FBC Daily Devotions

Often we reap what we sow. It begs the question: What are we sowing?

Proverbs 11

 ¹ The LORD abhors dishonest scales,
       but accurate weights are his delight.

 ² When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
       but with humility comes wisdom.

 ³ The integrity of the upright guides them,
       but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

 ⁴ Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
       but righteousness delivers from death.

 ⁵ The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them,
       but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

 ⁶ The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
       but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.

 ⁷ When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes;
       all he expected from his power comes to nothing.

 ⁸ The righteous man is rescued from trouble,
       and it comes on the wicked instead.

 ⁹ With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor,
       but through knowledge the righteous escape.

 ¹⁰ When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
       when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

 ¹¹ Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
       but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.

 ¹² A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor,
       but a man of understanding holds his tongue.

 ¹³ A gossip betrays a confidence,
       but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

 ¹⁴ For lack of guidance a nation falls,
       but many advisers make victory sure.

 ¹⁵ He who puts up security for another will surely suffer,
       but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe.

 ¹⁶ A kindhearted woman gains respect,
       but ruthless men gain only wealth.

 ¹⁷ A kind man benefits himself,
       but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.

 ¹⁸ The wicked man earns deceptive wages,
       but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

 ¹⁹ The truly righteous man attains life,
       but he who pursues evil goes to his death.

 ²⁰ The LORD detests men of perverse heart
       but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.

 ²¹ Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
       but those who are righteous will go free.

 ²² Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
       is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

 ²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
       but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

 ²⁴ One man gives freely, yet gains even more;
       another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

 ²⁵ A generous man will prosper;
       he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

 ²⁶ People curse the man who hoards grain,
       but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.

 ²⁷ He who seeks good finds goodwill,
       but evil comes to him who searches for it.

 ²⁸ Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
       but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

 ²⁹ He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind,
       and the fool will be servant to the wise.

 ³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
       and he who wins souls is wise.

 ³¹ If the righteous receive their due on earth,
       how much more the ungodly and the sinner!

Wisdom and Folly – both are readily available for us to choose. Which will you choose?

Proverbs 9

 ³ She has sent out her maids, and she calls
       from the highest point of the city.

 ⁴ “Let all who are simple come in here!”
       she says to those who lack judgment.

 ⁵ “Come, eat my food
       and drink the wine I have mixed.

 ⁶ Leave your simple ways and you will live;
       walk in the way of understanding.

 ⁷ “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult;
       whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse.

 ⁸ Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you;
       rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

 ⁹ Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still;
       teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.

 ¹⁰ “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
       and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

 ¹¹ For through me your days will be many,
       and years will be added to your life.

 ¹² If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
       if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.”

 ¹³ The woman Folly is loud;
       she is undisciplined and without knowledge.

 ¹⁴ She sits at the door of her house,
       on a seat at the highest point of the city,

 ¹⁵ calling out to those who pass by,
       who go straight on their way.

 ¹⁶ “Let all who are simple come in here!”
       she says to those who lack judgment.

 ¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet;
       food eaten in secret is delicious!”

 ¹⁸ But little do they know that the dead are there,
       that her guests are in the depths of the grave.

Wisdom is clearly not difficult to find. There is an overarching way in which we are to conduct ourseilves that is not only pleasing to the Lord, but also beneficial to living. As you read this proverb today, note how easily wisdom avails itself to us. I couldn’t help notice how similar the descriptions of wisdom were to the person of Christ. Indeed, he is our ultimate source of truth and wsdom.

Proverbs 8

Wisdom’s Call

 ¹ Does not wisdom call out?
       Does not understanding raise her voice?

 ² On the heights along the way,
       where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

 ³ beside the gates leading into the city,
       at the entrances, she cries aloud:

 ⁴ “To you, O men, I call out;
       I raise my voice to all mankind.

 ⁵ You who are simple, gain prudence;
       you who are foolish, gain understanding.

 ⁶ Listen, for I have worthy things to say;
       I open my lips to speak what is right.

 ⁷ My mouth speaks what is true,
       for my lips detest wickedness.

 ⁸ All the words of my mouth are just;
       none of them is crooked or perverse.

 ⁹ To the discerning all of them are right;
       they are faultless to those who have knowledge.

 ¹⁰ Choose my instruction instead of silver,
       knowledge rather than choice gold,

 ¹¹ for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
       and nothing you desire can compare with her.

 ¹² “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
       I possess knowledge and discretion.

 ¹³ To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
       I hate pride and arrogance,
       evil behavior and perverse speech.

 ¹⁴ Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
       I have understanding and power.

 ¹⁵ By me kings reign
       and rulers make laws that are just;

 ¹⁶ by me princes govern,
       and all nobles who rule on earth.

 ¹⁷ I love those who love me,
       and those who seek me find me.

 ¹⁸ With me are riches and honor,
       enduring wealth and prosperity.

 ¹⁹ My fruit is better than fine gold;
       what I yield surpasses choice silver.

 ²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness,
       along the paths of justice,

 ²¹ bestowing wealth on those who love me
       and making their treasuries full.

 ²² “The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, ,
       before his deeds of old;

 ²³ I was appointed from eternity,
       from the beginning, before the world began.

 ²⁴ When there were no oceans, I was given birth,
       when there were no springs abounding with water;

 ²⁵ before the mountains were settled in place,
       before the hills, I was given birth,

 ²⁶ before he made the earth or its fields
       or any of the dust of the world.

 ²⁷ I was there when he set the heavens in place,
       when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,

 ²⁸ when he established the clouds above
       and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,

 ²⁹ when he gave the sea its boundary
       so the waters would not overstep his command,
       and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

 ³⁰ Then I was the craftsman at his side.
       I was filled with delight day after day,
       rejoicing always in his presence,

 ³¹ rejoicing in his whole world
       and delighting in mankind.

