Solomon warns of temptations

The Book of Proverbs Chapter 2

Turn to God and treasure the instructions given to you, says Solomon. He asks you to cry out for insight and understanding and then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord and you will gain knowledge of God. The Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth comes knowledge and understanding and he grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity and are faithful to him.

If you do these things, you will understand what is right, just and fair and will know how to find the right course of action every time. For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will fill you with joy.

Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose speech is corrupt. They turn from right ways and walk down evil paths. They enjoy evil as it turns things upside down. But wisdom will save you from the immoral woman. Entering her house leads to death and is the road to hell.

Follow the steps of good men and stay on the paths of the righteous, for only the upright will live in the land and those who have integrity will remain in it.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Wisdom comes in two ways: it is a God-given gift and is also the result of an energetic search. Wisdom's starting point is God and his revealed Word, the source of knowledge and understanding. So wisdom is God's gift to us, but he gives it only to those who earnestly seek it. The pathway to wisdom is strenuous. We gain it through a constant process of growing.


HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY?
First, we must trust and honor God. Second, we must realize that the Bible reveals God's wisdom to us. Third, we must make a lifelong series of good choices and avoid anything immoral. Fourth, when we make sinful choices, we must learn from our errors and recover. Do these things seem easy? NO, they are not easy, because we are humans capable of sinning daily. But wisdom can take a long time to develop in us and in some of us it develops quickly. Don't be fooled by temptations.Remember to ask God for strength to resist them. He loves us and will show us his mercy.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH:
Update on my niece Suzanne, she is out of rehab after many months for a crushed leg and doing well and being cared for by her ex. Pray for Gabe and Wanda. Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother-in-law is being taken to Oklahoma to live with an aunt who will care for her.
Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.
Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and for the doctors who have difficulty diagnosing his other symptoms.
Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.
Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.