Proverbs 7

Today we are going to read a larger portion than we have in the past, but Proverbs 7 only has 27 verses, so it won't take you very long.

Read Proverbs 7:1-5

Stephen has begun potty training. I really wasn't ready to begin it yet...but he is a big boy and wants to prove it! The only thing is; I have to remind him over and over and over..."Go potty or you'll wet your pants; Go potty or you'll make a mess on the floor; Don't you hide and go potty!"

We have heard similar verses to these before. God is telling us..."Write these down, so you'll remember. Keep my commandments so you will keep in fellowship with me. Don't sin and try to hide it from me!"

Now read Proverbs 7: 6-23

Today we re-visit the prostitute again. This time she is even dressed as a 'harlot'. At least my version says so. She is loud, rebellious, brazen....this time she is easily spotted as sinful. Yet he follows her anyway. And ends up dead.

Read Proverbs 7:24-27

We spent quite a bit of time discussing Friday's post. But I think the thing that we can all carry away from that discussion is that the Holy Spirit will convict you when you need to be convicted; and it may not be at the same time or same way another person is convicted.

These verses kind of wrap it up...keep on that straight and narrow path. Remember...it is very very narrow. Most will stray off of it. Keep your eye on Christ and you will be fine.

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This reminds me...I did have someone interested in reading Pilgrims Progress along with me. It truly is a very very good book. If you are interested in doing a read-along (once again, slow progress here, we would not read it very quickly) please comment below. I would probably set it up that we read so much a week and discuss it on Saturdays.

Proverbs 5: 15-23

(If you got an email with jibberish at the top I am sorry. It was my notes....before I typed the study. I forgot to  take my notes off! There are a couple that will get them and think I am crazy because they don't even look at the blog but they study along everyday. Oops!)

Before we read today's passage, let's think about yesterday's for a moment. Yesterday's passage was focused on the negative. " Do not do 'this or that' or this or that bad thing will happen."
 If you need to, review the first part of Chapter 5 again.

Now read Proverbs 5: 15-23.

So if yesterday was all about avoiding the negative...the adulterous....what is today's passage about? I'll answer for you. It is about focusing on the blessings that you have...in this passage it is about focusing on the wife.

Let's look a bit closer at verses 15--18 for a moment. I know that some of you are very new to reading your Bible and sometimes it can be very confusing at first! This passage is not talking about a literal well, but rather is using the well, and water as an example that you need to fulfill your needs with what you already have. There is no need to look elsewhere for satisfaction.

God has blessed us with clear instruction on how to avoid the things in which he told us to avoid. The Bible is full of God's positive instruction on how to avoid sin from the Old Testament to the New Testament. You all had a very nice discussion going after yesterday's passage. So after reading yesterdays passage we know the the dangers of the temptation, and after reading today's passage we know that we will find satisfaction in the blessing that God has already given us.

I close with an illustration. When a farmer goes to plow his field, he picks an item at the very far other end of the field and focuses on that item. If he keeps his eye on the item, by the time he gets to that end of the field, he will have plowed a straight line. But if he moves his focus...for even a moment, something distracts him and takes his attention away from that focal point, then when he gets finished and looks back...his row will not be straight.

Keep that focus where it should be...and your path to Christ will be straight.

Proverbs 5:1-14

Adultery. Adultery is discussed often in the Bible. Old and New Testament. Many might argue that my husband and I are adulterous as we are divorced and remarried. Now don't be getting shocked and don't try to argue that point one way or another as you would need to 'know your stuff' and that subject will come up someday in the right context.(Because we are all going to be studying right here on this blog together until Jesus comes and someday we'll get through the whole Bible and divorce/remarriage will come up at the right time.)  This passage that we are reading today is for sure talking prostitute.

I am pretty sure that everyone reading this passage with me today isn't caught up in prostitution. Yet with it discussed so often in the Bible...and in the Ten Commandments...then I think it must be a very important subject. Looking at society today, I'd say that it probably is an important subject that needs to be taught to our youth. Prostitution is available everywhere. Please don't be afraid to discuss these matters with your teens. The best way to approach it? A Bible study of Proverbs of course. That is why I like Proverbs so much. There is something there for everyone. (Although I could do without the drippy faucet verse. Don't know what I am talking about? We will get there...)

When you read Proverbs 5:1-14, pay special attention to verses 11-14. What words of depression and utter devastation these are! Yet it all could have been avoided how? (vs 13).