My Daily Pause

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  • Proverbs 15:33 – Humble Servants

    Proverbs 15:33 – Humble Servants

    33 Respect for the Lord will teach you wisdom.
    If you want to be honored, you must be humble.     – Proverbs 15:33 NCV

    Peter reiterates this for us (1 Peter 5:5-6). Was he perhaps thinking of the time the Lord washed his feet? (John 13:4-6)

  • Proverbs 14:10 – Fellowship Needed

    Proverbs 14:10 – Fellowship Needed

    10 No one else can know your sadness,
    and strangers cannot share your joy.     – Proverbs 14:10 NCV

    Even between the best of friends, there is never a perfect understanding of the sadness or joy one may have. We can get close: marriage, best friends, clubs, supports groups – some are better, but none perfect. We just cannot get that close to another person’s heart.

    We have been given two things that give us that kind of access to God’s heart:

    1. God made his Spirit available so that we can know Him (1 Corinthians 2:11-13).
    2. We have fellowship in Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:13) when we have carried out his instructions (Acts 2:38).

    Do you take advantage of these things so that you are not a stranger to God?

     

  • Proverbs 12:25 – No Worries

    Proverbs 12:25 – No Worries

     25 Worry is a heavy load,
    but a kind word cheers you up    . – Proverbs 12:25 NCV

    I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened. – Mark Twain

    The Lord has made sure that his children do not have to worry. Look at the great Scripture we can reference when we feel like we have something worth worrying over:

    Matthew 6:34 – Do not be anxious for tomorrow (In fact look at the whole background of this verse: Matthew 6:25-33)

    1 Peter 5:7 – Cast your anxieties on him

    Philippians 4:6 – Be anxious for nothing

     

     

  • Proverbs 8:12-21 – Wisdom’s Promise

    Proverbs 8:12-21 – Wisdom’s Promise

     12 “I am wisdom, and I have good judgment.
    I also have knowledge and good sense.
    13 If you respect the Lord, you will also hate evil.
    I hate pride and bragging,
    evil ways and lies.
    14 I have good sense and advice,
    and I have understanding and power.
    15 I help kings to govern
    and rulers to make fair laws.
    16 Princes use me to lead,
    and so do all important people who judge fairly.
    17 I love those who love me,
    and those who seek me find me.
    18 Riches and honor are mine to give.
    So are wealth and lasting success.
    19 What I give is better than the finest gold,
    better than the purest silver.
    20 I do what is right
    and follow the path of justice.
    21 I give wealth to those who love me,
    filling their houses with treasures.      – Proverbs 8:12-21 NCV

     

    Proverbs 8 is wisdom personified – Shouting loud and demanding attention. She has to, those without her discourage others from looking. She invites us to seek her both in divine and secular areas. While this passage shows us the many physical rewards of wisdom, where do we start looking for the divine? This too, God has provided! See 1 Corinthians 1:24-25 for details.

  • Proverbs 6:6-11 – Get Busy

    Proverbs 6:6-11 – Get Busy

    6 Go watch the ants, you lazy person.
    Watch what they do and be wise.
    7 Ants have no commander,
    no leader or ruler,
    8 but they store up food in the summer
    and gather their supplies at harvest.
    9 How long will you lie there, you lazy person?
    When will you get up from sleeping?
    10 You sleep a little; you take a nap.
    You fold your hands and lie down to rest.
    11 So you will be as poor as if you had been robbed;
    you will have as little as if you had been held up.  – Proverbs 6:6-11 NCV

    The ant is the typical figure of industry and efficiency in the ancient literature (Think Aesop’s Ant and the Grasshopper). In any area of life there are things we know that need to be done. No need to wait on a boss or a leader or approval. We have been given the proverbial permission to get them done.

    Now GO. (Mark 16:15 KJV) DO. (Philippians 4:9 KJV)

  • Proverbs 5:1-6 – Charmed

    Proverbs 5:1-6 – Charmed

     1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
    listen to my words of understanding.
    2 Be careful to use good sense,
    and watch what you say.
    3 The words of another man’s wife may seem sweet as honey;
    they may be as smooth as olive oil.
    4 But in the end she will bring you sorrow,
    causing you pain like a two-edged sword.
    5 She is on the way to death;
    her steps are headed straight to the grave.
    6 She gives little thought to life.
    She doesn’t even know that her ways are wrong.     – Proverbs 5:1-6 NCV

    Proverbs 5 contrasts the rewards of straying and the rewards of working on ones marriage. The lure of sin – any sin, is so convincing, so reasonable, that we often find ways to justify following it.

    For those unable to resist, the results are clear. Reread verses 5 and 6 and compare to Romans 6:23 to find an alternative.