On Life and Conduct
Proverbs 21; I die daily devotional.
1 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes. 2 Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts. 3 To do righteousness and justice Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice. 4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart, The lamp of the wicked, is sin. 5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
(v.1)The king’s heart is like channels of water reminds me of when blood and water came out at the piercing of His side by a Roman solder doing his job … after all … (v.2) every man’s way is right in his own eyes.
It seems and feels as though I’ve been going about dying daily all wrong … because it kills me to think that I’m that Roman soldier with a spear in his hand, trained to kill. I honestly didn’t intend to be so melancholy in this devotion, but the Lord knows what this is about and who it is for.
(v.2) But the Lord weighs the hearts and if this devotional misses that mark; you’ll learn and know the true nature of my writing. Thoughts about what it means for my heart to be weighed by this Jesus I pierced with my sin … taunts me to do it again. The sin of my past is always awake, never sleeping, … I hate it.
6 The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death. 7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away, Because they refuse to act with justice. 8 The way of a guilty man is crooked, But as for the pure, his conduct is upright. 9 It is better to live in a corner of a roof Than in a house shared with a contentious woman. 10 The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
Does (v.6) The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death, remind you of anyone? Judas Iscariot did exactly that during the duration of Jesus’ ministry, and his pursuit was accomplished.
What are you in pursuit of?
I’m asking you, but if you were to ask me that same question.
“What are you in pursuit of?”
I would say … after having paused to think—love. Initially I thought, “the book of prophecy”, but it’s not prophecy that I’m after, it’s what the prophecy of the book means, which is, love.
11 When the scoffer is punished, the naïve becomes wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge. 12 The righteous one considers the house of the wicked, Turning the wicked to ruin. 13 He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered. 14 A gift in secret subdues anger, And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous, But is terror to the workers of iniquity.
I’m very curious as to what you might think (v.12) The righteous one considers the house of the wicked, Turning the wicked to ruin, means to you?
Without having dug into that verse elsewhere, I imagine this to mean a responsibility of the righteous to the wicked soul of a believer or wicked house of the church. You remember what Jesus did about His Father’s house when the people of God turned it into a den of robbers?
When we go to our closet or to church, it is like stepping onto holy ground because our Father’s house is a house of prayer. As soon as we make an idol out of our material possessions—turning our belief of a Holy God into a business for profit—we’ve ruined not only our closet—meaning soul—but our house—meaning family—and are in need of Jesus coming in to ‘clean house’ as He did with those aforementioned.
I understand how natural it can be to bring our business of this world into our house of prayer, but I’m reminded of where our house truly is … and it’s not here. All of our possessions in this life will perish because our true possession is made out of material that-will-not; material of the kingdom of heaven. Leave this life at the door before going into your soul to pray to our Heavenly Father.
16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead. 17 He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich. 18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, And the treacherous is in the place of the upright. 19 It is better to live in a desert land Than with a contentious and vexing woman. 20 There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man swallows it up.
(v.20) There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man swallows it up. I was just telling my wife the other day that I’d like to be a virgin.
I couldn’t resist that humor, but what I actually said was, “I would like to be one of the virgins with plenty of oil to sell for those preparing to meet the bridegroom”.
I definitely would not want to be one of the virgins that needed to go to the dealers, and it be too late to be known.
How about you? Do you have spare oil for me to purchase?
I don’t want to get to half-full.
I would hate for you to find me without oil if it meant our salvation, and vice-versa.
Jesus is our Oil
21 He who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor. 22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty And brings down the stronghold in which they trust. 23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles. 24 “Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names, Who acts with insolent pride.
Are you a wise man or woman that scales the city of the mighty to bring down the strongholds in which they trust (v.22) ?
There are people who put their trust in animals killed for food rather than the Lord of our Salvation; their conscience is weak about the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Idols only exist as a means of a placebo to a person’s conscience undisciplined in their faith of our ministry, and if we’re not careful how we eat, could become a stumbling block to the members of our faith.
25 The desire of the sluggard puts him to death, For his hands refuse to work; 26 All day long he is craving, While the righteous gives and does not hold back. 27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, How much more when he brings it with evil intent! 28 A false witness will perish, But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever. 29 A wicked man displays a bold face, But as for the upright, he makes his way sure.
(v.28) …But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever. That’s awesome! It doesn’t require talking or writing to speak forever, but to listen. Listen…
30 There is no wisdom and no understanding And no counsel against the LORD. 31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the LORD.
I love that last verse! (v.31) The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the LORD. I mean I love it all, but that there is just … powerful! We can feel it as we read it, it’s so … certain!
I mean, imagine preparing your horse for battle; the armor is weightless, but impenetrable. It all seems so clear. Why even prepare for the victory won? The sound of the call is loud, you hear the drums begin to boom, and the vibration brings it all into reality—victory!
I couldn’t help but remember the song… “VICTORYYYY IN JESUSSSSS MYY SAVIORR…”, but to answer the question.
Why even prepare?
Because there is freedom to become an imposter of what you are not, just as Satan has the freedom to be an angel of light, but is not.
RESOURCES
Proverbs 21 (NASB)—Is what I’m using for these devotionals, but personally study with multiple versions.
- John 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
- John 12:4- But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, *said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” 6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.
- Luke 19:45 Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘AND MY HOUSE SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER,’ but you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”
- Matthew 25:1- “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.
- 1 Corinthians 8:1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. 2 If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; 3 but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. 4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
- 2 Corinthians 11:14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory
How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me
I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood’s atoning
Then I repented of my sins and won the victory
Oh victory in Jesus, my Savior forever
He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood
He loved me ‘ere I knew Him and all my love is due Hi
He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood
I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing
How He made the lame to walk again and ’caused the blind to see
And then I cried, “Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit”
And somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory
Oh victory in Jesus, my Savior forever
He sought me and He bought me with His redeeming blood
He loved me ‘ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him
He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood, c’mon
Oh victory in Jesus, my Savior forever
He sought me and He bought me with His redeeming blood
He loved me ‘ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him
He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood
He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood
Source: Musixmatch Songwriters: E M Bartlett Victory In Jesus lyrics © Albert E Brumley & Sons
OUTLINE
- Have the chapter provided (for the convenience of the reader) and broken in sections to write throughout the chapter as read.
- Lord my God, please bless to make us into the qualities of your victory in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
- Remove all distractions; invest in the Word of God.
"NOT WITH INK" 