The Daily Fountain Devotional Thursday, August 25, 2022
The Daily Fountain Devotional Thursday, August 25, 2022
Thursday, August 25, 2022
TOPIC: EVIL COMMUNICATIONS CORRUPT GOOD MANNERS
TEXT: Proverb 1:1-19’
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; 2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; 4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. 5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: 6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. 11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: 12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: 14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: 15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: 16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. 17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. 18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. 19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
The Daily Fountain Devotional Thursday, August 25, 2022
INTRODUCTION TEXT
In the history of Israel from the time of the kings, Solomon was the one to whom the Israelites turned for wisdom. Though Solomon was not the sole writer of the Book of Proverbs, yet the book begins with giving credit to Solomon for his wisdom (v. 1). It is not out of point to say that Solomon was actually talking about the ethical teaching that expresses a truth concerning living in today's passage. He said in verse 7: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction ", meaning that to achieve what he mentioned in verses 2-6, one must have the fear of the Lord. He also advised the young ones that it is most honourable for them to obey their parents (w. 8-9) and concluded by telling them to shun or avoid bad company which would make them end up in wretchedness and ruin (w. 10-19), because, evil company corrupts good habits (1 Cor. 15:33).
Brethren, since it is not out of place to say that Solomon was talking about the ethical teaching that expresses a truth concerning living; then it is important we know that to live a life that pleases God, we must adhere strictly to all His instructions, especially as it concerns today's passage. We are to always remember that obedience is better than sacrifice. And if obedience is better than sacrifice, why would we then choose to go after something that has less quality and abandon that which has greater quality?
Prayer: Father, give me listening ears and a consented heart that I may do that which pleases You always.