Applying Proverbs to Daily Life

I'm sorry to say that I'm not going to go in detail on the Proverbs study. I just want to say that I really appreciate what I've learned from reading the book through. I think about what I've read and try to apply them to my daily life.

Now, a great friend gave me a personal hymnal, Sing To The Lord. I look in it daily. I love looking in it. It's a great devotional. Today, I opened the book and the first song I see is, "Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken". I read the words to the song. I realize that I have a cross to pick up, place it on my shoulder, and carry it, following Christ. Forget everything else around me and just follow Christ. It's a burden, but it's well worth it to carry it while following Christ, knowing that He is taking me the right way. Can we fully "know" and "understand" this song and it's meaning?

Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shall be.

Perish ev'ry fond ambition,
All I've sought, and hoped and known;
Yet how rich is my condition-
God and heav'n are still my own!

Let the world despise and leave me;
They have left my Savior too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me;
Thou art not, like man, untrue.

And while Thou shall smile upon me,
God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate and friends may shun me;
Show Thy face, and all is bright.

I have called Thee "Abba, Father;"
I have stayed my heart on Thee.
Storms may howl and clouds may gather;
All must work for good to me.

O 'tis not in grief to harm me
While Thy love is left to me;
O 'twere not in joy to charm me,
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

Hasten from grace to glory,
Armed by faith and winged by prayer;
Heav'n's eternal days before me-
God's own hand shall guide me there.

Soon shall close my earthly mission;
Swift shall pass my pilgrim days;
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight and prayer to praise.

A study of Proverbs

In the following entries, I will be taking notes of what I have learned about Proverbs, learned about myself, and how I can change myself to be a better servant for God. I want to have a better reputation, to build good relationships with people and with God through the study of Proverbs.

Proverbs

Purpose: Teach people how to get wisdom and understanding so that they may have a prudent life doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord. In short, to apply wisdom to daily life and receive moral instruction.

Wisdom for young people
Wisdom for all people
Wisdom for leaders

The Proverbs are given in three parts as listed above, but does not mean that each part is directed at only the specific audience, but rather provide the best instruction for the specific audience. All people should read all of Proverbs.

Wisdom
The Lord wants all people to be wise. There are wise people and there are fools. fools are wicked and stubborn who hate wisdom & instruction and and thus will not accept it, ignoring God. The wise seek to know and love God.

Relationships
Proverbs is filled with instruction for developing relationships withpeople. Every relationship requires that we show love, dedication, and high moral standards.

Speech
Many proverbs mention that what we say shows who we are. It shows our real attitude and as we learn and change, speech is also a real test of how wise we become.

Work
Final outcome in all we do is controlled by God and we are accountable to carry out work out with diligence and discipline, not laziness.

Success
People work hard for fame and money, but God views success as having a good reputation, moral character, and the spiritual devotion to obey Him.

Just a note...

Just a little note here…

I just wanted to say that studying Proverbs has helped in my walk with Christ tremendously. I cannot believe the amount of wisdom packed into that book. Proverbs is like a sponge full of water. Only a few words make a proverb but the knowledge, understanding, and the good (godly) life one squeezes from those few words are in abundance. I have known this fact, but never experienced it for myself. I purchased a Bible this past year, the NLT (New Living Translation) Life Application Study Bible. I read it along with the KJV. Reading the two together has really helped me to understand what I’m reading.

I am feeling his presence a lot more than I have in the past. I have let God into my life more and He is a part of my daily living. It’s peaceful.

As for my last blog about blogging on Proverbs…keep in mind I’m a procrastinator. I have some notes but they just need to be expanded and I’ll work on it.

Will update soon...

I am planning on updating my blog soon. I started a study of Proverbs on January 1, 2010. One chapter per day. I have found one or several verse(s) in each chapter that I can directly apply to myself, that is, the negative. What I plan on doing is to mention what verses in each chapter and how I've applied them to myself and my life in general in order to become the positive. More detail on what I mean in the next blog. :)

Have a blessed day.