DAY 11 - 31 DAYS OF PROVERBS!

Read Proverbs 11

I read Proverbs 11 from the New Living Translation and the Amplified Classic

My thoughts on Proverbs 11:

• Unrighteous dealings are offensive and shamefully sinful to the Lord

• Avoid being prideful and dishonest - this road leads to destruction

• With the humility there's skillful and godly wisdom and soundness

• Right living, following God's commands, found in His Word, saves you from death

• Honesty and integrity guide and direct the godly

• Dishonesty destroys

• The godly are rescued, delivered out of trouble

• Knowledge and superior discernment rescue the righteous

• To belittle and despise, disrespect, your neighbor lacks sense

• The trustworthy keeps a confidence, does not gossip

• There is wisdom in seeking the counsel of others who are wise (Counselor - yâʻats, to advise; reflexively, to deliberate or resolve:—advertise, take advise, advise (well), consult, (give, take) counsel(-lor), determine, devise, guide, purpose (Strong's H3289)

• There are rewards with kindness but cruelty destroys

• The righteous have a sure reward, permanent and satisfying

• The godly, righteous, finds life

• God delights in those with integrity

• The generous prosper and those who refresh others will be refreshed

• Share with others

• Seek good it leads to God's favor

• The godly flourish (Flourish - pârach, to break forth as a bud, i.e. bloom; generally, to spread; specifically, to fly (as extending the wings); figuratively, to flourish:— abroad, abundantly, blossom, break forth (out), bud, flourish, make fly, grow, spread, spring (up) (Strong's H6524) Flourish - To thrive; to grow luxuriantly; to increase and enlarge, as a healthy growing plant; To be prosperous; to increase in wealth or honor; To grow in grace and in good works; To be in a prosperous state; to grow or be augmented (Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary)

There's a lot to unpack in this chapter. However, this verse right here says it all, for me:

"But a life lived loving God bears lasting fruit, for the one who is truly wise wins souls." (Proverbs 11:30 TPT)

Soul Winner - lâqach, to take (in the widest variety of applications):—accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win (Strong's H3947)

Wise - châkâm, (i.e. intelligent, skillful or artful):—cunning (man), subtle, (un-), wise((hearted), man) (Strong's H2450)

Biblical use of wise:

• Skillful (in technical work)

• Wise (in administration)

• Shrewd, crafty, cunning, wily, subtle

• Learned, shrewd (class of men)

• Prudent

• Wise (ethically and religiously)

• (Strong's H2350)

Don't you want to be skillful, wise, shrewd, learned, and prudent? Wisdom aligns us to walk in these characteristics.

"But a life lived loving God bears lasting fruit, for the one who is truly wise wins souls." (Proverbs 11:30 TPT)

That's what I want to do in my life, to bear lasting fruit and to be a soul winner. There is no greater gift to give to someone than eternal life in the Presence of God.

We can use wisdom to attain many things, to live a better life, bless ourselves and others but for me attaining wisdom to share God with others, to secure their eternal salvation is a priority.

That hasn't always been my focus and that doesn't mean desiring those other things, seeking after them, is wrong. We just need to check our motives, know our why? Do we care about what God cares about? People matter to God; will we make them matter to us?

"The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9 AMPC)

Giving, like loving, will always be a priority to our Abba Father. He set the example with giving Jesus to redeem us to Himself.

"For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([a]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him." (John 3:16-17 AMPC)

Loving reflects giving and giving reflects loving. In a true disciple of Christ both of these characteristics will be visible and active in their lives. We are identified as Jesus' disciples by our love.

"I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]." (John 13:34-35 AMPC)

FAITH CONFESSION:

Lord, help me to have the same heart You have where people are concerned. Let me care more about their eternal destination than my own comfort. Give holy boldness to speak about you to others. Let me truly live having Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Share in the comments what verse spoke to you and why. Let's grow in wisdom together.

#LeisaWilkins #EncouragementInTheWord

Be Encouraged! ❤