Proverbs 22

ScriptureProverbs 22:17-19  ¹⁷ Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;    apply your heart to what I teach,¹⁸ for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart    and have all of them ready on your lips.¹⁹ So that your trust may be in the Lord…ObservationIt seems like we’ve heard this (or something similar) before, doesn’t it? This message of actively turning our ear to wisdom, keeping wise words in our heart, applying our hearts and having them ready on our lips.  This all sounds familiar, right? Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man.… - Proverbs 3:3-4My son, keep my wordsAnd treasure my commandments within you.Keep my commandments and live,And my teaching as the apple of your eye.Bind them on your fingers;Write them on the tablet of your heart.Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”And call understanding your intimate friend;- Proverbs 7:1-4“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. -Deut. 6:6-9UnderstandingWe’ve all heard the statement “Knowledge is power.”  I tend to agree with a different sentiment…Knowledge is NOT power.Knowing a concept is only potential value.The EXECUTION of knowledge is where your power lies.- Tony RobbinsIn other words, it is not the knowing that gives you power, it is the application of the knowing…that action that is powerful.  And, it seems to me, that God wants us to take action with the wisdom He provides – writing it down, remembering it, applying it and sharing it.I don’t know about you but I felt yesterday’s sermon was a call to action!  I was convicted deeply that I’m not putting action to my knowledge that Hell is real.  The part that most struck me was a statement read from a Charles Peace - who upon being prepared for his execution by being read aloud from The Consolations of Religion about the fires of hell by the prison chaplain - responded "Sir, if I believed what you and the church of God say that you believe, even if England were covered with broken glass from coast to coast, I would walk over it, if need be, on hands and knees and think it worthwhile living, just to save one soul from an eternal hell like that!"So I was challenged – do I believe that Hell is real?  And, if so, does my life, do my actions reflect that belief? Life ApplicationStatistics were shared yesterday that some 70-something percent of people believe in Heaven, but only 40-something percent believe in Hell.  And, I’m afraid to say that my actions show that I’ve fallen into that variance of those that believe in Heaven but not in Hell.  Sure, I say I believe there is a Hell…and it seems logical that if there is a Heaven, there must also be a Hell.  But, my actions would show that I have not believed that Hell exists…otherwise, how could I be complacent in not sharing my faith at every opportunity?  And how could I not be regularly preparing myself to share the good news and actively (and I mean DAILY) sharing my faith? God, thank you for grabbing hold of my heart.  May I take action on this knowledge and actively share the good news of you celebration at EVERY opportunity.  May I spend my days seeking out those opportunities and may I take action to be prepared with your wisdom when those opportunities arise.  Give me faith and boldness to live in a way that shows you alive in me and draws people to you. May I be sensitive to the Holy Spirit today and bold in responding – living with a sense of urgency that your will be done.  No time for lackadaisical living…but being on purpose and intentional with each interaction.  In your precious and Holy name I pray. Amen.To check out the discussion or to join in click here.- Rei