Wisdom of Proverbs: Take the 31 Day Journey

By Stephen J Link

God’s Holy Word is to be taken as our guide to live a blessed and fulfilling life. This is a true statement whether your chosen translation is King James, New International, New Literal, or any number of others taken from the original manuscripts.
In this book we turn to the book of Proverbs and will be making reference to the New Literal (NLT) and New International (NIV) translations. This is a book to be applied to life based on the statements made in the first chapter, such as

●Verse 5 - Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser
●Verse 7 - Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline
●Verse 10 - If sinners entice you, turn your back on them

When interacting with others, you will hear statements such as “God’s Word is what it is and means what it means.” That is a true statement, but it can have different meanings for each individual depending on his or her current circumstances in life. We will be considering the many “if” statements in Proverbs under the control of our own free will and that of others.
For example, do you know of a child who strayed away from the faith although that child was raised in a home with solid Christian values? Turning to Proverbs 22:6, we read “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Is this a contradiction with the outcome of the previously mentioned situation? It could be considered that way if you refuse to go back to the “fools despise wisdom and discipline” statement in Chapter 1, verse 7. We all have chosen the wrong path and “played the fool” at some point in life. Then we choose to turn to God from that worldly path and become justified by the blood of Jesus.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stephen J Link
• Release date: Jul 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005869625

Stephen J Link

Stephen J. Link is a “computer guy” by profession, an author by hobby, and a Layman in the study of God’s Word. He has a computer support book entitled “Link Em Up On Outlook” that was published in 2004 as a paperback. He also has over 125 articles covering various topics published on independent sites. Some of those articles were originally published by the Free Will Baptist Press in Ayden, NC as high school age Sunday school lessons.

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INTRODUCTION

Before You Begin …

What makes a great book? Style? Length? Subject? Theme? Characters?

All of these things are important but this 31 Day Journey through the Book of Proverbs is a great way to search the scriptures and become closer to God. Each day you will read a chapter. You will have a focal point, point to think about and how to apply to your life. It is a great way to start your day. The scriptures come alive with Bible teacher, Stephen Link. Whether you are a new believer or a longtime Bible student, with his style and lively approach, Stephen makes the study of Proverbs understandable and very enjoyable. This book will be a blessing to you.

Linda Herring

The Word Ministry

Proverbs 1: The foundation of knowledge and wisdom

Today we have read the 33 verses of Chapter 1. Congratulations; you have completed the first day of your journey through the book of Proverbs. Before we get into the five ponderings pulled from Chapter 1, take a few minutes to reflect on any specific wisdom that you may have noticed in these verses. Did you gain any new guidance from today’s scriptures? Let’s add even more to that experience.

Five points to ponder throughout the day:

Teach wisdom and discipline; understand the insights of the wise.

The foundation of knowledge is based on fear of God, but fools despise that knowledge.

When sinners entice you, turn from them.

Just like a bird will not fall into a trap it saw being set, you should be aware of the traps of sin and not fall into them.

We are reminded, once again, that those who choose the path of wisdom and knowledge will live in peace without any fear of harm.

As we have noted so far, the main focus of the Book of Proverbs is to provide opportunities for growth in our lives. We should be disciplined in reading God’s Word daily, while using that wisdom to further our own peace with God. His presence will overflow into the lives of those around us as they see Christ through our actions and attitudes.

What is that about attitude? Well, have you ever snapped at someone in a drive through lane or a salesperson in a department store? Later, your conscience kicked in and made you wish that you had not reacted in such a fashion. Welcome to humanity - we are not perfect, just forgiven. Although we have received the wisdom and guidance provided for us by Christ, we are still living on earth in human bodies and in the accompanying fragile minds. As a matter of fact, the scripture reading today may have a completely different meaning and application in a few months due to the things happening in our lives.

We have looked at our own occasional misgivings and errors in attitude - how does that affect others? Today’s reading tells us that fools have the free will to despise wisdom and turn from God. Is that due to our own attitude and witness? Not really, since each person is responsible for his or her own decisions. Those in society today like to cast blame on someone or something else instead of accepting responsibility. This is an easy thing to do without a belief in God and the perfection of His Word. Once someone has accepted Him and begins to avoid the traps of sin, the burden of individual responsibility is awakened. The new convert realizes the grand importance of the decision to follow Christ’s path of wisdom and knowledge.

Maybe you are a new convert or know someone who is. Has the path of life been easy to navigate since the decision to follow Christ? Are we guaranteed an easy road? For the answer to these questions, read Matthew 24:9. We are told that the world will hate us and deliver us into a time of tribulation. With these reactions expected from a decision for Christ, why should we do such a thing? Let’s turn to Philippians 4:6-7 for that answer. Basically, these two verses tell us to worry about nothing, but pray about everything. Regardless of what kind of storm you may be experiencing in life, remember that God is in charge and will not allow more than you can handle as long as we rely on His guidance.

Proverbs 2: Do not allow yourself to be cast out

Although today’s reading is a bit shorter than yesterday’s, at only 22 verses we can gain even more knowledge and guidance for our day. Take a few moments to consider the personal meaning of these verses and how they may apply to your current situation. Are you eager for even more? Let’s look at five thoughts presented in today’s verses.

Listen to my words, treasure my commands. Hear and concentrate on those words. Cry out for understanding.

The honest person reading the words of Solomon will acquire common sense.

Because wisdom has entered your heart, you understand the right, just and fair way to go in life.

Wise choices and understanding will keep you safe from the evil people of the world who take pleasure in pursuing a twisted path.

The best way to avoid evil traps is to stay away from places of temptation.

Did you read the second chapter of Proverbs with a yearning to understand the meaning of the words? If not, take a few minutes to pray to God for the ability to focus on His Word. Read these verses again, maybe a little more slowly and more intentionally. Wasn’t that better? You are following Solomon’s advice to listen, concentrate and treasure the scriptures.

Common sense? It is true that gaining common sense, wisdom and understanding is the focus of all of God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation. In many cases, it will be common sense and a love for fellow man that leads you to an honest, fair approach to life. So how do you make wise choices while the world is presenting so many paths to take? The simple answer to that question is Prayer.

How did you approach the last major life decision that had to be made? Maybe it concerned moving across town or across the