Author: PGC Administrator

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Proverbs 11 (ESV)

¹ A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
but a just weight is his delight.
² When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with the humble is wisdom.
³ The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
⁴ Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
⁵ The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,
but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
⁶ The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.

REFLECTION:

This passage continues from the previous chapter and continues to make a strong contrast between the actions and endings of the upright and the treacherous. “The day of wrath” refers to the day when people complete their journeys in the world and give accounts to God. On that Day of Judgment, everyone must face God individually and declare everything we have done. At that time, no wealth or “achievement” in the world can make us reconcile with God. Only by loving God and obeying God, without deceit in our hearts, and with integrity in our words and deeds, can we be pleased with God. However, this is not to say that God has no mercy on human weakness. God’s people walk on the path of righteousness, not without suffering and struggle, nor without the temptation of the world and falling. But whether in adversity or after a fall, as long as you act in accordance with God’s wisdom, look to God and repent wholeheartedly. God will have mercy and forgiveness and save His children from suffering and temptation. The wicked think they are wise and don’t know how to rely on God, and their end is to perish in their sins. Is there no deceit in your heart, words and deeds? Have you forgotten God’s promise in the midst of adversity or temptation?
 
PRAYER:

Come to God humbly, ask God to cleanse your life, make your heart upright, your tongue not deceitful, and your behaviour be pleasing to Him. Ask God to save you from adversity and temptation and to give you peace to live a sanctified life. If you are weak and fall, ask God to give you the faith and courage to confess your sins and repent, and stand up and continue to run. Don’t forget that God always holds your hand and leads your life.

HYMN:

He Will Hold Me Fast – www.youtube.com/watch?v=unLKmJJPExk

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Proverbs+010

Proverbs 10 (ESV)

¹ The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
² Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
but righteousness delivers from death.
³ The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
⁴ A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
⁵ He who gathers in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.
⁶ Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
⁷ The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
⁸ The wise of heart will receive commandments,
but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
⁹ Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
¹⁰ Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,
and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

REFLECTION:

This passage is full of strong contrasts between the righteous and the wicked, the wise and the fool, the diligent and the lazy. The righteous (including the wise and diligent) will be blessed by God, and the wicked (including the ignorant and lazy) will be punished by God. At the same time, we should also understand that when we live in the world, blessings such as prosperity and stability do not necessarily come to the righteous. In fact, many righteous people will also go hungry and cold, and encounter life’s suffering and injustice. But God’s blessings are not only these external and worldly blessings. He has far more precious blessings to bestow to those who do His will. It is the integrity and abundance of our lives and our eternity. The joy and glory of being with Him. Even if the wicked can get a moment’s pride and comfort in the world, the righteous will end up better than the wicked in the end, because the righteous will have happiness, and the wicked will be ruined. There are only two roads before us, the road to blessings and the road to disaster, and there is no third road for us to choose. Think about whether you are walking on the blessed road now. Ask God to increase your faith and strength so that you can continue to work hard on this path.

PRAYER:

Pray for God to give you wisdom, so that you can understand that life is either on the road to life or on the road to destruction. Pray for God to make you understand that the road to life may be a difficult and tortuous path to the world. You will lose a lot of the so-called “blessings” of the world. May God be with you, keep walking on this narrow road and see the wicked temporarily proud and don’t feel uneasy, because the blessings you are about to get are much more precious than what you have before, even more than what you want or think.

HYMN:

Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me – www.youtube.com/watch?v=zundjUFazfg

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Proverbs+009

Proverbs 9 (ESV)

⁷ Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
⁸ Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
⁹ Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
¹¹ For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
¹² If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

REFLECTION:

This passage teaches us how to deal with other people’s reprimands in our lives, and how to teach and instruct others with the wisdom given by God. From your reaction to other people’s criticism, you can tell whether you are a foolish person or a wise person. When we are being reprimanded, we should not immediately sneer or fight back with clever words, but we should listen to what is said. We must be good at learning from others’ criticisms and even unreasonable accusations, because this is the way to gain wisdom. When we teach or admonish others, we should also rely on wisdom to distinguish whether the other party can accept it, and we should speak with humility and gentleness. We should not treat others with arrogance, let alone vent anger and dispel hatred. More importantly, we must understand that knowing God is the beginning of all wisdom in life. He enables us to understand the true meaning of life, penetrates all things in life, and enables us to see through the devil’s tricks and save us from the temptations and snares of the devil. To know God is not only to know some knowledge about Him, but more importantly, to worship Him with spirit and truth. Establish a close relationship with God, and walk with Him throughout your life. Only in this way can you gain more wisdom from God.

PRAYER:

Pray for God to give you a heart of reverence, heavenly wisdom, and a humble and gentle heart, so that you can deal with it objectively and calmly when you encounter reproaches or conflicts with others. Don’t get angry, and don’t give place to the devil. Ask God to strengthen your faith and allow you to take every conflict with others as an opportunity to be nurtured by God, and strive to demonstrate Christ’s spirit of reconciliation, sow love where there is hatred, and preach peace where there is conflict.

HYMN:

My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness – www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qntf2Y_VNok

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Proverbs+008

Proverbs 8 (ESV)

²² “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of old.
²³ Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
²⁴ When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth,
²⁶ before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
²⁷ When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸ when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
²⁹ when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
³⁰ then I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,
³¹ rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.

REFLECTION:
Chapter 8 is the call of wisdom, which forms a sharp contrast with Chapter 7 of the seduction of the adulteress. In this chapter, the author portrays wisdom as a maid sent by God to guide us. She makes us prosper and is more valuable than all the treasures of our lives. Wisdom existed before God created all things, and worked with the Creator to create the beautiful and orderly world, and also to create our precious lives in the image of God to manifest the glory of God. God will bless all those who obey the advice of wisdom, and those who hate wisdom will inevitably perish. Since our lives were created in God’s wisdom, our life will also be affected by God’s wisdom from the beginning to the end. Our responsibility lies in opening up our hearts and letting God’s wisdom guide the path of our life. If we are hard-headed and stubborn, we will damage our lives and even die in the bondage of sin.

PRAYER:

Come to God humbly and ask God to make you understand that His wisdom is of infinite precious value. From the beginning to the end, your life will be deeply affected by God’s wisdom; ask God to remove the rigidity and foolishness in your heart. Be able to trust God’s wisdom and obey God’s guidance when you have no answers to some important things in life, so that you can experience God’s wisdom and grace in patience and hope.

HYMN:

Perfect Wisdom of Our God – www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSnzYnOe6kI