Tuesday, April 9, 2019

praying effectively: Acquire Wisdom (Pv.4:1-9)

(Proverbs 4:1-9)
 HearO sons, the instruction of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding,
For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my instruction.
When I was a son to my father, tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,
Then he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live;
Acquire wisdom! Acquire understandingDo not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; love her, and she will watch over you.
The beginning of wisdom isAcquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding.
Prize her, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
“She will place on your head a garland of grace; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”

Reminder:  "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will.  When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!

It is God's will:
- that we hear wise instructions, and pay attention to gain understanding (4:1)
- that we acquire wisdom and understanding (4:5, 7)
- that we love wisdom (4:6, 8)
- that we do not abandon sound, biblical instructions (4:2)
- that we do not forget or turn away from God's word (4:5)
- that we do not forsake wisdom (4:6)

Today's prayer:

Lord!  Continue giving me wisdom!!!  The older I get, the more I realize I love and need Your wisdom!  Everyday - for everything!  The more results I see from putting Your wisdom into practice - the more understanding I gain - to realize that I never want to be without Your wisdom!!!

Thank You for sharing Your wisdom - through Your word, and through the godly people around me.  Give me discernment to know when people are not being godly wise.  Give me discernment to know how to react to those circumstances.  And give me wisdom and understanding to know how to impart wisdom to others, through what I say, as well as how I live.  Amen.

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