proverbs chapter 1

Pro 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight,
Pro 1:3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
Pro 1:4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth--
Pro 1:5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,
Pro 1:6 to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

I am speaking to myself more than anyone. I don't know how often we expect God to fix things in our lives, but we lack the wisdom and understanding because we were to foolish to take the time to read God's word. We want God to fix everything in our lives, but we don't want to do anything for God. We don't want to take time to read his word to gain the wisdom and knowledge that will see us through our everyday life, we don't want to take time to pray, but expect God to take time to take care of all of our problems.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: fools despise wisdom and instruction." How many of us are fools for not getting in the word and obtaining knowledge and wisdom everday.

How can we advise our kids how to live, if we are not learning how to live ourselves? How can God use you, if you do not have the wisdom and the knowledge in which you need to be used?

Pro 1:8 Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching,
Pro 1:9 for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
Pro 1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
Pro 1:11 If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason;
Pro 1:12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
Pro 1:13 we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder;
Pro 1:14 throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse"--
Pro 1:15 my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths,
Pro 1:16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
Pro 1:17 For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird,
Pro 1:18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives.
Pro 1:19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.
Pro 1:20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice;
Pro 1:21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
Pro 1:22 "How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?
Pro 1:23 If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.
Pro 1:24 Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
Pro 1:25 because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,
Pro 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,
Pro 1:27 when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
Pro 1:28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
Pro 1:29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
Pro 1:30 would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,
Pro 1:31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.
Pro 1:32 For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;
Pro 1:33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster."

These passages remind of the instruction that just days ago I told my own child. There is a kid at school that often gets in trouble, and just being around him causes people around him to get in trouble to. We told Zach that he can not hang out with this kid. If he does, he is going to get caught up in his lies, and get in trouble right along with him. But we told him that we should pray for him. Zach prays for this little boy every night. If he chooses not to listen to our instruction and hangs out with this kid, then it will be his fault when he gets in trouble and he will have to suffer the consequences of his actions.

I feel this is what he is saying here.Do not be enticed by sin. Gain wisdom and knowledge, Wisdom surrounds us, it is up to us to gain it and accept it. If we are sitting around all day and we have watched TV, played on the computer, read something other than Gods word, and yet haven't taken the time to dig in the word and pray, then how can we expect God to change our lives?

If we refuse counsel we will eat the fruit of our way. YIKES>>> Not only that but we will have our fill of our own devices. It's your choice to make good and bad decisions. You can't make good decisions without wisdom, you can't gain wisdom without knowledge, without knowledge and wisdom how are you going to get through life?