Scripture Union Daily Discovery 13th October 2020 Devotional Today Message
TODAY TOPIC: GET AHEAD
Opening Prayer: Jesus, I come before You and surrender all I am to You today.
Read Proverbs 22:17 – 23:9 – Thirty Sayings of the Wise
Saying 1
17 Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?
Saying 2
22 Do not exploit the poor because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,
23 for the Lord will take up their case
and will exact life for life.
Saying 3
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared.
Scripture Union Daily Discovery 13th October 2020 Devotional
Saying 4
26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge
or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.
Saying 5
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone
set up by your ancestors.
Saying 6
29 Do you see someone skilled in their work?
They will serve before kings;
they will not serve before officials of low rank.
Saying 7
23 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what[a] is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.
3 Do not crave his delicacies,
for that food is deceptive.
Saying 8
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
do not trust your own cleverness.
5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
Saying 9
6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
do not crave his delicacies;
7 for he is the kind of person
who is always thinking about the cost.[b] “Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten
and will have wasted your compliments.
Saying 10
9 Do not speak to fools,
for they will scorn your prudent words.
Footnotes
a Proverbs 23:1 Or who
b Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect: Scripture Union Daily Discovery 13th October 2020 Devotional
“The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God’s will to mine, but to mold my will into his” (Timothy Keller, The Obedient Master, Hodder & Stoughton, 2013). Is this true of you?
Our readings this week began life as instructions for young men entering royal service. As subjects of the King of kings there’s much for us to apply as we advance his kingdom in every network in which he’s placed us. How do you remain aware that you’re “a letter from Christ” (2 Corinthians 3:3) carrying hope to the world?
It’s in the secret place of intimacy with our heavenly Father that the authority and power we have in public is determined (22:17–21); Jesus knew this (Luke 5:15, 16). Learning scriptures keeps God’s perspective close at hand, but we need silence and solitude in his deeper presence to break them open and let them break us open! Belief conditions character and actions, so we need to be intentional about right thinking (Philippians 4:4–9).
Exploitative conduct, bad-temperedness, overvaluing wealth, disrespect for respected traditions, making careless commitments, being a stingy host who doesn’t really care for their guest and being a guest who’s trying to impress for personal gain, all point to someone who’s seeking to satisfy themselves outside of God’s perfect approval. Such perspectives skew the truth (22:21, 25) and divert people from “trust … in the Lord” (22:19).
Apply
How is your intimacy with Christ? Does it shine out in the way you live your everyday life? Just as a marriage needs much time and effort, so does our relationship with Jesus.
Closing Prayer: Lover of my soul, I wait in Your presence for You to break open Your word in my heart today. Change me.
THROUGH THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Jeremiah 19, 20; John 7
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