May I be consistent in conversation and conduct, the same alone as in company, in prosperity and adversity, accepting all they commandments as right, and hating every false way. Help me to carry into ordinary life portions of divine truth and use them on suitable occasions, so that its doctrines may inform, its warnings caution, its rules guide, its promises comfort me.

(The Valley of Vision, page 109)

Today’s Hymn

Words: Joachim Neander, in A und Ω Glaub- und Liebes¸bung (Straslund: 1680); translated from German to English by Catherine Winkworth, 1863.

PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY
Click here for tune.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, Who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, Who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Thought Provoker

“Experience is the best teacher” is an expression that has been readily embraced in our culture. Unfortunately, it may not be a true expression. Solomon pens his proverbs as a father to his son, not that the son would have to experience failures in order to learn life’s lessons, but that through Solomon’s own failures, his son would learn and be wise. Solomon’s words to his son, he believed, were his best teacher. So too, parents, may we humble ourselves and, transparently, share with our children our failures and the lessons we learned, lest our children fall into the same traps this world deceptively sets along the journey.

Dad’s Study

So it is in Proverbs 3 as Solomon opens his heart, life’s best textbook, before his son. The first twelve verses constitute another “My Son” speech and contain six couplets, each of two verses. A general wisdom saying is introduced and then the result of heeding that wisdom is declared.

1. 3:1-2; Keep God’s Word on the frontal of your heart.In so doing, fullness of days and abundance of peace will follow.
2. 3:3-4; Practice mercy and truth (which is faithful love) continually. In so doing, favor and reputation from God and man will follow.
3. 3:5-6; Trust in God’s way as you make Him known. In so doing, direction for life will follow.
4. 3:7-8; Fear God who is omniscient and good. In so doing, health and refreshment will follow.
5. 3:9-10; Honor God first in your finances.In so doing, provision and blessing will follow.
6. 3:11-12; Accept the corrective chastening of God. In so doing, assurance of sonship will follow.

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

God will always but always do His part. The undoing occurs when we do not follow through with our part of doing. Parents, as you review the six couplets above, help your children identify specific acts they can do in order to obey God’s Word. Then discuss with your children in concrete, distinct ways the blessings God promises for each of these steps of obedience.

Here’s a start:
1. 3:1-2; Read the Scriptures daily. Memorize passages regularly.

In so doing, …
2. 3:3-4; Don’t let annoyances invade your relationships.

In so doing, …
3. 3:5-6; Let God’s Word have the final say in every decision.

In so doing, …
4. 3:7-8; Watch out for pride swelling up inside.

In so doing, …
5. 3:9-10; Set aside the first part of your allowance for an offering.

In so doing, …
6. 3:11-12; Expect consequences from wrong choices.

In so doing, …
Wisdom—the best teacher for your children may not be their personal failures but first, your biblical counsel and guidance to them in the wake of your failures and resultant God-learned lessons from life. In so doing, you will bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Pastor Jim Stevanus – Fellowship Baptist of Dublin, Ohio

Catechism

Question 6

Q. How many persons are there in the Godhead?

A. There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory (1 John 5:7; Matthew 28:19).

Lord God, grant me the chief part of wisdom—a greater fear of the Lord in my heart. Amen.

Today’s Hymn

Words: Joachim Neander, in A und Ω Glaub- und Liebes¸bung (Straslund: 1680); translated from German to English by Catherine Winkworth, 1863.

PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY
Click here for tune.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, Who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, Who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Thought Provoker

There are many people who are considered “experts,” or “smart,” or “wise” in this world, who in God’s eyes are exactly the opposite. According to Proverbs 1, what is the chief part of wisdom?

Dad’s Study

The Bible gives us the building blocks and the principles for all that we will face in this life. And the book that we are now beginning in these devotional studies is full of such principles for a godly life. It deals with a multitude of practical questions—how we ought to raise and discipline our children, what company we should keep, what kind of workers we ought to be, what we should do if we’re in debt, etc. But just as the historical portions of Scripture are more than mere human events and chronologies, the book of Proverbs is more than mere human advice and helpful hints. All of the practical principles of this book center on one primary concept—the fear of God:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning [or, chief part] of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (v.7).

