in a rather firm way, because the vast and overwhelming majority of scripture points in only one direction and this verse sums it up. Consuming alcohol is not wise. I can hear the opposing view in my head already. No doubt the purveyor of this idea will be arguing in favor of their liberty. I would suggest that anyone showing higher regard for their rights than their responsibilities is always revealing a lack of wisdom. Paul thought it best to cast aside his liberty when in doubt (I Corinthians 8-9), considering first the weaker brother. Any seasoned Christian who chooses the opposite route gives evidence of lacking love and scriptural understanding.
“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” I can fully endorse the reality of this verse. My wife has not only been a great blessing to me herself, but has also provoked me to actions that have brought blessing. Simply put; she causes me to be a better man and a better servant of Christ. While some verses in Proverbs note the terrible atmosphere an ungodly wife causes in the home, we see exactly the opposite of a faithful wife. God said that it was not good for a man to dwell alone and therefore set up a system of mutual blessing for husband and wife. If you ask me, I think the husband is the greater recipient of reward. A faithful wife can make a man soar to great heights. She builds him up and shows by her Godliness (not necessarily words) where he must work to do better. It is her meek and quiet spirit that often prompts him to choose actions that bring blessing to the entire family.
“A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.” This verse prompts a tough question: what kind of people are we? It matters not who people think we are, or what they see us do. We need to be primarily concerned with the reality of our character, whether anyone observes our actions or not. This thought comes to mind because of the very specific wording of this verse. A person who is a truly faithful witness will engage in a particular type of behavior, as will the man that is a truly false witness. This reminds me of the oft-repeated phrase – we are not sinners because we sin, we rather sin because we are sinners. Character development, rather than simple behavior modification is key. If we concentrate on the reality of our inner man, I’m afraid it could reveal some strong disappointments, but it should also compel us to develop heart-attitudes that resemble our Savior.
“Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Recently I find myself asking God for guidance and direction more than anything else. I need God to work in my mind, shape my motivations and “establish my thoughts”. The mode for accomplishing this is fundamental. Like so many other outcomes in our lives, it hinges upon our obedience and commitment to Him with our daily actions. Many have summed it up by telling us that direction determines destination. The teaching of scripture confirms this by always recommending the same prescription: first we have faith and commit our way to the Savior – then He will lead us to a successful end. This is not new, it is not revolutionary, it is not an astounding bit of wisdom; it is more like a simple and typical, Biblical formula that needs to be more obeyed than re-iterated. Let’s finally get it right by doing what the Bible says – then expect to understand God’s will for us.
Devotions | Chris | 
November 2, 2009 10:00 pm | 
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