One of the great results of transformed thinking by GOD's word is to protect us from wrong relationships

"Word Pictures" for Our Imagination

Free Printable Devotional Sheets Monday, August 25th

Today's Daily Verse is found in Proverbs 23.12 (session 3)

"Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to the words of knowledge."

This is session 3...

We have covered 1-10. Today we shall look at number 11 through 15...

The instruction and knowledge of GOD is information that GOD's system provides.

There is good information, and bad information.

The source is the difference... which means - where does the information originate from? Who is speaking? What is their agenda? Why are they saying what they are saying? What is their plan?

What GOD says can be trusted.

His information, which is found in the scriptures, has the power to establish GOD wisdom in our life.

Jeremiah 15.16

"Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts"

Here lies the value of the Bible, as the one source of instruction, and the alone "treasure-house" of the "words of knowledge."

What do the words of knowledge bring to us...

Number 11 thru 15 today...

     11. We will be delivered from illicit relationships

• Proverbs 2.16 "Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman, from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman."
• The effective deterrent against unlawful and unapproved sexual relationships is to have the "wisdom-system" working in the "movie theater of the mind and imagination.
• This creates room for the establishing of GOD's word-pictures in the thought-life.
• Casting down the wrong imaginations [movies], and images in the thought-life and replacing those images with GOD's word-pictures.
• This brings purity in the "spiritual heart"

In a sex-drenched media of constant harassment, seduction, and embarrassment - this becomes the only safety net some of us have...

     12. We will have good relationships

• Proverbs 2.20 "Follow the steps of good men instead, and stay on the paths of the righteous."
• The wisdom-system in the storehouse of the mind will open new friendships
• The Holy Spirit will be able to lead people into our pathway who can bond with us and agree with GOD's assignment for our life
• Money can't buy this for us
• This is illustrated by the Jonathan-David friendship of 1 Samuel 20
• The world promises but can't deliver this kind of relationship building
• Only GOD knows the inner motives and strengths of each individual

     13. We will dwell in our inheritance

• Proverbs 2.21 "For only the godly will live in the land, and those with integrity will remain in it."
• Psalms 37 sheds new insight for the obtaining of our present and future inheritance

"Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
2 For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.
6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

7 Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

8 Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper - it only leads to harm.
9 For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.

10 Soon the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone.
11 The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity.

12 The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance.
13 But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.

14 The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right.
15 But their swords will stab their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

16 It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich.
17 For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly.

18 Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever.
19 They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.

20 But the wicked will die. The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field—
    they will disappear like smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.
22 Those the Lord blesses will possess the land, but those he curses will die.

23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

25 Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned
    or their children begging for bread.
26 The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.

27 Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly.

He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will die.
29 The godly will possess the land and will live there forever.

30 The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong.
31 They have made God’s law their own, so they will never slip from his path.

32 The wicked wait in ambush for the godly, looking for an excuse to kill them.
33 But the Lord will not let the wicked succeed or let the godly be condemned when they are put on trial.

34 Put your hope in the Lord. Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you by giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed.

35 I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil.
36 But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them!

37 Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
38 But the rebellious will be destroyed; they have no future.

39 The Lord rescues the godly; he is their fortress in times of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them, and they find shelter in him."

• This is great stuff to meditate on...
• It is unfortunate that so many are waiting "till they get to heaven" for the blessings of GOD.
• Verses 9, 11, 22, 29, and 34 above [ in red ] express a blend of truth and tells us that "inheriting" is an "ongoing" process for those who have godly wisdom engrafted [ firmly established ]  in the mind.
• Correct thinking releases rewards every day
• Begin to enjoy future Kingdom benefits now...

     14. We will have a long life

• Proverbs 3.2 "If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying."
• We need to rethink the "length of days" principles found in the Word.
• 70 years is the measure used by the world's system, but GOD's life span for man is 120 years
• Genesis 6.3 "Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.”
• This information needs to be engrafted into our thinking to allow the expansion of the life-cycle.
• Isaiah 65.20 "No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young!
• Proverbs 4.10 " My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life.
• Proverbs 9.11 "Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life.
• Proverbs 10.27 "Fear of the Lord lengthens one’s life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.

Enoch walked with GOD's wisdom system in him for 365 years and GOD just transferred him without death.. Hebrews 11.5 "It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God."

• Do not give up. There is too much to accomplish. Without a vision, people live carelessly, and perish...

     15. We will have favor with GOD

• Proverbs 3.4 "Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation."
• This is the "good life"...nothing is better than the "favor of GOD". Nothing!
• This is where we should, and must aim...
• It is tied into "mercy" and "truth" - and the results are thrilling
• To have the favor of GOD is beyond measure the best thing that could happen to us...
• The favor of GOD "connects" with the favor of men, because that is how GOD shows His favor in the affairs of life.

Favor of men is the fruit of having favor with GOD. Look at Joseph, David, Daniel, Samuel, etc...

Luke 2.52 "Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people." - that's how it works!

1 Samuel 2.26 "Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people."

GOD's Wisdom gives us :

Benefits 6-10 session 2  Proverbs 23.12A

Benefits 11-15 session 3 Proverbs 23.12B

Benefits 16-20 session 4 Proverbs 23.12C

Benefits 21-25 session 5 Proverbs 23.12D

Benefits 26-30 session 6 Proverbs 23.12E

Benefits 31-35 session 7 Proverbs 23.12F

Benefits 36-40 session 8 Proverbs 23.12G

Benefits 41-44 session 9 Proverbs 23.12H

See you tomorrow...

Kenneth