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Scripture

Going Deeper

Going Deeper

Proverbs 10 (3-25-17)

There are so many great lessons and take-aways in this week’s proverb and no central theme, so today I want to mine down and choose two of these prescriptions of wisdom to focus on in our going deeper.  I pray you are truly enjoying your daily time in God’s word and that you are looking not to just be hearers of the word but doers.  First let’s look at:

Proverbs 10:4-5 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

One of the big ways we prove NOT to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us is to be lazy or to practice procrastination. How often have you put off until tomorrow work that should be done today? Probably way too often.  Solomon called it shameful to be lazy or to procrastinate. Procrastination and laziness is a form of slothfulness and is a sin that is offensive to God. Someone once said that procrastination is “the thief of time.”

The procrastinator makes the unwise assumption that tomorrow will surely arrive. No person can make such an assumption. While it is not wrong to plan for the future, this is not the same as putting off what should be done today until tomorrow. Solomon said, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Prov. 27:1).

Proverbs says the sluggard who does not sow in season does not reap at the harvest. Because he was not faithful and diligent in his duties, the sluggard must reap the consequences of loss of reputation, poverty, and shame.

Let’s repent of this sinful practice and instead practice diligence and prudence as Solomon says here in verses 4 and 5.

Second, let’s look at:

Proverbs 10:15 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin.

Fallen man is guilty of not putting his confidence in God; therefore, he finds it necessary to put his confidence in something. For many, the “something” is material wealth. How often do you trust and hope in worldly possessions? Realize that you don’t have to be rich to fall into this category. A poor person can just as easily make a god out of money as a wealthy person. The poor person can easily think, “If I only had (fill in the blank), then I would be satisfied.”

The reason money so often becomes the idol of our lives is that it does help many things in practical life. But herein lies the deception that while money can provide many things, it guarantees nothing and doesn’t satisfy the deepest longing of our hearts.

When we die, every person will stand barren and empty before the throne of God. Only those who are clothed in the righteousness of Christ will be spared from eternal torment. Only those who put their trust in God will truly know what it means to be rich and to have their portion filled forever.

I love the prayer of Agur later in Proverbs.  He longs for God to be enough, so he prays:

Proverbs 30:7-9 Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die:

8Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

May we be content like Paul who said, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need” (Phil 4:12).

Most of all,  may we truly find our deepest satisfaction in Christ alone.

May “the Almighty himself… be your treasure.
 He will be your precious silver” (Job 22:25).

By His grace and for His glory,

Joshua “Shepherd” Kirstine

Soldiers for Jesus MC