“My son … keep sound wisdom and discretion; so they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck. Then you will walk safely in your way, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.” (Proverbs 3:21)
“When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; who rejoice in doing evil …” (Proverbs 2:10)
“Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life.” (Proverbs 4:10)
Life is full of one tragedy after another when people do not use good, common sense. People abusing drugs and alcohol, driving too fast on the highways, and hanging out with the wrong crowd can all lead to an early departure from this life.
Notice in the very last verse above, that it starts out that your years can be many if you are willing to follow the way of wisdom. But the implication is also there that if you do not follow the way of wisdom, that you can have your life cut short and ended early. Many of the deaths that we see on a daily basis are the result of people making very poor choices.
This is why God is really emphasizing in the above verses that the way of wisdom and knowledge will help keep you safe, help preserve you, help keep you from hanging out with the wrong kind of people, and help keep you in one piece as you journey through this life.
PRAYER
Handling the Day of Trouble or Calamity
Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus, acknowledging You as my Refuge and High Tower. You are a refuge and a stronghold in these times of trouble (high cost, destitution and desperation).
In the day of trouble You will hide me in Your shelter, in the secret place of Your tent will You hide me; You will set me high upon a rock. And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me; in Your tent I will offer sacrifices and shouting of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to You, O Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; have mercy and be gracious to me and answer me!
On the authority of Your Word, I declare that I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. When I cry for help, You, Lord, hear me and deliver me out of all my distress and troubles. You are close to me, for I am of a broken heart, and You save such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent. Lord, many are the evils that confront me, but You deliver me out of them all.
Thank You for being merciful and gracious to me, O God, for my soul takes refuge and finds shelter and confidence in You; yes, in the shadow of Your wings I take refuge and am confident until calamities and destructive storms are passed. You perform on my behalf and reward me. You bring to pass Your purposes for me, and surely You complete them!
Father, You are my Refuge and Strength (mighty and impenetrable to temptation), a very present and well-proved help in trouble.
Lord, You have given and bequeathed to me Your peace. By Your grace I will not let my heart be troubled, neither will I let it be afraid. With the help of the Holy Spirit I will (stop allowing myself to be agitated and disturbed; and I refuse to permit myself to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled).
By faith, I respond to these troubles and calamities: (I am full of joy now!) I exult and triumph in my troubles and rejoice in my sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character (of this sort) produces (the habit of) joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames me, for Your love has been poured out in my heart through the Holy Spirit who has given to me. In Jesus name, Amen.
©2013 Germaine Copeland and Word Ministries, Inc.
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