 ³² “Now then, my sons, listen to me;
       blessed are those who keep my ways.

 ³³ Listen to my instruction and be wise;
       do not ignore it.

 ³⁴ Blessed is the man who listens to me,
       watching daily at my doors,
       waiting at my doorway.

 ³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life
       and receives favor from the LORD.

 ³⁶ But whoever fails to find me harms himself;
       all who hate me love death.”

Well, we are into a new year, and I must admit that I am already behind! It’s not that I haven’t been busy, though. I’m working on some new things for the coming year, and how to spread the load of writing devotions is one area I’ve been giving a lot of thought to. In latter part of the year, Mako Kato pretty much wrote the last two weeks of devotions while I was on vacation. Mako just keeps getting better and better at writing! My hope is that he and others will begin writing some of the devotions to provide a little (or a lot) more variety and applicational insight.

Beginning this Sunday, we will begin a new series through the book of Proverbs. It is book filled with practical wisdom for living our everyday lives. I’m looking forward to this after having endured a long series through the book of Revelation. Not that I didn’t like Revelation (I actually loved it), but it’s time to come back down to earth. Our heads were in the clouds in the book of Revelation, and now our feet will be on the ground in the book of Proverbs. This is a good balance.

What I would like to do at least for the first month is to read through a Proverb a day. There are 31 proverbs which will cover an entire month. On those months with fewer than 31 days, we will try to spread those out on other days where there may be shorter proverbs. What I would really like to see happen is for you all to comment on some insights from your reading. You can do that right here for all to read. It would be great to get a discussion or two going, but it all depends on you. Will give it a go?

So today is Jan. 7. I know, I know, you’d like to start on Proverbs 1, and you still can, but I want you to read Proverbs 7 today. And just to make things easier, I’ll provide it for you here:

Proverbs 7

Warning Against the Adulteress

 ¹ My son, keep my words
       and store up my commands within you.

 ² Keep my commands and you will live;
       guard my teachings 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 understanding your kinsman;

 ⁵ they will keep you from the adulteress,
       from the wayward wife with her seductive words.

 ⁶ At the window of my house
       I looked out through the lattice.

 ⁷ I saw among the simple,
       I noticed among the young men,
       a youth who lacked judgment.

 ⁸ He was going down the street near her corner,
       walking along in the direction of her house

 ⁹ at twilight, as the day was fading,
       as the dark of night set in.

 ¹⁰ Then out came a woman to meet him,
       dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.

 ¹¹ (She is loud and defiant,
       her feet never stay at home;

 ¹² now in the street, now in the squares,
       at every corner she lurks.)

 ¹³ She took hold of him and kissed him
       and with a brazen face she said:

 ¹⁴ “I have fellowship offerings at home;
       today I fulfilled my vows.

 ¹⁵ So I came out to meet you;
       I looked for you and have found you!

 ¹⁶ I have covered my bed
       with colored linens from Egypt.

 ¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed
       with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.

 ¹⁸ Come, let’s drink deep of love till morning;
       let’s enjoy ourselves with love!

 ¹⁹ My husband is not at home;
       he has gone on a long journey.

 ²⁰ He took his purse filled with money
       and will not be home till full moon.”

 ²¹ With persuasive words she led him astray;
       she seduced him with her smooth talk.

 ²² All at once he followed her
       like an ox going to the slaughter,
       like a deer stepping into a noose

 ²³ till an arrow pierces his liver,
       like a bird darting into a snare,
       little knowing it will cost him his life.

 ²⁴ Now then, my sons, listen to me;
       pay attention to what I say.

 ²⁵ Do not let your heart turn to her ways
       or stray into her paths.

 ²⁶ Many are the victims she has brought down;
       her slain are a mighty throng.

 ²⁷ Her house is a highway to the grave,
       leading down to the chambers of death.

Share with us: What did the Lord impress upon you in this chapter?

by Mako Kato

Colossians 1:13-23

God has delivered us.*  He has rescued us from darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son.  We can learn a lot from Moses and David, but their stories ultimately point us to the greatest story of deliverance: How God delivered us from bondage to sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Reading this passage we get a sense of the great power of Christ.  It was through Him that we were reconciled and it couldn’t have been through anyone else. He is the image of the invisible God.  In other words, He is God.  In John 14:9, Jesus said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the father” (ESV).

God delivered us from our old way of life.

In Ephesians 1:7-10 it says:     In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.   (ESV)

Christ fulfills the plan of God for His relationship with us.  It was a plan that spanned generations.  Throughout His plan God used people like Moses, who complained about not being good at speaking and people like David, who we talked about yesterday.  Shady characters like Samson, Balaam, Rahab, and Bathsheba were all involved.  In many cases we see God working despite the people He is using.

But this isn’t the case with Jesus, since He is God.  In Jesus we see God delivering people not through flawed and weak characters, but through a powerful person.  But this powerful person, God himself, “being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (NIV)

Death on a cross was an excruciatingly painful thing, but Jesus did it out of obedience, because it was the only way to deliver us from the sin that used to rule our lives.

Like it says in Romans 3:23-24:    For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.               (NIV)

Like we talked about on Tuesday, God delivers us from evil.  I appreciate those times when God has delivered me from difficult situations, but the most important thing for us as Christians is that God delivered us from sin.  We, as Christians are a new creation in a relationship with a God who loves us.  We used to be alienated from God, but Christ reconciles us to Him.  Hooray!

*The Greek word translated as “rescued” in the NIV in this passage is the same word (ruomai) which we looked at on Tuesday.