Tag Archives: spoken word

PROVERBS 7 LISTEN AND BE FOCUSED ON GOD’S WORD

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September 27

PROVERBS 7

24 And now, O sons, listen to me,
    and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;
    do not stray into her paths,
26 for many a victim has she laid low,
    and all her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol,
    going down to the chambers of death.

                                                              – Proverbs 7:24=27

PROVERBS 7 LISTEN AND BE FOCUSED ON GOD’S WORD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you serve the Lord Jesus Christ, you’ll follow the truth

You will listen to his word and all the laws he commanded you

Constantly guard your heart so that you won’t fall into sin

Put a rend on your mouth so that you will not hurt anyone

Do not be yoked to anyone who does not believe in God

If you do, you can be seduced to do what is wrong

Feed on the word of the Lord and you will be strong

It is your shield against all wickedness and it is your sword.

In Ephesians 6:10-20, we are asked to wear the whole armor of God. It gives us the formula to be strong. The strength comes from God, not from us. Unlike the world system, strength comes from human understanding, power and knowledge. It doesn’t stand long. Unlike the strength that comes from God, it will quickly fade away.

Solomon ends this book with advice to listen and be focused on God’s truth. It shields us from the path towards darkness and death. Just as Paul reminds the Ephesians to wear the whole armor of God, Solomon also warns his sons that they need to be mindful to wear all that will protect them from the evil around them. Paul speaks about fastening the belt of truth which is synonymous to Solomon’s advice to be attentive to the word of God.

REFLECTION

  • Share your thoughts on the result of listening and being focused on God’s word.

PROVERBS 7 CAUTION ON SEDUCTIONS

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September 26

PROVERBS 7

16 I have spread my couch with coverings, colored linens from Egyptian linen;
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey;
20 he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.”

21 With much seductive speech she persuades him; 

   with her smooth talk she compels him.22 All at once he follows her,

   as an ox goes to the slaughter or as a stag is caught fast
23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare;
    he does not know that it will cost him his life.

                                                                  – Proverbs 7:16-23

PROVERBS 7 CAUTION ON SEDUCTIONS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As we serve the Lord Jesus Christ, let us be mindful of seductions

In this corrupt world we live in there is an abundance of temptation

Those who do not know the Lord will be driven by their pleasures

It is with caution that God wants us to be constantly aware

The Lord wants us to be soaked in his truth so we are not trapped

When we walk in His Spirit, we won’t be enticed and lured.

In this book, Solomon describes in detail the enticements that the adulteress prepared to lure. Notice that colored linens were used to cover her couch and perfume on her bed. Linens were used in the tabernacle to symbolize purity. It held crucial religious significance and was used by priests during ceremonies. The devil defiled this use of linen by using it on this occasion to entice the young man to sin. Perfumes were usually used to anoint as Mary did with Jesus’ feet.  Myrrh and Cassia, were ingredients in the holy anointing oil used to anoint priests and kings. And in this seduction scenario, myrrh was used to lure the man to sin.

These things used for purification were now used for temptation to sin. That’s how the devil seduces. He mocks what is holy. He subtly changes God’s purposes to make us sin.

REFLECTION

  • What are some forms of seductions that are so prevalent in our world today?

PROVERBS 7 WARNING TO THOSE WHO LACK SENSE

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September 25

PROVERBS 7

6 For at the window of my house, I have looked out through my lattice,
7 and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths,
a young man lacking sense,8 passing along the street near her corner,

     taking the road to her house 9 in the twilight, in the evening,
    at the time of night and darkness.1

0 And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.
11 She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait.
13 She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him,
14 “I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows;
15 so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.

                                                                – Proverbs 7:6-15

PROVERBS 7 WARNING TO THOSE WHO LACK SENSE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When one does not heed the word of God and follow his way

You will be an easy prey for the enemy to deceive in his guiles

The world will trap you and tempt you towards doing wrong

The youth and simple are being lured and consumed by their lusts

Watch out that you do not forget the teachings of the Lord

They will guard you against temptations and the ways of the world.

In this book, Solomon describes in detail what he has observed among the youth and the simple. Bible reference.com explains that the word “simple” does not mean stupid but it refers more to the ignorant and the uninformed. So, the following advice is not only for the youth who still lack sense, but for those who are oblivious to the truth. He clearly gives us a picture of the plight of these people who do not know God or follow his laws.

They become easy prey to be devoured by those tactics of the temptress.

Solomon also illustrates and depicts the woman who was dressed as a prostitute, lying in wait for the young man. She is loud and restless and cannot keep her feet at home. She seizes the young man and does not give him any chance of saying no to her.

REFLECTION

·       Why is it important for God’s people to be aware of the ways of the world?

