Prepare
Do you ever wonder what it takes to please God? It couldn’t be clearer than in Proverbs. Ask God to give you a willing heart as you prepare to be counseled by Him.

Read
Proverbs 1:1-19

Explore
There is a well-known saying in Spanish – “Tell me who you walk with and I will tell you who you are.”

Who you associate with tells a lot about a person. And in Proverbs, the Lord wastes no time warning against such basic mistakes.

It is interesting that the fear of the Lord (vs 1-7) and choosing friends (vs 10-19) are the first two subjects in the book of Proverbs. We should not take lightly this first passage – one of the longest in the whole book. As Solomon, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, lays the foundation on how to live a successful life, he gives us two clear points of emphasis – wisdom through the fear of the Lord and foolishness through poor relationships (v 7).

Take time to check out Psalm 128:1, Psalm 112:1, Proverbs 8:3, Job 1:1, and 2 Corinthians 5:11a. In each passage, the fear of the Lord has a direct correlation to walking in His ways, finding delight in His commands, and hating evil. It is a direct rebuke of foolish, undisciplined living.

Do you desire to be filled with wisdom and knowledge? Do you want to honor God with your life and fear Him with a holy fear? Then start by looking at your influences. Who do you spend time with? Who influences you? Is it God, or is it unhealthy friendships?

Respond
Heavenly Father, I look to you from the depths of my heart to give me daily direction for every aspect of my life. Thank you for your personal counsel.

Is Jesus the rock in your foundation? Do you believe He can truly calm the storms in your life? Talk to one of our volunteers about the storms going on in your life and ask for prayer.

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