Proverbs 31 Woman

Archive for the ‘Bible Study’ Category

What is God?

God is a spirit, whose being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth are infinite, eternal, and unchangeable.

See:
John 4:24
Ex. 3:14, Ps. 90:2, Mal. 3:6, Jas. 1:17, Kgs. 8:27, Jer. 23:24, Is. 40:22
Ps. 147:5, Rom 16:27
Gn. 17:1, Rv. 19:16

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Just a few areas you’ll learn about are:

**Entrepreneurship

**Stewardship

**Deuteronomy 8:18

**Productivity and Creativity

**Matthew 25 – Parable of the Talents

**Success : is it really the one with the most toys who wins?  Or is it obedience to God’s commands?

Have you considered what it means to be fruitful?  We are here on the earth to advance the Kingdom; it’s not about us.  When we bear fruit, we are glorifying our Lord.  Fruitfulness is a consequence of obedience.

There is so much more that could be said; be sure to check Venture Academy out today.

“Child of God! let the trembling of insufficiency in thyself be stayed by the recollection of all-sufficiency in thy God.  What he demands of thee, that he works in thee.  His covenant secures thy holiness, no less than thine acceptance – thine holiness, not, as some would have it, as the gound, but as the fruit, of thine acceptance.  Let the one then be primarily sought; and the other will assuredly follow.  “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts…for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more.’  (Jer. 31: 33, 34)’”

Proverbs 13:18 says, “Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction:  but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.”

“The instruction of discipline is God’s ordinance.  Little do those who refuse it know, what a blessing they cast away! (Hebrews 12:10,11)  Poverty and shame are often the Lord’s rod for his wayward children (Luke 15:12-16); two dreaded evils— the one bringing them to want; the other hiding their heads; both disappointing “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life.”  (1 John 2:16)  Young persons! learn to dread the liberty of being left to your own choice.  Dread the first step in the downward course, refusing instruction…Know your besetting temptation, ‘as the horse and the mule’  (Ps. 32:9), impatient of restraint.  If godly remonstrance be slighted, all may end in poverty and shame, embittered with the poignant sting of death-bed remorse. (chap. 5:11)…If we be humbled under his reproof, we shall be raised to his throne. (1Pt. 5:6)  Pleasant indeed are his words to his well-disciplined child.  To have our ears open to receive discipline, is to walk in the path of life and happiness (chap. 6:23.  Job 36:10-12); the honour of conformity to our Divine Saviour.”

Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop:  but a good word maketh it glad.

Charles Bridges says this in his commentary on Proverbs:

“…Know we not the voice–’It is I; be not afraid?’(Matt.14:27)  Human sympathy may give temporary relief.  But ‘that was the grace, softer than oil, sweeter than roses, which flows from the Saviour’s lips into the sinner’s wounds; and being poured into the contrite heart, not only heals, but blesses it, yea, and marks it out for eternal blessedness.  Oh!  how sweet is the voice of pardon to a soul groaning under the burden of sin!’  David, but for these good words, ‘would have perished in his affliction.’(Ps.119:92)  What beside made glad the jailor’s stooping heart?  (Acts 16:28-34)  Precious indeed is the privilege, to strengthen the weak hands ‘with a good word of God’ (Isa 35:3,4); to take the chair by the mourner’s side, and ‘comfort him with the same comfort, wherewith  we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:4).  Precious is the ministry of the gospel, commissioned with the gladdening word to the heavy of heart.  (Job 33:23-26.  Isa. 40:1,2)  Yet more precious the office of the Beloved Saviour, ‘gifted with the tongue of the learned,’ and filled with the unction of the Spirit, for the express purpose of ‘comforting them that mourn.’  How tenderly did He perform this office, let his last sermon testify. (John 14-16)  See then the provision for joy, so rich, so free, so ready.”

Why do we waste so much time spinning our wheels to “arrive”?  Where is it we are trying to go?  Who are we trying to keep up with?  Is the grass really greener on the other side?

