This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
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Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of
Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just
mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
Proverbs
CHAPTER 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Alcoholic beverages are addictive. They can cause the person to make a mockery of himself. Alcoholism is a deadly disease. It literally "pickles" the brain, ruins the liver, and causes irratic behavior.
To desire that "feeling" of drunkenness is NOT GOOD!
2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
When a lion is roaring, he's hungry and ready to fight for his food. To provoke a ruler, who has power and authority, is like provoking a hungry lion.
3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
A wise person will realize when to leave a bad situation alone. But some people just keep on and on, even when contention is strong.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Well, when a person wants an excuse to NOT do something, one reason is as good as another. A sluggard looks for excuses, and consequently never gets anything accomplished.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
Some people do not offer advice easily, but they have wisdom and their advice is like a deep "well" of water - refreshing. A wise person will "draw" advice and counsel from them.
It's easy to proclaim, or talk about how good we are. However, it is best to be "faithful" in all that we claim.
7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
It is sad to stand beside the grave of a parent. But there is great consolation when a child can say of that parent, "He lived a life of INTEGRITY!" That is indeed a great blessing!
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
A just ruler is a blessing to a society. He will exercise judgment that "scatters" evildoers because he is willing to punish them.
See also verse 26.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
The Bible consistently shows the depravity of man. ALL human beings are sinners ALL the time. ((See Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6))
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Have you heard the story about the owner of the market who only had one chicken left at closing time? A lady came in and said she wanted a 4 lb. chicken. He raked his hand through the ice, pulled out that last chicken, then weighed it. It was slightly less than 3 lbs. The lady asked didn't he have another that was 4 lbs.? He put the chicken back in the ice, raked his hands through, and pulled it out again. This time he put his thumb on the scales as he weighed it, and it showed to be 3 lbs. and 7 oz. The lady said, "Oh well! No problem, I'll just take THEM BOTH!"
It is an abomination to God for men to cheat others. Even a child can be known for righteousness or unrighteousness.
When a person is known for unrighteous business ethics, he is ABHORRED by the Lord.
See also verse 23.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
God has created us with some very delicately and immaculately made body parts. The ear and the eye are amazing creations.
The ear and the eye are made for specific functions.
Daylight is also made for specific functions - WORK! To sleep when work needs to be done is to bring poverty upon oneself.
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
We act in funny ways sometimes, and use shady business ethics. Buyers will claim they can obtain a certain object elswhere, and at a better price. Sellers will claim they have the best price.
But when the deal is done, each will claim he "made a good deal."
Bargaining is not wrong, but shady ethics in bargaining is. To claim something can be purchased elsewhere at a better price when it is not true is LYING. To claim that NOone has a better price when it is not true is also LYING.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
The world has much wealth with which and for which men can barter. But more precious than all the world's wealth is a person with integrity who speaks truth.
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
The subject is borrowing money. Here we see how not only material wealth, but integrity affects the ability to borrow funds when needed.
Two different types of people are discussed. The first is a person who willingly co-signs for someone he doesn't know well. If you would loan that person money, you need a very good collateral pledge. (The "garment" was the outer coat that men wore. Most only had ONE. He would be sure to pay, so he wouldn't "lose his coat!"))
The other person is one who takes pleasure in "strange" women (women of ill-repute). He will surely waste his money on pleasure, and soon will be ravaged with disease and unable to work. To loan this person money without an acceptable collateral would be foolish.
17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
To make personal gain by defrauding someone is sin. At the end, the deceiver will be without anything.
18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
We should be sure and search every situation out fully before making decisions. We should look for advisors and counselor who are familiar with the situation. No real decision can be "established" without searching it out fully.
Warfare is a very serious decision. We should be very careful to get the best advice possible before entering into war.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
When a person is known to be a "gossip," stay AWAY from them!
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
A child who will curse his parents, will go to greater lengths of rebellion in society. And even if he doesn't find a place in jail on earth, he will meet God for judgment at the end of his life. The "light" of life given to him by God shall be placed in "obscure darkness" (Revelation 20:14:15).
21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
When an inheritance is gained "hastily" it is gained in immoral fashion - greedily. Consider "The Prodigal Son," for instance (Luke 15:11-32).
When greed is the reason for the receipt of an inhertiance, then greed is the manner of use for it. And it will NOT be blessed of God.
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
Revenge is not in God's plans for man. Retribution through proper judgment is God's law. When a man seeks to define his own justice, it is not justice. It is "evil" against "evil."
The word "wait" implies pause; but it also means serve. Listen to what Isaiah says.
It is by SERVING God that we are given endurance for all troubles faced. And when a person serves God, God will "save" the person by bringing him safely through every difficulty. And if God determines not to deliver us physically, He most certainly will deliver us spiritually!
When our eternal soul is delivered safely, it matters little what happens physically; for physical life is SHORT!
24 Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
Today we have assurance that God has given us this day. We do not have the assurance that God has given us tomorrow.
None of us know when our physical life will end. Life is brief and uncertain.
We are taught to make plans for tomorrow, but here, we are cautioned to realize that we might not have tomorrow. God is ultimately the One Who decides our length on earth. Let us then give Him credit for it.
25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry.
There are "traps" set for people who profess to be believers but are not. They are traps which God provides to show a man is not serious in his relationship to Christ.
The first trap is if consumes "holy" things in service to self. WHAT? Would a man really ROB God? YES!! If he's not truly devoted to God, he will.
Another trap that helps determine if a man is really serious about his relationship with Christ is questioning his commitment. When we come to Christ, we must surrend all that we are and ask Him to make us what He wants us to be. That means He becomes our Master in ALL matters.
If a person questions the authority of Christ in any area of his life, then he needs to reconsider his salvation experience and determine within himself if he truly surrendered all that he is to Christ. If he has truly surrendered, then he will be wiling to allow Christ the authority in every part of his life.
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
Every man's life is breathed into him by the breath of God (Genesis 2:7). Every human being has a light called "conscience," which is the "candle of the LORD."
Even if a man didn't have the law, he would know right and wrong by the inward disposition of truth from the conscience which is given by God.
This "candle of the LORD" searches deep into the soul of man and tells him when he is right or wrong. This is why judges say, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse for doing wrong." People instinctively know right from wrong, because God is speaking to the soul.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
God's mercy provides that a person be in authority. Therefore, the person in authority should act in mercy. To do less is to deny God. To act in mercy is to allow God's help in sustaining the authority given.
29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
When men are young, they have "strength" -- physical ability; endurance. When they are older they have a "gray head," which signifies wisdom through experience. Both attributes are "glory" and "beauty." What the younger lacks in experience, he has endurance with which to overcome. What the older lacks in endurance, he has experience with which to overcome.
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
A wound in the flesh having a blue-black tint means that the body is acting properly to cleanse away hidden impurities and proud flesh. The flesh that is ruined is rotting away, and new flesh is being grown; the wound is HEALING.
"Stripes" - or punitive action for correction - provide HEALING for sin which is corruption of the soul. Please continue in Bible Study with us.
"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)
"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." (James 4:14-15)
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:8-10)
If a person is truly devoted to God, he will give according to God's direction for him. And he will give appropriately to his church, not using the sanctified portion of his earnings for self.