PROVERBS 7 KEEP GOD’S TEACHING AS THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE

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September 24

PROVERBS 7

My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;
2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend,
5 to keep you from the forbiddenwoman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

                                                                – Proverbs 7:1-5

PROVERBS 7 KEEP GOD’S TEACHING AS THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When God’s people listen and heed to his truth

God’s words will fill up their hearts and will take root

Treasure what the word of God says and pursue wisdom

When you seek wisdom, insight will not be far from you

Follow the commandments so you may have a blessed life

Remember it and consume it so it will be stored inside your heart

Then you will be delivered from all those who plot evil

You will have insight and discern how to deal with them.

Solomon counsels us to treasure the commandments of the Lord and keep God’s teaching as the apple of our eyes According to Merriam Webster The idiom “apple of one’s eye” actually refers to the pupil of the eye. In ancient times, the pupil was believed to be a round, solid object comparable to an apple. Since the pupil is essential to vision, it was held to be something very precious. Thus, when you call someone the “apple of your eye,” you are telling them that they are cherished.

Deuteronomy 32:10, reads “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.” Deseret.com says that a more literal translation of the Hebrew is actually “little man of his eye,” which probably refers to the reflection of oneself that one sees in the eye of another person. Thus, the phrase developed into “apple of one’s eye” and retained the meaning of something treasured.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you have to keep God’s teaching as the apple of your eye?

PROVERBS 6 AFTERMATH OF ADULTERY    

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September 23

PROVERBS 6

27 Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished.
30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry,
31 but if he is caught, he will pay seven fold; he will give all the goods of his house.
32 He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.
33 He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.
35 He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.

                                                                – Proverbs 6:27-35

PROVERBS 6 AFTERMATH OF ADULTERY      

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord loathes the unfaithful; they will not go unpunished

Do you really think a moment of pleasure doesn’t result in a consequence?

When you take another man’s wife or another woman’s husband

You are an abomination to the Lord for he wants total loyalty

When you stir jealousy from another man’s spouse, you will suffer

To get a lover out of marriage is like plunging into the pit of darkness.

In this book, Solomon stresses the aftermath of adultery. He challenges those who are contemplating dabbling into someone else’s spouse to think again if they ever fall into the prey of the devil to take someone that does not belong to them. They may have the thrill of the secrecy and the lies and hiding at the moment they are enjoying the affair, but in the end, it brings so much destruction and conflicts.

He mentions the effect of this sin in verse 32 where the adulterer is actually really hurting himself more than anyone else. Lust is a sin against our own bodies. Since we are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we ought to treat our bodies holy and sanctified only for what it was created for. If you have no spouse yet, you are supposed to stay pure and not defile your own body for the sake of staying pure for Christ.

REFLECTION

  • What are the results of adultery in the adulterers and those around them?
  • Why do we need to take this commandment very seriously?

PROVERBS 6 REMEMBER YOUR FATHER & MOTHER’S TEACHING

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September 22

PROVERBS 6

20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you;
    and when you awake, they will talk with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,
    and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
24 to preserve you from the evil woman,

   from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
25 Do not desire her beauty in your heart,

    and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;
26 for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread,
    but a married woman hunts down a precious life.

                                                                – Proverbs 6:20-26

PROVERBS 6 REMEMBER YOUR FATHER & MOTHER’S TEACHING

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord wants you to never forget his commandments and teachings

Honor your father and mother’s guidance and their discipline

Parents are to pass on the commandments of the Lord

So that the children will learn to navigate the world

When you heed your parent’s teachings and correction

You will be protected from sin and overcome temptations.

Solomon reiterates Leviticus 19:3 where it says that every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep the Sabbath. In Deuteronomy 27:16 we also hear of the result of going against your parents. It says “Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’ Also in Proverbs 1:8, the exhortation was to hear the instructions of your father and not to forsake the law of your mother. It was the responsibility of the parents to ensure that their children were taught the covenant law. Being a parent is a big responsibility and they are all responsible to teach God’s laws to them.

REFLECTION

  • Cite an instance when children did not heed their parents’ instructions?

PROVERBS 6 THE THINGS THE LORD HATES

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September 21

PROVERBS 6

16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
    seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
    and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
    feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies,
    and one who sows discord among brothers.

                                                                – Proverbs 6:16-19

PROVERBS 6 THE THINGS THE LORD HATES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Because God is love, there are things he hates

He will not put up with liars and those who are haughty

He hates those who are violent and kills a human soul

He loathes anyone who plots evil against their neighbors

The Lord detests those who takes any chance to hurt someone

He abhors someone who speak lies and generates conflicts.

Why do you think Solomon enumerates in detail the things that the Lord hates? The Lord has granted him so much wisdom so that he could lead God’s people in the right way. If you look closely at these things that God hates, it has something to do with sin. They are things that go against his commands and laws.

