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Daily Bible Reading “The LORD Gives Wisdom” (Proverbs 2:1-9)

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Deborah H. Bateman

The LORD Gives Wisdom

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Proverbs 2:1-9. Solomon says to his son, “My son, accept my words, and hide my commandments in your heart. Listen to wisdom, apply your heart to understanding, cry after knowledge, and lift up your voice for understanding.”

Seek wisdom like you seek after money, and search for it like hidden treasures. Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

The LORD gives wisdom. From His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He sets up sound wisdom for the upright. He protects those who live with integrity. He keeps the paths of judgment, and guards the path of his faithful children.

If you seek wisdom from the LORD, you will learn to be honest, have good judgment, be impartial, and walk in every good way.

There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. We can have a lot of knowledge about a certain topic, but to say we have wisdom in that area we have to learn to understand and apply the knowledge that we have attained.

Wisdom and knowledge are something we have to seek after. It is not going to come knocking on our door.

Having a relationship with the LORD and spending time with Him, listening for His still small voice will help us to obtain wisdom.

Daily Bible Reading:

Proverbs 2:1-9

1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

Things to think about:

What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
Where do we get wisdom, knowledge, and understanding?
What do we need to do to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and understanding?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we read this Scripture we see that we have to seek after wisdom and knowledge. Help us to seek Your face for the wisdom, knowledge and understanding that we need in this life. Help us to live with integrity and seek to do right in everything we do. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Bible Verse to Journal or Memorize:

For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. – Proverbs 2:6

Christian Music Video: Whom Shall I Fear [God of Angel Armies] – Chris Tomlin

PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Come back again tomorrow. Please invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study.

Featured Book:

The Book of Haggai: Consider Your Ways
by Deborah H. Bateman

About the book:

Go to: Amazon
Get your copy now!

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Have a blessed day,

Deborah

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Daily Bible Reading “Wisdom Cries Out” (Proverbs 1:20-33)

Posted on July 11, 2017 by Deborah H. Bateman

Wisdom Cries Out

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Proverbs 1:20-33. In this Scripture, wisdom is portrayed as a woman. She calls out in the streets and at the city gate.

There are three types of people she cries out to:

The Simple – a silly person, one who is easily persuaded
The Scorners – mockers – one who mocks at God’s wisdom.
The Fool – one who is stupid and arrogant.

She asks, “How long will the simple love simplicity? How long will the scorners delight in scorning? How long will fools hate knowledge?”

Wisdom is trying to save them from their own ways. She tells them to turn from their old ways and she will give them understanding and wisdom.

But they wouldn’t listen. They were set in their ways. Because of their stubbornness she says there would come a time when they call out to her, but she won’t answer them. She will laugh at their calamity and mock them when they are afraid.

They were unwilling to accept knowledge and understanding and did not choose the fear of the LORD. They wouldn’t accept counsel and despised correction.

They will suffer the consequences of their own ways. But whoever will listen to me will be safe and won’t be afraid of evil.

Do you know anyone who would fit in any of these three categories?

Daily Bible Reading:

Proverbs 1:20-33

20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Things to think about:

How is wisdom portrayed in this Scripture?
What are the categories of people mentioned in this Scripture?
What does wisdom say will happen to those who won’t listen?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we read this Scripture in the book of Proverbs we see that there are warnings for three types of people. Help us to examine our own lives and see if there is anywhere that we fit into any of these categories. Help us to see wisdom and knowledge. Help us to fear the LORD and refrain from evil. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Bible Verse to Journal or Memorize:

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? – Proverbs 1:22

Christian Music Video:

PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Come back again tomorrow. Please invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study.

Featured Book:

The Book of Haggai: Consider Your Ways
By Deborah H. Bateman

About the book:

The Book of Haggai: Consider Your Ways is a Daily Bible Reading Study of the book of Haggai by Deborah H. Bateman. It is the twenty-fifth book in the Daily Bible Reading Series by the author. Haggai was one of the prophets from the Old Testament of the Bible.

The Book of Haggai: Consider Your Ways contains four Daily Bible Reading lessons consisting of a brief commentary by the author, the Daily Bible Reading Scriptures, a few questions to consider called, “Things to think about,” and a prayer of the day. It is a great Bible study for individual or group study.

Go to: Amazon
Get your copy now!

receive Daily Bible Reading Lessons in your inbox.

Have a blessed day,

Deborah

Daily Bible Reading “Teach Your Children Well” (Proverbs 1:8-19)

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Deborah H. Bateman

Teach Your Children Well

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Proverbs 1:8-19. Solomon exhorts his son to listen to the instruction and teaching of both his father and mother. He warns him about hanging out with the wrong people. He tells him if sinners entice him to do wrong don’t consent to their offers.

He warns his son that many people are only interested in their own gain. They don’t care about other people. They will steal from other people. They may even hurt other people to get what they want.

He tells him that those who are greedy are the same. They will take away from those who are less fortunate for their own gain.

It is important for us to consider those with whom we keep company. Your friends can influence you for good or bad. They can encourage you to do things that are right or they can influence you to do things that are wrong. Friends can improve your life or they can take you down the wrong road with them.

As believers we need other Christian friends to talk to and to do things with. The people we hang around with do influence us more than we may realize. These are things we not only need to teach our children and grandchildren, but need to consider for ourselves as well.

Daily Bible Reading:

Proverbs 1:8-19

8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

Things to think about:

What does Solomon encourage his son to do?
What does he warn his son about?
What can we learn from this lesson?
Give some thought as to who your best friends are and how they influence your life.
What are some things that your parents taught you that you will never forget?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we read this Scripture we see from the wisdom of Solomon that it is important for us to consider those with whom we are friends. Help us to take this into consideration when choosing our friends. Help us to choose people to hang around with that will lift us up and not choose those who will cause us trouble. Help those of us who are parents or grandparents to be good examples to our children and grandchildren. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Christian Music Video: “Friends” – Michael W. Smith

PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Come back again tomorrow. Please invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study.

