[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR WEDNESDAY JULY 13

[Donnie Parrett]

DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR WEDNESDAY JULY 13

WORD OF WISDOM

While you're waiting, God is working.

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DAILY DEVOTION

What the Future Holds


Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou
preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest
my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
for ever.
Psalm 23:4-6

I'm sure you've seen the photo sections in newspapers where they ask various
people to respond to a question. I recently came across one where they were
asking people how they viewed what lies ahead. A thirteen year old girl
said, "My computer screen is brighter than my future." There is no question
that we live in a time of great uncertainty and confusion regarding what
will happen next. Things that people counted on as stable and long-lasting
proved to be anything but reliable. People we expected to remain steadfast
faded away. It is no wonder that many people are unsettled and fearful
concerning the future.
As believers, our trust is not to be in men, institutions, or our resources,
but in God. When we recognize that He is in control and provides His mercy
to accompany us every day, we realize there is no need to be fearful
regarding the future. Our lives may be filled with hardship and difficulty,
but we will never be forsaken by the Good Shepherd. We can always rely on
Him to both know what is best for us and provide for all our needs. Corrie
ten Boom said, "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."
When we allow worry and fear to control our thinking and our actions, we are
demonstrating a lack of faith. The promises of God are certain and sure, and
our future is settled. We do not see what lies ahead, but God already knows.
We simply need to trust in His love and care for us every day.
The faithfulness of God is the foundation of our hope for the future.

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DAILY BIBLE READING

Proverbs 28-31 New King James Version
The Righteous Are Bold as a Lion
28 The wicked flee when no one pursues,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.

2 Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
But by a man of understanding and knowledge
Right will be prolonged.

3 A poor man who oppresses the poor
Is like a driving rain [a]which leaves no food.

4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
But such as keep the law contend with them.

5 Evil men do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord understand all.

6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

7 Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
But a companion of gluttons shames his father.

8 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.

9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.

10 Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He himself will fall into his own pit;
But the blameless will inherit good.

11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding searches him out.

12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory;
But when the wicked arise, men [b]hide themselves.

13 He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

14 Happy is the man who is always reverent,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
Is a wicked ruler over poor people.

16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,
But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.

17 A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
Let no one help him.

18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be [c]saved,
But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.

19 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!

20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

21 To [d]show partiality is not good,
Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

23 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
Than he who flatters with the tongue.

24 Whoever robs his father or his mother,
And says, "It is no transgression,"
The same is companion to a destroyer.

25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.

26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

27 He who gives to the poor will not lack,
But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.

28 When the wicked arise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.

Happy Is He Who Keeps the Law
29 He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

2 When the righteous [e]are in authority, the people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.

3 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.

4 The king establishes the land by justice,
But he who receives bribes overthrows it.

5 A man who flatters his neighbor
Spreads a net for his feet.

6 By transgression an evil man is snared,
But the righteous sings and rejoices.

7 The righteous considers the cause of the poor,
But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.

8 Scoffers set a city aflame,
But wise men turn away wrath.

9 If a wise man contends with a foolish man,
Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.

10 The bloodthirsty hate the blameless,
But the upright seek his [f]well-being.

11 A fool vents all his feelings,[g]
But a wise man holds them back.

12 If a ruler pays attention to lies,
All his servants become wicked.

13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.

14 The king who judges the poor with truth,
His throne will be established forever.

15 The rod and rebuke give wisdom,
But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases;
But the righteous will see their fall.

17 Correct your son, and he will give you rest;
Yes, he will give delight to your soul.

18 Where there is no [h]revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But happy is he who keeps the law.

19 A servant will not be corrected by mere words;
For though he understands, he will not respond.

20 Do you see a man hasty in his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

21 He who pampers his servant from childhood
Will have him as a son in the end.

22 An angry man stirs up strife,
And a furious man abounds in transgression.

23 A man's pride will bring him low,
But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

24 Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
He [i]swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.

25 The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be [j]safe.

26 Many seek the ruler's [k]favor,
But justice for man comes from the Lord.

27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.

The Wisdom of Agur
30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to
Ithiel-to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 Surely I am more stupid than any man,
And do not have the understanding of a man.
3 I neither learned wisdom
Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.

4 Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son's name,
If you know?

5 Every word of God is [l]pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

7 Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):
8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches-
Feed me with the food allotted to me;
9 Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, "Who is the Lord?"
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

10 Do not malign a servant to his master,
Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

11 There is a generation that curses its father,
And does not bless its mother.
12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13 There is a generation-oh, how lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are [m]lifted up.
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
And whose fangs are like knives,
To devour the poor from off the earth,
And the needy from among men.

15 The leech has two daughters-
Give and Give!

There are three things that are never satisfied,
Four never say, "Enough!":
16 The[n] grave,
The barren womb,
The earth that is not satisfied with water-
And the fire never says, "Enough!"

17 The eye that mocks his father,
And scorns obedience to his mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young eagles will eat it.

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Yes, four which I do not understand:
19 The way of an eagle in the air,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the [o]midst of the sea,
And the way of a man with a virgin.

20 This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, "I have done no wickedness."

21 For three things the earth is perturbed,
Yes, for four it cannot bear up:
22 For a servant when he reigns,
A fool when he is filled with food,
23 A [p]hateful woman when she is married,
And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.

24 There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25 The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26 The [q]rock badgers are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;
27 The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;
28 The [r]spider skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings' palaces.

29 There are three things which are majestic in pace,
Yes, four which are stately in walk:
30 A lion, which is mighty among beasts
And does not turn away from any;
31 A [s]greyhound,
A male goat also,
And [t]a king whose troops are with him.

32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,
Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth.
33 For as the churning of milk produces butter,
And wringing the nose produces blood,
So the forcing of wrath produces strife.

The Words of King Lemuel's Mother
31 The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:

2 What, my son?
And what, son of my womb?
And what, son of my vows?
3 Do not give your strength to women,
Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
5 Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all [u]the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.

8 Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are [v]appointed to die.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor and needy.

The Virtuous Wife
10 Who[w] can find a [x]virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
15 She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
>From [y]her profits she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all."
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Footnotes
Proverbs 28:3 Lit. and there is no bread
Proverbs 28:12 Lit. will be searched for
Proverbs 28:18 delivered
Proverbs 28:21 Lit. recognize faces
Proverbs 29:2 become great
Proverbs 29:10 Lit. soul or life
Proverbs 29:11 Lit. spirit
Proverbs 29:18 prophetic vision
Proverbs 29:24 Lit. hears the adjuration or oath
Proverbs 29:25 secure, lit. set on high
Proverbs 29:26 Lit. face
Proverbs 30:5 tested, refined, found pure
Proverbs 30:13 In arrogance
Proverbs 30:16 Or Sheol
Proverbs 30:19 Lit. heart
Proverbs 30:23 Or hated
Proverbs 30:26 rock hyraxes
Proverbs 30:28 Or lizard
Proverbs 30:31 Or perhaps strutting rooster, lit. girded of waist
Proverbs 30:31 A Jewish tradition a king against whom there is no uprising
Proverbs 31:5 Lit. sons of affliction
Proverbs 31:8 Lit. sons of passing away
Proverbs 31:10 Vv. 10-31 are an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew; cf. Ps. 119
Proverbs 31:10 Lit. a wife of valor, in the sense of all forms of excellence
Proverbs 31:16 Lit. the fruit of her hands