April 2, 2008

Today's Reading - Proverbs 2
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Following Scripture Verses

1. My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2. So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
3. Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
6. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
7. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
8. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
9. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
10. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
11. Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
12. To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
13. Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
14. Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
15. Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
16. To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
17. Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
18. For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
19. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
20. That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
21. For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
22. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

Today's Pathway:
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"If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;" - Proverbs 2:4

Solomon opens Proverbs 2 with several statements concerning the importance of gaining wisdom. In this fourth verse he appeals to his son with an illustration that is very appropriate for most of us. He tells the young man that he needs to seek after wisdom with the same tenacity that he would seek after financial gain.

Most people, even believers, would like to have more money than they already possess. If an opportunity to increase their income appears, they will normally take it and be thankful for it. Many are actively searching for that opportunity: scouring the "Help Wanted" ads, going back to school, or adding a second, part-time, job. Some are even willing to take a financial risk in a "get-rich-quick" scheme, which rarely brings success. Yet, how many of these people are willing to invest that amount of time, effort, and money into learning more about the Lord? Unfortunately, very few.

If a reliable source informed you today that a century ago someone had buried his family fortune somewhere on the property of the house that you currently own, you would probably waste little time before starting to dig when you when you returned home this evening. You would be willing to rent a metal detector, or even a backhoe, if necessary, in order to find that money. Someone reliable, God Himself, has told us that if we will search in His Word, He will give us a spiritual wealth that far exceeds anything financial. All we need to do is sit down and study it. It will require time, effort, and perhaps even some expenditure of money, but what a blessing we will receive.

How does your search for the wisdom of Almighty God compare to your search for the almighty dollar?

Pastor Mark J Montgomery