Featured Book:

The Book of Haggai: Consider Your Ways
by Deborah H. Bateman

About the book:

In the book of Haggai the LORD reveals a message to Haggai for the people asking them to consider your ways. The LORD also reminded the people through Haggai that He was with them, among other things. These are lessons that we can still use today in our lives.

Subscribe to Deborah H. Bateman author site to receive

Daily Bible Reading Lessons in your inbox.

Have a blessed day,

Deborah

The Book of Malachi: A Message from the LORD

Daily Bible Reading “I Am a Great King” (Malachi 1:7-14)

Posted on June 28, 2017 by Deborah H. Bateman

I Am a Great King

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Malachi 1:7-14. Malachi relayed to the children of Israel what the LORD had to say to them. The LORD scorned them because they offered dirty bread on the altar and then asked Him, “Where have we contaminated you?” He told them by doing that they shamed the LORD’S Table.

The priests were offering sacrifices to the LORD, but they weren’t holy, without spot or blemish. They were using animals which were blind, sick and lame. He tells them to offer them to the governor and see if he would accept their damaged goods and be pleased with their offering.

Leviticus 1:10 tells us what the offering was supposed to be like, “And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.”

How many times do we do the same thing? We don’t offer God our best, but we give Him whatever we have left over or don’t want for ourselves, and then we expect God to bless our offering. How do you think that makes Him feel? Does it make Him feel like He is important to us, we treasure Him, and we think He is worthy of honor, worship and praise, or does it make God feel like we don’t really care about Him?

I’m not trying to condemn you; this struck me as something we all need to consider, including me. I don’t want to do anything that would make the LORD feel that I don’t love Him, treasure my relationship with Him and respect who He is. I’m sure I fall short of this every day, but that is the desire of my heart.

God told them after the way they had treated Him and His holy offerings, they needed to plead to God and see if He would be gracious to them. Malachi asked, “Do you think He will even consider your people?” The LORD then asked them, “Who is there among you that would even shut the doors for nothing? You don’t even kindle fire on my altar for nothing.”

I remember when I was growing up we would volunteer to do work around the church and the church yard. These days it seems that most of the positions at church are salaried. Have you noticed this or am I the only one who has observed these changes?

The LORD told them that because of this He had no pleasure in them, nor would He accept an offering from their hands. It sounded like the LORD was disappointed with the children of Israel during this time. I’m sure He gets disappointed with us sometimes as well.

The LORD told the children of Israel from the rising of the sun to the going down of the sun His name would be great among the Gentiles. He told them incense would be offered in His name and He would be great among the heathen. He told them if they wouldn’t worship Him like they were supposed to, He would find somebody who would.
He scolded them because they had disrespected His name by using unclean animals for sacrifices and using bread that was not fresh on the table. He told them to consider what disillusionment it was. The LORD told them they had slain His name; because they brought sacrifices that were torn, lame and sick. He questioned them asking why He should accept their defiled offering.

The LORD warned them, “Cursed is the deceiver, who has in his flock a male who is pure and without blemish, and vows, and sacrifices unto the LORD a damaged offering.” He reminded them, “I am a great King, and my name is appalling among the heathen.”

God loves us and He gave His best for us by giving His only Son, Jesus, as a sacrifice on the cross for our sins. In Romans 5:8 we are reminded of this, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” In light of His great sacrifice, should we give Him any less than our best? He is a great King. He is worthy to be praised and honored with the best that we have to offer.

What are some of the things we could offer the LORD today as a sacrifice and offering to Him? We may give money to help support our church. We may offer our time to serve others or to serve at our church. We may do things to help those less fortunate than us. Widows and orphans are another group that is mentioned in the Bible as those we should help. We can offer the sacrifice of praise to God. Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice. Our offering or sacrifice may seem minute compared to His sacrifice, but we can still do things to honor God and show our love and appreciation to Him.

Daily Bible Reading:

Malachi 1:7-14

7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.

10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.

13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.

14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Things to think about:

What was the LORD’S concern in this Scripture?

What kind of offerings does the LORD want us to give?

Have you acknowledged God as the King of your life?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we study this Scripture in the book of Malachi, we see where the children of Israel highly disappointed You by not offering their best sacrifices. Help us as we study this Scripture to see that You gave us Your best and You want our best in return. Please forgive us of the many times we have failed You by not offering You our best. You are a great King and You are worthy to be praised. In Jesus’ name, we pray. We love You, LORD. Amen.

-Excerpt from The Book of Malachi: A Message from the LORD.

Christian Music Video: King of the World

PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Please come back again tomorrow and invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study.

Have you read

by Deborah H. Bateman

About the Book:

The Book of Malachi: A Message from the LORD is a Daily Bible Reading Study by Deborah H. Bateman. Malachi was considered to be a “Messenger of the LORD.” God delivered His message to the people of Israel through Malachi. Malachi was one of the twelve prophets from the Old Testament. The book of Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament of the Bible.

The Book of Malachi: A Message from the LORD includes eight Daily Bible Reading Lessons. Each lesson contains a brief commentary from the author, the Daily Bible Reading Scriptures, a few questions for discussion or contemplation, and a prayer for the day to go along with the lesson. This book is great for a personal daily devotional or for a group Bible study.

For those of you interested in Bible journaling, may I suggest you pick your favorite Bible verse from each lesson and journal about it. This will be a great reminder of the lessons you learn as you read and study this book.

Go to: Amazon

To download your copy!

Have a blessed day,

Deborah