The Rewards of Wisdom
Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; 26 For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught. 27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it.
Now see, this be what I’m talkin-bout!
CONFIDENCE
The treasure of confidence is not found without much humility, and humility is not found without much discipline, and the way we find discipline is by finding the love of God. So to find the treasure of confidence, we must first believe there is God because without belief in God—what meaning and value is there in the treasure of confidence?
Wisdom teaches from experience the knowledge of confidence. Look to Job:
Job 31:24 “If I have put my confidence in gold, And called fine gold my trust, 25 If I have gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had obtained so much; 26 If I have looked at the sun when it shone, Or the moon going in splendor, 27 And my heart was secretly enticed, And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, 28 That too would have been a guilty deed calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above. (bold/italics/underline – mine)
Job knew the nature of his heart where his friends did not; Job did not put his confidence in material possessions or in the words of his friends—hence the reason for his rebuttal—but in himself, until God revealed Himself to him [Job]. Do you remember what happened to Job when God revealed Himself? Let’s take a look:
Job 40:1Then the Lord said to Job, 2 “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it.” 3 Then Job answered the Lord and said, 4 “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth. 5 “Once I have spoken, and I will not answer; Even twice, and I will add nothing more.” (italics – mine)
Job was in shock by fear of the Lord because of what he had no understanding of, and was thus enduring the discipline of God considering the report of his reaction, but the discipline wasn’t over just yet for Job, was it, after that first answer? Let’s see what becomes of Job at his final remark to God:
Job 42:1 Then Job answered the Lord and said,
2 “I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”
4 ‘Hear, now, and I will speak;
I will ask You, and You instruct me.’
5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;
But now my eye sees You;
6 Therefore I retract,
And I repent in dust and ashes.” (bold/italics/underline – mine)
Job had heard of God by the hearing of his ear, but now he had met with his eyes the very Person who gives us confidence—Jesus Christ! Job retracted and repented! The friends of Job misrepresented God and were in need of forgiveness, and when Job prayed for his friends became blessed more than when he was when he first believed. Why? Because Job not only knew God in Word, but in Sight by faith! Job obtained the treasure of CONFIDENCE!
So by our believing in Jesus the Lord, we have confidence to live in the authority of His Name. How? By us not only believing in God with our ears or mouths, but in sight and deed of the gospel. We have seen God by the revelation of Jesus Christ—the Son of God! We have the treasure of confidence to repent by the grace and mercy of God, and the forgiveness of sins when we confess our sins to Jesus, the Lord and Savior!
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (bold/italics/underline – mine)
Thank you Lord our God for the mercy bestowed upon us by supplying the forgiveness of sin through belief in Jesus Christ, and healing us to a right mind by the gift of the Holy Spirit. I pray we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
RESOURCE
Proverbs 3 (NASB)—blueletterbible.org
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; 2 For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. 3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. 9 Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine. 11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, 12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. 13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. 14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her gain better than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast. 19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. 20 By His knowledge the deeps were broken up And the skies drip with dew. 21 My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck. 23 Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble. 24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; 26 For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught. 27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it, ”When you have it with you. 29 Do not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you. 30 Do not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm. 31 Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways. 32 For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright. 33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. 34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted. 35 The wise will inherit honor, But fools display dishonor.
COMMENTARY
Chapter 3
Matthew Henry (P3-V26) Commentary
The harms that surprise us, unthought of, giving us no time to arm ourselves by consideration, are most likely to put us into confusion. But let not the wise and good man forget himself, and then he will not give way to any fear that has torment, be the alarm ever so sudden. Let him not fear the desolation of the wicked, when it comes, that is,
- [1.] The desolation which the wicked ones make of religion and the religious; though it comes, and seems to be just at the door, yet be not afraid of it; for, though God may make use of the wicked as instruments of his people’s correction, yet he will never suffer them to be the authors of their desolation. Or rather,
- [2.] The desolation which wicked men will be brought into in a moment. It will come, and timorous saints may be apprehensive that they shall be involved in it; but let this be their comfort, that though judgments lay waste generally, at least promiscuously, yet God knows who are his and how to separate between the precious and the vile. Therefore be not afraid of that which appears most formidable, for (v. 26) “the Lord shall be not only thy protector to keep thee safe, but thy confidence to keep thee secure, so that thy foot shall not be taken by thy enemies nor ensnared by thy own fears.’ God has engaged to keep the feet of his saints.
"NOT WITH INK" 