If you follow the law of love that God has stipulated for his people, these things that Solomon enumerated here are opposite of loving God above all things and loving your neighbor as yourself. If you love God, you won’t speak lies or put down someone else. You won’t think of hurting someone else because you would treat them like your own. You won’t sow discord or conflicts because that would create destruction and ruin to others. Remember that our sinful nature would automatically make us do these things God hates. But if we walk in love and follow God’s laws, we will avoid doing these things.

REFLECTION

  • Would a true Christian do these things that the Lord hates? Why or why not?

PROVERBS 6 THE CHARACTER OF WICKED MEN

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September 20

PROVERBS 6


12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
    goes about with crooked speech,
13 winks with his eyes, signals with his feet,
    points with his finger,
14 with perverted heart devises evil,
    continually sowing discord;
15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
    in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.

                                                                – Proverbs 6:12-15

PROVERBS 6 THE CHARACTER OF WICKED MEN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Be wary of those who appear charming and witty

They may look like they mean well, but they are wily

They use everything they know to manipulate you

They will cunningly design to bring you down

But don’t lose hope, the Lord will deal with them

Calamity will one day come and make them broken.

In these following verses, we hear Solomon depicts the character of wicked men.  One of the characteristics he pointed out is their crooked speech. He has a perverse mouth. He can never be clear with what he says, always vague and flipflopping. In other words, he can’t give a straight or honest answer because he is always looking for opportunities to manipulate or deceive someone.

Another feature of a wicked man is that they always deceive you. He may charm you first to get what he wants from you and then he sows discord and evil. He does it so cunningly that at first, you would be convinced that he is really a good person, but he waits for the right time to design a plot to snatch something from you. Solomon gives us a clear picture of these kinds of people because he wants us to discern them quickly so that they can be stopped from sowing evil plots against God’s people.

REFLECTION

  • Why is it important to know the characteristics of wicked men?

PROVERBS 6 THE VALUE OF HARD WORK

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September 19

PROVERBS 6

6 Go to the ant, O sluggard;
    consider her ways, and be wise.
7 Without having any chief,  officer, or ruler,
8 she prepares her bread in summer
    and gathers her food in harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
    When will you arise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want like an armed man. – Proverbs 6:6-11

PROVERBS 6 THE VALUE OF HARD WORK

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Those who walk in the ways of the Lord perseveres and work hard

They work tediously because they know God will grant them fruits

Those who are lazy will have no fruit awaiting them

They avoid doing anything hard, they’d rather lie down.

Solomon gives us a lesson on hard work. He gives the ant as the perfect model for work. According to pestworld.org, ants can lift 10-50 times their body weight. Because ants are so small, their muscles are thicker relative to their body mass than in larger animals. This allows ants to carry objects much heavier and bigger than them. To put it into perspective, if humans could lift 10 times their weight, a 200-pound man could lift a small car above his head. Ants are very social insects, and they divide jobs among different types of ants in each colony. The queen or queens have only one job – to lay eggs. All other female ants are workers; they feed the larvae, take out the colony’s trash, forage for food and supplies, or defend the nest. Male ants’ only job is to mate with the queen.

No wonder Solomon uses ants as examples for hard work. He reiterates more lessons on hard work in Proverbs 13:4 where sluggards get nothing but the diligent is richly supplied.

The gardeners toil hard and God blesses them with the fruits of their labor.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think some people think that they do not have to work hard?

PROVERBS 6 WARNING ON GUARANTEEING DEBTS

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September 18

PROVERBS 6

My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
    have given your pledge for a stranger,
2 if you are snared in the words of your mouth,
    caught in the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, and save yourself,
    for you have come into the hand of your neighbor:
    go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor.
4 Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber;
5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
    like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

                                                     – Proverbs 6:1-5

PROVERBS 6 WARNING ON GUARANTEEING DEBTS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

It is wise not to guarantee debts of your neighbors or strangers

You do not know how they will pay what they owe their lenders

If you have accidentally co-signed for other people’s credits

Have yourself freed from such bonds because it is foolish

Do not waste any moment when you have gotten into this pledge

Save yourself from such oath and get out of it as fast as you can

Solomon gives his son another wise word on co-signing for other people’s debts. According to some commentary, the son here doesn’t necessarily mean his biological son, but could also be students. It is wise for us to follow this advice as believers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Another verse that reiterates the same theme as this is Proverbs 22:26 which says “Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts.”

We are to lend a hand to our brothers but not to foreigners as stipulated In Deuteronomy 23:19-20 because it has a promise that the Lord will bless us in all that we undertake in the land that he gave us. We clearly see how God separates his people from the world. Those who do not know the Lord will not know what is right. It is wise for us not to get involved with foolish people especially those who irresponsibly got themselves in debt.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think Solomon cautions us not to guarantee other people’s debts?