"Seeds of Blessing" March 24 Readings: Deuteronomy 25-26, Luke 1:39–56, Psalm 37:36–40, Proverbs 9:4-6

By


Today's Readings - Deuteronomy 25-26, Luke 1:39–56, Psalm 37:36–40, Proverbs 9:4-6


Devotional - Seeds of Blessing


Proverbs defines the life of blessing which comes when we obey God and walk in his ways. Salvation is a gift of God's grace given to those who cannot pay for it or earn it. But blessings come when, by the power of the Spirit dwelling within, we walk in obedience to God. Those who obey God learn that fundamental principle of wisdom, "You reap what you sow." Those who would reap the blessings of God must sow the seeds of obedience and faith. Only when you sow the right seeds do you reap the harvest of blessing God has for you. There are two seeds that I would identify in this passage, two seeds that must be sown to reap the blessings of God. In Proverbs 9, verses 4 through 9 (we are borrowing from tomorrow's reading today) we see two very important seeds that we must sow if we want to reap the harvest of blessing in our lives. 

The Seed of Repentance (Proverbs 9:4-6)
            
You cannot stay where you are and go with God. Think through the scriptures. Every encounter with God required that the person encountering God give up the life they had and receive a new life. Moses was no longer a shepherd after the burning bush. David encountered God on the hillside with his harp and his psalms, and God tapped him on the shoulder to be king. Isaiah “saw the Lord”, then after being cleansed from his sin was saying to God, “Here I am, send me.” Since we are sinful people, going God’s way always requires us to repent of our own.
Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”    
To him who lacks sense she says,
“Come, eat of my bread    
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways, and live,     

and walk in the way of insight.”
Wisdom, here, invites people to eat the food at drink the wine at her feast. But, to come to the feast of wisdom, they must leave their simple ways to walk in a new way, the way of understanding. To walk in wisdom we must submit our wills to God’s, and our ways to his. That means that things will change. You will begin to distinguish right and wrong. You will choose what is right and reject the wrong. You cannot walk in the way of wisdom without letting God make major changes in your life. Sow the seed of repentance.

The Seed of Humility (Proverbs 9:7-9)

Verses 7 through 9 contrast how the wise man and the mocker respond to advice and correction. The mocker insults and abuses anyone who tries to correct him. The wise man receives the rebuke and loves the person for caring enough to try to help him live in even more wisdom. He takes the criticism and becomes even wiser than he was.
Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
    teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
This is a key to wisdom. The wise man realizes that he is not naturally wise, that wisdom is a work of God. He opens himself to the correction of God, and to the correction of the wise. No one should be a slave to other's opinions or be overly sensitive to other's words, but we must be humble and receive advice and correction. We must be humble enough to hear God's Word and receive the correction of the wise. That is a marker of a man or woman of wisdom. 

Those who sow the seeds of repentance and humility will reap the blessings of God.
Father, may I sow those seeds of humility and repentance that I might walk in wisdom and experience your blessing!

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

What seeds are you sowing in your life as you make choices daily?
Do you choose obedience and godliness?
Do you choose rebellion and the discipline that will bring?




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Battle Begins" February 9 Readings: Numbers 31-36

By
Image
   Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2024 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.   The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   Numbers 31-36 Background:    We wrap up our reading of Numbers today with another difficult reading. Chapter 31 tells of a war with Midian and then the journeys of Israel are recounted in detail. The boundaries of the Promised Land are spelled out - far larger than modern Israel. Then we read of the founding of the cities of refuge and the inheritance of Zelo...
Read more

"Not Many Wise" October 6 Readings: 1 Corinthians 1

By
Image
  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2024 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.   The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   1 Corinthians 1 Background:    Introduction to the Book of 1 Corinthians Paul started a lot of churches. He had great churches like Philippi and Ephesus, who brought him constant joy, who demonstrated the fruit of the Spirit and a passion for the gospel. He had the Bereans who searched the Scriptures to see if what he preached was true. He started churches in Thess...
Read more

"He Prayed for ME!" September 2 Readings: John 17

By
Image
  Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2024 This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened."  Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.   The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New.  Bible Readings :   John 17 Background:    John 17 is truly "The Lord's Prayer." This is the prayer that the Lord prayed the night before he died, pouring out his heart to the Father on behalf not only of his disciples but for all of us who would follow. Daily Devotional:   He Prayed for ME! The night before Jesus died, just before he agonized in the Gard...
Read more