Don’t procrastinate— there’s no time to lose.

Proverbs 6:4 MSG The Message

The Message is a helpful version of the Bible. I use it a lot as a companion to my study Bible. I don’t hide the fact that some verses of the Bible go right over my head. This verse from MSG is very direct but worded different than most other versions.  Almost all other version of the Bible for this verse are similiar to the KJV…

Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids.

You can decide for yourself if God is referring to life itself or if God is asking us not to procrastinate our relationship with him. Personally I think the latter because, at least for me, when I focus more on the Lord it helps my day to day living and when I focus on me and my life, not so much.

Proverbs 10:25 NIV

As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more : but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.

Proverbs 10:25 KJV

A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might.

Proverbs 24:5 ESV

Proverbs is a very powerful book of the Bible. Besides direction, Proverbs will give you strength to get through difficult situations or problems.

Proverbs 10:2 CEV

 
Getting rich from doing evil or wickedness will not profit or help you at all. Proverbs 10:2 directly warns us of putting our faith and concerns in treasures and wealth. Winning the lottery tomorrow will certainly profit your bank account but it will not profit your soul. Wealth may buy short term happiness and comfort but greed, a health crisis, or reality will make us realize we put our faith in something earthly and it will not last forever.
 
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
Matthew 6:19 NIV
 
Your soul on the other hand is an investment that has eternal returns and nobody can take anything away from that investment. Matthew asks the question we all know the answer to. Nothing on earth is worth more than our soul. Our soul and salvation delivers us from death.
 
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 16:26 NIV
 
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:28 NIV
 
We keep track of the balances of our financial accounts through bank statements, online, checkbooks, or even on our phone. If we are charged for something we didn’t spend, we immediately get it reversed. When was the last time you evaluated the condition of your soul? Which do you think or stress more about, your money or your soul? It might be easier said than done but every time stress and worry is spent on wealth, debt, and material things, your soul is weakened. Every time you focus on your soul and righteousness your wealth is strengthened.
Chris Riehl
 

Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.

Proverbs 10:2 KJV

 
What do you think? Comment here!

Proverbs 8:15 CEV

 
Lady Wisdom speaks. She is the first person pronoun here. Solomon is in the middle of a personification of wisdom (8:1-36), and she is teaching that good kings and princes must have her, as the righteous execution of their offices depends upon her.
 
A king without wisdom is an oppressor, for he needs wisdom to justly guide his rule of a kingdom (28:16). Many kings have reigned without wisdom, but they were not good kings; many princes have decreed laws, but they were not good or righteous laws.
 
Solomon is writing about godly and righteous kings, like he and his father. When he says it is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness (16:12), he is only describing good kings, for many kings have been very wicked. He writes of true wisdom for godly kings.
 
Our proverb has an ellipsis – missing words implied by the context and easily understood by careful readers. The missing word is supplied in the second clause, justice. Solomon in the first clause is not teaching about just any kind of king; he is writing of good kings who rule justly and rightly by wisdom and discretion. Good kings must have wisdom.
 
Solomon proved himself such a king by ruling a baby be divided in two with a sword (I Kings 3:16-28), for only great wisdom and discretion could solve the harlots’ dilemma. And he had sought this understanding carefully in the beginning of his career, for he had been taught the importance of true knowledge and counsel (I Kings 3:7-9).
 
Wisdom is so important for ruling that a poor child with it is better than a rich old king without it (Ecc 4:13). Wisdom can make up for limitations, so seek it (Jas 1:5)! And this applies to every husband, father, master, magistrate, and pastor who wants to rule well.
 
Wisdom teaches kings the importance of many things: punishing the wicked (20:8,26), mercy and truth (20:28), faithfully judging the poor (29:14; 31:8-9; 24:11-12), good men with gracious speech (14:35; 16:13; 22:11), and searching out matters (25:2). And wisdom teaches kings to avoid many things: gifts of bribery (29:4), wine and strong drink (31:4-5), gluttony (Ecc 10:16-17), lies (17:7; 29:12), and wicked counsellors (25:5).
 
There is no king like the Lord Jesus, Who executes judgment and justice in the earth, and earned the title, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jer 23:5-6). He is called Faithful and True (Rev 19:11), for He rules by His great treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). David at death prophesied of this Son he had not yet met, One Who would rule justly over men in the fear of the Lord (II Sam 23:1-5). Do you know Him, dear reader?
Jonathan Crosby
 

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

Proverbs 8:15 KJV

 
What do you think? Comment here!

Proverb 14:34 MSG

On July 4th aDP posted a Proverb from chapter 14 instead of chapter 4. We received a lot of emails from that post and it became one of the most viewed post since we began a Daily Proverb. Because of the responses, we are republishing Proverb 14:34 as a standard Daily Proverb.

Under attack in the United States is The Pledge of Allegiance, The Ten Commandments, crosses at Arlington National Cemetery, National Day of Pray, Christmas, the currency, and the list goes on…

The US is a unique nation in the world that openly trusts in God. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Nobody is going to jail if they don’t want to say God during The Pledge and the amendment is clear that it is referring to Congress and the establishment of religion…

Proverb 14:34 MSG
Today we will change things up for July 4th and read a Proverbs verse from chapter 14 instead of chapter 4. As we devote our attention to our nation today, let’s not forget to devote our attention to what makes our country strong, God!

Under attack is The Pledge of Allegiance, The Ten Commandments, crosses at Arlington National Cemetery, National Day of Pray, Christmas, our currency, and the list goes on…

Today we celebrate our great country and all of the freedoms we have been given and sometimes take for granted. We are part of unique nation in the world that openly trusts in God. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Nobody is going to jail if they don’t want to say God during The Pledge and the amendment is clear that it is referring to Congress and the establishment of religion. Separation of Church and State, which was decided by a 5 to 4 vote, has been abused by groups like the ACLU and others who want to move our country to secular state. Unfortunately the voices for eliminating God from our country are slowly becoming the louder voices. We must remember if we don’t stand up and voice our concerns, we can’t complain when God is devalued and avoided from our country.

Thank you to all of the service men and women who have served our country giving us the freedoms we have. We are a nation that can openly worship any religion we choose without fear of reprisals. Many soldiers have died to give that protection to us and many other nations in the world.

Today remember that God made and makes our country strong and without God people and nations are left weak. May The U.S. continue to bless God!

Every word of God is pure; He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him

Proverbs 30:5 KJV

So many times I don’t turn to the Lord and try do things myself. The shield is there, I just don’t use it all the time. Is it pride or lack of wisdom? Either way I am going to carry it with me today