Category: “Listening to God” Devotional

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Proverbs+012

 

Proverbs 12 (ESV)

¹ Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates reproof is stupid.
² A good man obtains favor from the Lord,
but a man of evil devices he condemns.
³ No one is established by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
⁴ An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.

 

REFLECTION:

1. If you refuse to study, even if you have been in school for a few years, you will learn very little; however, if you are willing to be taught, you will be successful in your studies. The same is true when we accept God’s discipline. If we are humble and gentle, we can receive heavenly wisdom. On the contrary, if we are proud and hardened and ignore God’s discipline, we will make the same mistakes repeatedly and even worsen fall in the same place many times. Reflect if you have made the same mistakes repeatedly in some things?
2. “Established” (v3) means to get the help of God and achieve long-term success. Only those with integrity have real success. Their success pleases God and can stand the test of time. The wicked may achieve temporary “success” by trickery, but their lives and careers will eventually decay like duckweed without roots. Relying on cheating may be sufficient to pass the exam, relying on tax evasion may be sufficient to get away from paying a large amount of tax, relying on the harsh exploitation of subordinates may be sufficient to win a temporary victory in the commercial competition. In fact, these so-called “successes” are only temporary opportunistic tricks, and they are temporary benefits at the expense of one’s integrity. In the long run, this is not only not a success, but an ignorant act that harmed one’s life. Those who deceive will become more and more dishonest, those who hurt people will become more ruthless and cruel, and evil behaviour will only make people do more evil, and eventually become as stupid and deceitful as beasts. God is pleased with us to achieve true success, which is achieved for a long time with integrity and honesty in the grace of God.

 

PRAYER:

Pray for God to give you a heart that is willing to be taught, to receive God’s grace in your weaknesses and transgressions, and never to fall in the same place. Pray for God to establish you so that you can maintain integrity and honesty in all things. Everything you think and do can withstand God’s examination and can please God.

 

HYMN:

Come Thou Fount – www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylNnG5bxnsE

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Proverbs+011

 

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

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Proverbs+007

 

Proverbs 7 (ESV)

¹ My son, keep my words
and treasure up my commandments with you;
² keep my commandments and live;
keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
³ bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and call insight your intimate friend,
⁵ to keep you from the forbidden woman,
from the adulteress with her smooth words.

 

REFLECTION:

This passage tells us the two best ways to stay away from temptation and fornication: First, you should treat God’s commandments as treasures, cherish them like your own eyes, and engrave them on the tablet of your heart, read the Bible daily and never forget. We should understand that the best way to prevent a good field from the spread of weeds is to plant the field with lush grains or beautiful flowers. God’s laws and regulations, His words and precepts should also be like the lush grains and beautiful flowers filling our hearts. Secondly, we must have a wise vision to see through the devil’s tricks to tempt us. We should stay away from the environment and friends that easily induce us to commit sins, and we should understand that the short-lived indulgence before us will often cause the destruction of tomorrow and bring extremely serious consequences. Think about whether you are now in a dangerous situation where you are easily tempted. If so, ask God to give you strength so that you don’t indulge in any sinful pleasures and stay away from any dangerous place.

 

PRAYER:

Pray for God to give you firm trust and be willing to obey God all your life and lead a holy life according to God’s commands; pray for God to make you diligent and persevering, read the Bible every day, and learn from God’s words to resist the temptation of the devil; pray that God will engrave His Words on the tablet of your heart so that you will never forget it, and it will give you the wisdom to see through the devil’s tricks in your life, and save you from all evil and dangerous places.

 

HYMN:

Trust and Obey – www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB4KcleYiWM

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Proverbs+006

 

Proverbs 6 (ESV)

⁶ Go to the ant, O sluggard;
consider her ways, and be wise.
⁷ Without having any chief,
officer, or ruler,
⁸ she prepares her bread in summer
and gathers her food in harvest.
⁹ How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
¹¹ and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.

 

REFLECTION:

This passage uses the diligence of ants as a metaphor—admonishing us to work diligently and not to lose the blessings given by God due to laziness and sleepiness. This is not to say that we cannot rest. In fact, God gave the Jews a Sabbath to let them rest quietly in God one day a week, so that both the body and the soul can regain strength. We often make the mistake of not working hard when we should work, and not taking a good rest when we should rest. This leads to physical and mental fatigue and delays many things that should be done earlier. Please think about whether you often delay things because of laziness? Do you have some important plans that often fail due to delays and poor time management? If so, hope you can draw strength from this passage and become a diligent person from now on, because God’s will is that you are diligent every day and never slack in your life, so you will receive many rewards from God.

 

PRAYER:

Ask God to give you the strength to free you from laziness and procrastination. Ask God to give you wisdom to manage your time efficiently, organize your work in all aspects in an orderly manner, and maintain a good balance between work and family life. Ask God to give you a heart to rely on Him, and practice diligently every day in the pursuit of faith and spiritual development, and not to lose the blessings God has given you.

