Proverbs 4:6-8:
6 Forsake not [Wisdom], and she will keep, defend, and protect you; love her, and she will guard you. 7 The beginning of Wisdom is: get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! [For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.] And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation). 8 Prize Wisdom highly and exalt her, and she will exalt and promote you; she will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
The instructions can't get much clearer than that! We NEED Wisdom in order to function with any kind of success at all in this life! Skillful and Godly Wisdom; NOT the so-called wisdom that the world provides! Verse 18 is one of the results of walking in the Wisdom of God:
18 But the path of the [uncompromisingly] just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more (brighter and clearer) until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day [to be prepared].
Then we have the very familiar promises in verses 20-23:
20 My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.
Most people in the world do not understand the importance of words! The worlds were "framed" by the WORD that Jesus spoke! Hebrews 11:3:
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the Word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible.
YOUR words will also "frame" your life! Proverbs 18:20:
20 A man's self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil].
Make sure that YOU are feeding daily on the Word of God so that when it comes time for you to speak into your own life, you will be speaking God's Word, and getting God's results! Amen!
Revelation 10:7:
7 But that when the days come when the trumpet call of the seventh angel is about to be sounded, then God's mystery (His secret design, His hidden purpose), as He had announced the glad tidings to His servants the prophets should be fulfilled (accomplished, completed).
Everything that God has ever spoken WILL come to pass, but in HIS perfect time! We can trust Him with and in every area of our lives. No one loves you like Jesus does! Operate in the perfect peace that spending time in His presence will bring and look forward excitedly to the fulfillment of all these things! For the Church of Jesus Christ, it will be the Rapture, or catching away, of the Church! Soon and VERY soon! Come quickly, Lord Jesus! Here is Hillsong with "This Is Our God":
We begin in Lamentations today. These were "laments" (passionate expressions of grief) written by the prophet Jeremiah over the fate of Israel and Judah; Jerusalem and the Temple. I found this interesting note comparing Jeremiah and Jesus in the Bible Exposition Commentary:
When Jesus asked His disciples who people said He was, among their answers was "Jeremiah" (Matt 16:13-14). The ministries of both Jeremiah and Jesus were rejected by the people and both men wept over the city of Jerusalem because they knew that destruction was coming. Both were hated without cause (Lam 3:52; John 15:25; Ps 69:4) and both were ridiculed by the leaders (Lam 3:14; Ps 69:12). Jeremiah was rejected by his family (Jer 11:18-23) and Jesus by His family (John 7:1-8). Both Jeremiah and Jesus emphasized a "heart religion" and not just ritual, and both taught by means of visual images and used common objects and activities to instruct the people. The Jewish leaders rejected the messages of both Jeremiah and Jesus, and the prophet ended up in Egypt and Jesus on a Roman cross. In their day, both were considered miserable failures, but history has proved that both were right.
Lamentations 1 is his lament over the nation's disgrace. Lamentations 2 is his lament over the city's destruction. As you read these, try to put yourself in the position of the prophet and imagine the depth of his feeling. Then think about the times when your Pastor has warned YOU about changes that we all need to make in our lives in order to be pleasing to God and to walk in success and prosperity in every area. How did YOU respond? Your Pastor's heart is not different than the heart of Jeremiah or Jesus! He has been given the responsibility over you. Don't ever take that lightly - God doesn't! Amen!
Shalom in Him!
