Read Proverbs 30
I read Proverbs 30 in the New Living Translation and the Amplified Classic.
My thoughts on Proverbs 30:
God's Word is truth. Everything we need is found in His Word. Word - ʼimrâh, commandment, speech, word (Strong's 565) Outline of Biblical Usage - utterance, speech, word, word of God, the Torah (Strong's 565) "Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth." (John 17:17 AMPC) "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105 AMPC) "Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust. So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can’t see what’s right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books." (1 Peter 2:3-9 MSG)
We can trust and take refuge in God. He is our shield of protection. Shield - mâgên, figuratively, a protector; also, the scaly hide of the crocodile: —armed, buckler, defense, ruler, scale, shield (Strong's 4043) Put your trust in Him - châçâh, o flee for protection; figuratively, to confide in: —have hope, make refuge, (put) trust (Strong's H2620) "God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right." (Psalm 7:10 NLT) "The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower." (Psalm 18:2 AMPC)
We are not to add to God's Word manipulating it to say what we want it to say. Don't use it out of context. He will rebuke you for that, exposing you as a liar. And we know God hates liars! King James says reprove you. Reprove - yâkach, reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or convict: —appoint, argue, chasten, convince, correct(-ion), daysman, dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke, reprove(-r), surely, in any wise (Strong's H3198) Found a liar -kaw-zab'; to lie (i.e. deceive), literally or figuratively: —fail, (be found a, make a) liar, lie, lying, be in vain (Strong's H3576) "Don’t add a word to what I command you, and don’t remove a word from it. Keep the commands of God, your God, that I am commanding you." (Deuteronomy 4:2 MSG)
If you have a problem with lying ask God to help you to stop telling lies. Honor truth even when truth is hard. Lies - kâzâb, falsehood; literally (untruth) or figuratively (idol): —deceitful, false, leasing, liar, lie, lying (Strong's H3577) "Lying lips are extremely disgusting and hateful to the Lord, but they who deal faithfully are His delight." (Proverbs 12:22 AMPC)
Be careful not to be pure in your own eyes when you're not. We don't always see ourselves clearly. We have blind spots when it comes to us. What we may see as pure and right may be filthy and unwashed. Filthiness - tsôwʼâh, excrement; generally, dirt; figuratively, pollution: —dung, filth(-iness) (Strong's H6675) "All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits (the thoughts and intents of the heart)." (Proverbs 16:2 AMPC) "Let there be no filthiness (obscenity, indecency) nor foolish and sinful (silly and corrupt) talk, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting or becoming; but instead voice your thankfulness [to God]." (Ephesians 5:4 AMPC)
Do not commit adultery. It is destructive. "But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks heart and understanding (moral principle and prudence); he who does it is destroying his own life." (Proverbs 6:32 AMPC) "But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting and proper among saints (God’s consecrated people). For be sure of this: that no person practicing sexual vice or impurity in thought or in life, or one who is covetous [who has lustful desire for the property of others and is greedy for gain]—for he [in effect] is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." (Ephesians 5:3, 5 AMPC)
The verse that spoke to me:
"Surely the churning of milk brings forth butter, and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood; so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife." (Proverbs 30:33 AMPC)
Anger - A violent passion of the mind excited by a real or supposed injury; usually accompanied with a propensity to take vengeance, or to obtain satisfaction from the offending party (Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary)
Strife - rîyb, a contest (personal or legal): — adversary, cause, chiding, contend(-tion), controversy, multitude (from the margin), pleading, strife, strive(-ing), suit (Strong's 7379)
Wrath - kaʻaç, vexation: —vexation: —vexation: —anger, angry, grief, indignation, provocation, provoking, sore, sorrow, spite, wrath (Strong's 3708)
My takeaway:
Don't let anger control you or cause you to do anything that would dishonor God.
"For you are a slave to whatever controls you." (2 Peter 2:19b NLT)
"He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls." (Proverbs 25:28 AMPC)
"Bridle your anger, trash your wrath, cool your pipes—it only makes things worse." (Psalm 37:8 MSG)
We must operate with self-control. God doesn't ask us to do anything that He does not equip us to do. We have the fruit of the Spirit and Holy Spirit to guide us to rule over our tongues and emotions.
"But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]." (Galatians 5:22-23 AMPC)
"But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. " (John 16:13 MSG)
We're all going to get angry, and God's Word makes provision for that:
"Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life." (Galatians 5:22-23 MSG)
Anger doesn't promote the righteous God desires. When my desire is to please Him, I must take on the characteristics that reflect Him. That's where the fruit of the Spirit and Holy Spirit comes in.
"Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life." (James 1:19-21 MSG)
If anyone has the right to be angry it's God. Yet, He chose to forgive us, love us with an unconditional and everlasting love, and sent His Son to redeem us. He's, our example.
In His love for us He allows do overs, He will build us up again:
Israel, out looking for a place to rest, met God out looking for them!” God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love! And so now I’ll start over with you and build you up again, dear virgin Israel." (Jeremiah 31:3-4 MSG)
“May the Master take you by the hand and lead you along the path of God’s love and Christ’s endurance.” (II Thessalonians 3:5 MSG)
FAITH CONFESSION:
Hear the voice of God saying to each of us individually:
(YOUR NAME), out looking for a place to rest, met God out looking for them!" God told (YOUR NAME), "I've never quit loving you and never will. (YOUR NAME) expect love, love, and more love! And so now I'll start over with you and build you up again, dear (YOUR NAME) (Adapted from Jeremiah 31:3-4 MSG)
Lord, as I embrace Your love for me let Your Kingdom come, and Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven, through me.
Share in the comments what verse spoke to you and why. Let's grow in wisdom together.
Be Encouraged! ❤