 

HYMN:

Open the Eyes of My Heart – www.youtube.com/watch?v=idQ1n3cdgfo

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Proverbs+005

 

Proverbs 5 (ESV)

¹⁵ Drink water from your own cistern,
flowing water from your own well.
¹⁶ Should your springs be scattered abroad,
streams of water in the streets?
¹⁷ Let them be for yourself alone,
and not for strangers with you.
¹⁸ Let your fountain be blessed,
and rejoice in the wife of your youth,
¹⁹ a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;
be intoxicated always in her love.
²⁰ Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman
and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?
²¹ For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord,
and he ponders all his paths.
²² The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,
and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
²³ He dies for lack of discipline,
and because of his great folly he is led astray.

 

REFLECTION:

This passage admonishes us to remain holy in our marriage, to love and keep together with the spouse ordained by God, and to live to old age together. In this era of advocating the supremacy of personal freedom and hedonism, when people feel dull about marriage, there will be many opportunities to induce husbands or wives to abandon each other and seek joy and excitement elsewhere. However, as God’s people, we should understand that God’s ordained marriage is sacred, and only a couple joined in God’s will through marriage can have true love and satisfaction. Don’t abandon the best blessings God has given you. Entrust yourself to God and commit yourself to the spouse that God has given you and share the blessings. At the same time, we should also understand that chastity and loyalty in marriage does not make marriage lifeless and uninteresting. This is not what God intended. We should think of each other in marriage and share the joys of life with our spouse. Think about whether your marriage is still as happy as before. Do you give place to the devil in your heart? If so, ask God to forgive your sins and bless you and your spouse in your marriage so that you can experience a more fulfilling life.

 

PRAYER:

Pray for God to strengthen your heart and keep you and your spouse pure in marriage; for God to save you from the temptation of the devil, not to be blinded by the vanity of the world, and not to be bound by the desires of the flesh and eyes. Pray for God to make you and your spouse please each other in marriage, create common interests in all aspects of life, and share the blessings that God has given.

 

HYMN:

Lord, I Need You – www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS9e0nxHP-w

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Proverbs+004

 

Proverbs 4 (ESV)

²⁰ My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
²¹ Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
²² For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
²³ Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
²⁴ Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.
²⁵ Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
²⁶ Ponder the path of your feet;
then all your ways will be sure.
²⁷ Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.

 

REFLECTION:

Our heart refers to all our feelings about life and the world, which contains our worldview, outlook on life, and values. The heart governs our way of life, determines how we live this life, and where we will eventually reach. Solomon commanded us to keep our hearts in the Word of God, above all else; we should walk in the path God has appointed for us, without distractions, and not be tempted by the vanity of the world. Solomon also told us that the keeping of the heart includes words, eyes, and steps. As taught in Psalm 1, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). Think about whether your heart is exclusively looking to God and being protected by God. Do you have a good conscience and faith, and maintain integrity in the three aspects: words, eyes, and steps?

 

PRAYER:

Come to God humbly. Ask God to enlighten and cleanse your heart, and remove the darkness and filth in your heart; ask God to protect and teach you, so that you can speak upright, have bright eyes, and keep your feet safe, so that you can live a life of holiness and consecration. Stay away from evil and bear a good testimony for God!

 

HYMN:

Change My Heart Oh God – www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUjUvoynGMM

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Proverbs+003

 

Proverbs 3 (ESV)

¹ My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
² for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.

³ Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ So you will find favor and good success
in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
⁸ It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.

⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
¹⁰ then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
¹² for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights.

 

REFLECTION:

1. Loving kindness and honesty are both important virtues. Not only do they need to be in the heart, they also require action to show them. A loving person not only feels love, but also loves honestly and seriously. Faithful people not only believe in the truth, but also strive for justice for others. Thoughts and words are not enough to show whether we are truly loving and honest. Only in our lives and behaviors can it be reflected. Only in this way can we please God and gain true intelligence. Think of your top priority, what do you think is the most valuable? In what ways are you still unclear about God’s will? What advice and admonition does God have for you? In everything you do, have you accepted God as the master and dedicated your firstfruits, that is, your best, to God? If you still have a gap, ask God to give you the confidence and strength to do this.
2. The righteous are not always prosperous, because God will admonish and discipline us through adversity. For many people, discipline often has a negative meaning, but God does not punish us for liking us to suffer, but because He loves us and cares for our growth. He knows that in order to make us strong and good in virtue, we must use His loving discipline to enable us to distinguish right from wrong. When we are disciplined by God, it is sometimes difficult to immediately understand His intentions, until we look back at the situation in the future to understand. Let us not think that we are wise, feel unfair when we are in adversity, and complain to God. Trusting and obeying God in everything is true wisdom.

 

PRAYER:

Pray for God to make you understand that His thoughts are far higher than yours, and His wisdom is far greater than yours. If you are caught in temporary injustice or suffering, ask God to give you greater trust in Him and do not complain to Him. Ask God to supervise and teach you like a father admonishes his beloved children, so that you can walk in His way throughout your life, with love and honesty in everything you do.

 

HYMN:

Our God – www.youtube.com/watch?v=01Yj7H-eSjM