It is not a stretch to say that the whole thrust of the book is to outline what it means to fear the Lord in the daily operations of life. The concept of the fear of the Lord is brought up at least 16 times throughout the book, and is mentioned twice in this first chapter, and that is because it is absolutely central to godly living. It is central as our motivation for godly living. That is, the fact of God’s might and holiness and justice ought to stir us up to do the things contained in this book. We ought to see all of these principles as coming from the mouth of God. A person who fears the Lord is conscious that God is present at all times, and sees all he does. Therefore, his work is done “in the fear of the Lord”—it is motivated by His knowledge of and relationship to God.

The fear of the Lord also reminds us of our goal in godly living. Ultimately, we are not trying to make sure we have kids that don’t embarrass us, or that we have a well ordered bank account. We are seeking to honor the Most High God, and these practical areas of living are the means God has given us to bring Him honor.

As we venture into this book, let us be mindful of this primary theme and purpose in Proverbs. Not a single concept in this book must be cut off from the living relationship we have with our God. Every duty in proverbs has the authority of God behind it, and none of these principles are lived out properly without the right heart of love to God motivating them all.

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

Two issues are brought up in this chapter as practical applications of fearing God. The first is that those who fear God will not run with those who do not (vv10-19). What do your present relationships say about your fear of God? The second issue is that those who fear God listen to Him and to others who fear God, especially their parents (vv8-9, 20-29). What is your track record as a young person regarding listening to your parents? And what is your track record as an adult in continuing to apply the truth you read in your devotions and hear in sermons? Those who fear God “listen” and “do.”

Catechism

Question 6

Q. How many persons are there in the Godhead?

A. There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory (1 John 5:7; Matthew 28:19).

Lord God, grant me the chief part of wisdom—a greater fear of the Lord in my heart. Amen.

Today’s Hymn

Words: Joachim Neander, in A und Ω Glaub- und Liebes¸bung (Straslund: 1680); translated from German to English by Catherine Winkworth, 1863.

PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY
Click here for tune.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, Who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, Who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Thought Provoker

There are many people who are considered “experts,” or “smart,” or “wise” in this world, who in God’s eyes are exactly the opposite. According to Proverbs 1, what is the chief part of wisdom?

Dad’s Study

The Bible gives us the building blocks and the principles for all that we will face in this life. And the book that we are now beginning in these devotional studies is full of such principles for a godly life. It deals with a multitude of practical questions—how we ought to raise and discipline our children, what company we should keep, what kind of workers we ought to be, what we should do if we’re in debt, etc. But just as the historical portions of Scripture are more than mere human events and chronologies, the book of Proverbs is more than mere human advice and helpful hints. All of the practical principles of this book center on one primary concept—the fear of God:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning [or, chief part] of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (v.7).

It is not a stretch to say that the whole thrust of the book is to outline what it means to fear the Lord in the daily operations of life. The concept of the fear of the Lord is brought up at least 16 times throughout the book, and is mentioned twice in this first chapter, and that is because it is absolutely central to godly living. It is central as our motivation for godly living. That is, the fact of God’s might and holiness and justice ought to stir us up to do the things contained in this book. We ought to see all of these principles as coming from the mouth of God. A person who fears the Lord is conscious that God is present at all times, and sees all he does. Therefore, his work is done “in the fear of the Lord”—it is motivated by His knowledge of and relationship to God.

The fear of the Lord also reminds us of our goal in godly living. Ultimately, we are not trying to make sure we have kids that don’t embarrass us, or that we have a well ordered bank account. We are seeking to honor the Most High God, and these practical areas of living are the means God has given us to bring Him honor.

As we venture into this book, let us be mindful of this primary theme and purpose in Proverbs. Not a single concept in this book must be cut off from the living relationship we have with our God. Every duty in proverbs has the authority of God behind it, and none of these principles are lived out properly without the right heart of love to God motivating them all.

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

Two issues are brought up in this chapter as practical applications of fearing God. The first is that those who fear God will not run with those who do not (vv10-19). What do your present relationships say about your fear of God? The second issue is that those who fear God listen to Him and to others who fear God, especially their parents (vv8-9, 20-29). What is your track record as a young person regarding listening to your parents? And what is your track record as an adult in continuing to apply the truth you read in your devotions and hear in sermons? Those who fear God “listen” and “do.”

Catechism

Question 6

Q. How many persons are there in the Godhead?

A. There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory (1 John 5:7; Matthew 28:19).