Proverbs 21:16-31

Today’s Scripture:

16 Whoever leaves the path of understanding    ends up with those who are dead.

17 Anyone who loves pleasure will become poor.    Anyone who loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.

18 Evil people become the payment for setting godly people free.    Those who aren’t faithful are the payment for honest people.

19 It is better to live in a desert    than to live with a nagging wife who loves to argue.

20 Wise people store up the best food and olive oil.    But foolish people eat up everything they have.

21 Anyone who wants to be godly and loving    finds life, success and honor.

22 A wise person can attack a strong city.    They can pull down the place of safety its people trust in.

23 Those who are careful about what they say    keep themselves out of trouble.

24 A proud person is called a mocker.    He thinks much too highly of himself.

25 Some people will die while they are still hungry.    That’s because their hands refuse to work.26 All day long they hunger for more.    But godly people give without holding back.

27 God hates sacrifices that are brought by evil people.    He hates it even more when they bring them for the wrong reason.

28 Witnesses who aren’t honest will die.    But anyone who listens carefully will be a successful witness.

29 Sinful people try to look as if they were bold.    But honest people think about how they live.

30 No wisdom, wise saying or plan    can succeed against the Lord.

31 You can prepare a horse for the day of battle.    But the power to win comes from the Lord.

Prayer Transcript:

Mind if I pray for you?

Lord, thank you, that the power to win comes from you, it doesn’t come in anything that we perceive as strong and in the case of ancient Israel, they would think that the horse and having more horses and chariots would be what would cause their victory. They were going to trust in that and Lord, anything that we trust in, other than you to deliver us, is an idol that we should not be chasing. So we want You to search our hearts today, show us where we are trusting in a medical plan or we are trusting in our finances or where we are trusting in our wits, in our abilities, trusting in someone else, anything, our station in life, our ability to control people or circumstances. When we trust in those, we forget, that the power to win, actually does come from you. So forgive us for taking that glory on ourselves and help us instead as I have been praying a lot this month to surrender to you and to surrender to your strength. We know that your strength is made perfect in our weakness, according to 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, so we’re going to boast about our weaknesses so that the power of you may dwell within us. We can well content with weaknesses, with insults, with persecutions and difficulties for Christ’s sake, for when we are weak, then we are strong. Thank you so much for that Lord. Thank you that we don’t have to have it all figured out and that we don’t always have to be so, so strong. In fact Lord, as a warrior in your kingdom, I feel pretty weak and I actually know you are my strength. Of course, there are days when I forget that, but today I am standing because of your strength. Lord help us to not be a contentious people today, help us to bless people with our words instead of nag people to try to get them to do what we want them to do, again there is that idol of control. Lord, help us to be patient and content as we build wealth and as we build our lives.