Proverbs 27

Before we start today I would like to say that I moved in to my house last week and yes I am very behind on responding to your post so please forgive me. I will get caught up tomorrow morning and then I will make it a habit to respond every morning after my run.

One last thing, if there is no more feed back to our next study topic we will study the book of Daniel then the book of Revelation. I will need to change the format somewhat because we cannot just comment on three verses and then move on. So I will work on that and in 5 days we will start on the new study. As of November 1^st we have been studying together online for 4 months now and I do not know about you but I have truly enjoyed it.

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

1 Do not boast about tomorrow,

For you do not know what a day may bring forth.

2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;

A stranger, and not your own lips.

3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,

But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.

4 Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,

But who is able to stand before jealousy?

5 Open rebuke is better

Than love carefully concealed.

6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,

But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

7 A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb,

But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

8 Like a bird that wanders from its nest

Is a man who wanders from his place.

9 Ointment and perfume delight the heart,

And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.

10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,

Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;

Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,

That I may answer him who reproaches me.

12 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;

The simple pass on and are punished.

13 Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,

And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.

14 He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,

It will be counted a curse to him.

15 A continual dripping on a very rainy day

And a contentious woman are alike;

16 Whoever restrains her restrains the wind,

And grasps oil with his right hand.

17 As iron sharpens iron,

So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

18 Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;

So he who waits on his master will be honored.

19 As in water face reflects face,

So a man’s heart reveals the man.

20 Hell and Destruction are never full;

So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,

And a man is valued by what others say of him.

22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,

Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

23 Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,

And attend to your herds;

24 For riches are not forever,

Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

25 When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,

And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,

26 The lambs will provide your clothing,

And the goats the price of a field;

27 You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,

For the food of your household,

And the nourishment of your maidservants.

1. So let’s start with (v. 4) we read “Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, but who is able to stand before jealousy?”
   1. Jealousy was the one thing that started all the discord in heaven, and led to the fall of 1/3 of all the angels. It is also one of the most satanic traits found in the human heart.
   2. I may get beat up about this comment but it seems to me that all the protesting on Wall Street the past few weeks seems to be more about what others have and not being happy with what we have.
2. In (v. 6) we read “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful”
   1.  The first thing that comes to mind when I read this is (Matt. 26:47-49) “And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.” A kiss does not always me love.
   2. But the correction of a friend may hurt but at least it comes from the right place. There are times in all of our lives were we need a true friend to speak up and rebuke us.
3. Let’s finish with (v. 17) we read “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”
   1.   As a file is used to sharpen an edged tool, so friends sharpen friends. “Good men’s graces are sharpened by converse with those that are good, and bad men’s lusts and passions are sharpened by converse with those that are bad,” [M. Henry].

“Settle all accounts today; you can’t bank on tomorrow”

When the physical examination of a 78-year-old man had been completed, the doctor recommended that he come back in 6 months for another checkup. At this suggestion the aged patient shook his head and said, “Doctor, I don’t think I’ll be around then.”

“Nonsense!” replied the physician with a reassuring smile. “You’ll be around for years yet.”

The elderly man gave him an odd look, then explained, “I mean that I’ll be in Florida. I go there every January.”

The story may cause us to smile, but the question it raises is very sobering. Will you and I be around tomorrow, next month, next year? It surely is sensible to make plans for the future, but we must always do so with an awareness of life’s uncertainty.

As James reminded us in the Bible reading for today, life is “a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14). Because of this we ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that” (James 4:15).

Will you be around in 6 months? Let this question prompt you to live faithfully for the Lord Jesus Christ today.– Richard W. De Haan (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

The present only is our own,

Live and toil with a will;

Do not wait until tomorrow,

For life’s clock may then be still.- McCartney

1. What do you think (vv. 23-27) is saying?
2. What other things do you see in the text?

Prayer Activities

1. Call your Partner and discuss this devotional.
2. Continue to have a prayer list and continue to praying for them.
3. Pray with them and ask for the following;