Proverbs 3:1-4. Fri. Day #15
In today's episode, we will look on how to gain the favor of God.
Moments in Proverbs
Proverbs 3:1-4
Friday, Day #15
Proverbs - Full of General Principles
While the Book of Proverbs hold general principles of truth throughout all 31 chapters, there is no guarantee that each principle of truth will apply to all individuals because they are general principles meant for an audience as a whole, not absolute promises to an individual. As a rule, however, we can take these general principles and apply its general truths in life for those who follow, knowing there will be exceptions to the rule. So then, what the Book of Proverbs is doing is setting out the general rule of reality —principles and most likely outcomes.
God's Law - King Solomon's Law
Proverbs 3:1 My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; 2 For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.
King Solomon was reminding his son about the law he gave to him as a father, which supported the Law of Moses which God gave to Moses some 500 years earlier to give to God's people - the Israelites. King Solomon, coming from the Tribe of Judah, was an Israelite and king over all of the Israelites, and was responsible before God and his people for leading the nation of Israel in doing everything God was commanding of Him as king and his people.
"My son," King Solomon keeps pleading - "let your heart keep these commands." We learned that we are a human spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body. The heart is the link that joins the human spirit and soul together. Within our spirit dwells our conscience, intuition, and pathway of our communication with God. Within our soul resides our mind, will, and emotions where if we have renewed our minds to the Word of God can understand the will of God. Our soul is the command center of our life where we make our choices. We can choose to allow our body to run our life, or call upon our spirit, where our conscience, and as New Testament believers, having the indwelling Holy Spirit to live, has been trained in the things of God. When we make the choice out of our soul to yield to the Spirit of God dwelling in our Spirit, we give ourselves over to the ways of the Lord, and we grow in our relationship with Him.
The Principle of Long Life and Peace
As a general principle, when God's people yield to the ways of the Lord on a consistent basis, long life, supported by peace and tranquility will be added unto us. This is a blessed combination because length of days could be a curse and not a blessing without peace. God grants both long life and peace together for those who yield to His ways on a consistent basis.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart,
Mercy and truth are like twins in that you often see them together. Both need to be displayed in a believer's life for the world to see. Both are important and should never be forsaken. They should be so closely aligned with each other that it would be as if they were a necklace on us at all times, and a tablet on our heart.
Mercy and truth should be worn like a necklace around a believer's neck, carrying its visibility to others, as well as a visible demonstration of our responsibility of who we are to the world. Mercy and truth need also be written on our hearts, so that inside and out, mercy and truth becomes a part of who we are. They are like constant reminders of who we are in Christ.
God bestows His favor (grace) upon those who choose to live in the principles of His wisdom. So then, when we live rightly, it affects both our character, from the inside out, and our ability to influence others.
Finding Favor With God and Man
4 And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.
God favors those who choose to live in the principles of wisdom. He hold them in high esteem both before mankind, and in His sight. These words become like a blessing coming from God.
I'm reminded of that same kind of blessing that comes from Psalm 91 where God promises that if we set our love upon Him, we can call upon Him and He will answer us. He will deliver us and honor us, be with us in trouble, set us on high because we have a relationship with Him. We know who He is. And with long life we will be satisfied as He shows us our salvation that resides in Him.
We have finished our third week on Monday through Friday - 15 days of teaching. We will continue on Monday as we learn more of God's wisdom from Moments in Proverbs.
God bless!
Pastor Joyce Erickson
Believersbibleschool.com
Written by Pastor Joyce A. Erickson
Believers Bible School, Founder https://believersbibleschool.com/