Resting in His love, mercy, greatness, and trusting that His sovereign plan is what He wants for us is not always easy or reachable in a given moment.  When an accident happens or job loss occurs, for example, it may be really easy to kindle bitterness and questioning.  Some people learn through health challenges that they must rest in the Lord.  When we realize afresh our utter dependence on HIm, when we are sick or needy or hurting we are broken by Him and we learn more of humility and our need of a Saviour.  We must always cling to Christ or Lord, He who endured every kind of suffering, pain and affliction.

The Proverbs are so much a HUGE TREASURE CHEST of wisdom……….more gleanings are coming.  I’m struck by the breadth of issues covered; foibles and follies of human relationships are dealt with throughout the book.

If today I could fly anywhere in the world, where would I go?

If I could give any gift in the world to someone, what would it be?

If I could see what the future holds, would I want to know?

If I could find a treasure chest full of treasures, what would that be?

The Lord has been showing me that that treasure chest is sitting on my dining room table.

As I read it (Bible), I unearth great and precious treasures.

As of May 4 I’m a Grandma again!  My 2nd grandchild was born early that morning!  She was 8 # 5oz. and 21″ long.  Her name is Erin Mairead (Irish for “pearl”).  What a wonderful privilege and blessing it is to be blessed in this way once again.  I’m learning to think more generationally.  What I do and say and think today impacts the coming generations…..I need to go study the Proverbs some more to get more wisdom.

From Charles Bridges in his commentary, Proverbs:

“So rare is this treasure, that the challenge is given —- ‘Who can find a virtuous woman?’  Abraham sent to a distant land for this inestimable blessing for his beloved son.  Perhaps one reason of the rarity of the gift is, that it is so seldom sought.  Too often is the search made for accomplishments, not for virtues; for external and adventitious recommendations, rather than for internal godly worth…Truly her price is above rubies.  No treasure is comparable to her.”

A lifelong study of mine is going through the book of Proverbs in the Bible.  Presently, I am reading through the Proverbs, in addition to  studying from Proverbs commentary by Charles Bridges.  This particular commentary is from The Geneva Series of Commentaries.  I am just reading/studying a few verses at a time.  I keep a spiral notebook on the table and notate each verse that includes a specific word.  In my notebook, the first page has WISDOM at the top.  On it are already listed and written out over 20 verses about wisdom in just the first 3 chapters of Proverbs.   The next several topics are: instruction, understanding, justice, judgment, equity, subtilty (this is needed, by the way, to tell the difference between truth and error), knowledge, discretion, learning,  and many more.  I am already on my second page of notes pertaining to wisdom.  Here are a few verses:

Proverbs 3:13-18

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.  For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold; she (WISDOM) is more precious than rubies, and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her.  Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour; her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace; she is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her:  and happy is everyone that retaineth her.

Charles Bridges reminds us:

“Who does not admire this glowing picture of happiness?  This wisdom of this world affords no such happiness.  Yet cold and barren is admiration, without an interest in the blessing.  The happy man has found a treasure, where possibly he least expected it, under the chastening of the Lord.  David and Manasseh found ‘God’s house of correction to be a school of instruction.’  Under all circumstances, however, prayerful diligence in the search of wisdom ensures success.  The naturally wise man is a fool in heavenly wisdom.  The man of prayer getteth understanding, draweth it out to light, as out of the hid treasure…Here the wise man, himself enriched with the merchandise of fine gold points out to us a better merchandise.  It is the search for ‘the pearl of great price,’ MORE PRECIOUS THAN RUBIES, YEA, THAN ALL THINGS THAT COULD BE DESIRED.  So the Apostle judged.  So upon a trial he found it.  All the world’s show, all his former valuable ‘gain, he counted as dung and dross’ for ‘the true wisdom’ _ ‘the excellency of the knowledge of  CHRIST JESUS his Lord.’  NEVER WILL SOLID HAPPINESS BE KNOWN WITHOUT THIS SINGLENESS OF JUDGMENT AND PURPOSE.  THIS INESTIMABLE BLESSING MUST HAVE THE THRONE.  THE WAVERER AND THE HALF-SEEKER FALL SHORT.  DETERMINED PERSEVERANCE WINS THE PRIZE. (Philip.  3:12-14)