True Vision of the Kingdom Int'l Ministries

Devotional Scripture Proverbs 3:5-8(KJV): 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.... 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Thought for the Day Verses 5-6 - "Leaning on our own understanding" does not mean we are not to use our minds. When we do not understand what is happening, we must trust the LORD to show us what to do. When we are tempted to blame God for trials, we must not yield to Satan's accusations against Him. Evil attacks against us or our families do not come from God but Satan, who is trying to discourage us. We must trust God to bring us through every trial. If we acknowledge Him, He promises to direct our paths and show us how to overcome every problem we encounter. Verse 7 - We must not be "wise in our own eyes," but reverently respect the Lord. If we really believe that the Bible is true, we will leave our own ways and follow His. We will honor His Word and not treat it lightly, since we will fear the consequences of rejecting Him. The Bible tells us there is a heaven and a hell and that we will decide which will be our abode. We are invited to repent of our sins, accept Jesus as our Savior, and obey His law of love. To accept this invitation is to choose the way of heaven. If we reject it, our rebellion will take us to hell. A healthy fear and respect of God will help us to resist evil when we are tempted to sin. Verse 8 - The navel marks where a baby's umbilical cord was once attached, reminding us that our mothers gave us life by nourishing us through the umbilical cord before we were born. Symbolically, this could represent God's life - bringing health to us as we are "attached" to Him. The Hebrew word for navel also means "nerve or muscle." Following God brings health to our emotions and bodies. The phrase "marrow to thy bones" takes on strong implications regarding health in the light of modern medicine and biology: life-giving cells are created in the marrow of the bones and released to the body, and doctors even perform bone marrow transplants for the reversal of some fatal diseases. Many helpful books are available on health, but the greatest advice on healthy living is found in God's Word. He desires to bless us with healthy minds, bodies and spirits. This complete health is obtained by allowing Jesus to rule every area of our lives.

Proverbs 3:3-4(KJV): 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Thought for the Day... Verse 3 - Many "cause and effect" statements are found throughout Proverbs. Today's verses reveal that we find favor with God and man, if we allow mercy and truth to rule our hearts and lives. The Bible is God's Word; therefore, we are admonished to keep its truths in our hearts. John 14:6 also records that Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." We must invite Jesus to dwell in our hearts, for He is the Truth. We will never find our way in this world until we allow the Holy Spirit, through Jesus, to lead and guide us. Life and truth are in Him. When we follow Him, we will keep His commandments, which are absolute truth. Jesus said "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35). Humanistic teachings claim that there are no moral absolutes or absolute truth. These false doctrines have spread throughout the world. Humanism teaches that each man is his own guide and truth. We are told to do what "feels right" for us and to let others do what they "feel is right" for them. Right or wrong becomes whatever each individual decides it to be. This destructive teaching is wreaking havoc in our world. Without moral standards, there is no justice; each person becomes a law to himself. Proverbs 16:25 describes this kind of thinking: "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Verse 4 - If we desire God's favor, we must embrace His words and His ways. If we want man's favor, we must not only embrace the truth, but be merciful to people. We must not be legalistic about God's Word, but always have mercy in our hearts toward those who break the laws of God. The Lord tells us that if we desire to obtain mercy in our time of need, we must be merciful to those who fall short of the truth and hurt us. "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy" (Matthew 5:7).