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Day 214

Read this daily devotion from God's Word

Scripture

Proverbs 19-21; Romans 4-7; NKJV              

Proverbs 19

1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. 2 Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, And he sins who hastens with his feet. 3 The foolishness of a man twists his way, And his heart frets against the Lord. 4 Wealth makes many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend. 5 A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape. 6 Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts. 7All the brothers of the poor hate him; How much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him. 8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good. 9 A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies shall perish. 10 Luxury is not fitting for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule over princes. 11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression. 12 The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass. 13 A foolish son is the ruin of his father, And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping. 14 Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord. 15 Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And an idle person will suffer hunger. 16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die. 17He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given. 18 Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction. 19 A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again. 20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days. 21 There are many plans in a man's heart, Nevertheless the Lord's counsel--that will stand. 22 What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar. 23 The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil. 24 A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. 25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge. 26 He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach. 27 Cease listening to instruction, my son, And you will stray from the words of knowledge. 28 A disreputable witness scorns justice, And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And beatings for the backs of fools.

Proverbs 20

1 Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise. 2 The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life. 3 It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel. 4 The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing. 5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out. 6 Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man? 7 The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. 8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment Scatters all evil with his eyes. 9Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin"? 10Diverse weights and diverse measures, They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord. 11 Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right. 12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made them both. 13Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread. 14 "It is good for nothing," cries the buyer; But when he has gone his way, then he boasts. 15There is gold and a multitude of rubies, But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. 16 Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger, And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress. 17Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. 18 Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war. 19He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips. 20 Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp will be put out in deep darkness. 21 An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end. 22 Do not say, "I will recompense evil"; Wait for the Lord, and He will save you. 23 Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord, And dishonest scales are not good. 24 A man's steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way? 25It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows. 26 A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them. 27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart. 28 Mercy and truth preserve the king, And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne. 29The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head. 30 Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes the inner depths of the heart. 

Proverbs 21

1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. 2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts. 3 To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. 4 A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin. 5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death. 7 The violence of the wicked will destroy them, Because they refuse to do justice. 8 The way of a guilty man is perverse; But as for the pure, his work is right. 9 Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman. 10 The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes. 11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge. 12 The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked, Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness. 13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard. 14 A gift in secret pacifies anger, And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath. 15 It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity. 16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead. 17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich. 18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, And the unfaithful for the upright. 19 Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman. 20 There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it. 21 He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness and honor. 22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty, And brings down the trusted stronghold. 23Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles. 24 A proud and haughty man--"Scoffer" is his name; He acts with arrogant pride. 25 The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor. 26 He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare. 27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent! 28 A false witness shall perish, But the man who hears him will speak endlessly. 29 A wicked man hardens his face, But as for the upright, he establishes his way. 30 There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the Lord. 31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the Lord.

Romans 4

1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered;8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin." 9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17(as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed--God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be." 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

Romans 5

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 12Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned-- 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. 20Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 7

1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another--to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. 7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." 8But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. 13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Proverbs 19:14 Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord. 15 Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And an idle person will suffer hunger. 16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die. 17He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given. 18 Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.

# 1 - Family

The family is the backbone of society and is the first institution ordained by God back in the Garden. Proverbs speaks to many different aspects of the family throughout, but it seems especially heavy today. As the family goes, so does government, the church, and society. This is the starting point for education and basic civility is all to spring up from the sacred unit.

#2 - Fathers

Father Abraham is a focus in Romans, today, as well as, Adam and Moses. Our natural fathers are important as well as our spiritual fathers. In the scripture, today, Paul uses the Patriarchs to explain faith, sin, death, the law, and what God did in His Kingdom, but now in His church.

#3 - Slaves

The concept of slaves is always a negative one in today's society. It has even been dialed back to primarily be referred to as "trafficking" to give it a softer blow. Historically, conditions were not always as bad as in modern times, but slaves still had the same primary context of devotion. Here in Romans 6, that is the connotation, to imply being set apart for righteousness, and it not just seeming as an option, now that the believer is "saved."

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.