PROFITING FROM PROVERBS

"If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small" (Proverbs 24:10 KJV).

Paul learned some lessons in life, and one of them is that in himself he is nothing, but with or in Christ he is everything.

TODAY’S VERSE:

"If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small" (Proverbs 24:10 KJV).

Often as we read the Bible and run across a verse like this, we immediately start wondering what we are doing wrong and how we can change our lives so as to not be weak when things get tough. Sometimes the answer is not in us at all, but in something else. In this case, it is in our Saviour . . . as truly most answers are.

Paul boldly proclaimed that, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13 KJV).

But in my opinion, that statement would be impossible to understand without the preceding verse:

"I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need" (Php 4:11-12 KJV). Paul learned contentment, which is not an easy thing to learn--especially for those of us living in a country like America, where things are in abundance. Paul learned that "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (I Timothy 6:6).

Jesus Christ is the God-Man. We could illustrate His humanity with a pencil, which a child can break with a finger, and His Godhood with an iron bar which takes more strength than most men have to even bend. If we take that weak pencil and that strong iron and bind them together with duct tape--we have a very poor illustration of the God-Man. Weakness and strengh in the same. That is the One that lives within us. This is our strength, so that we can face any trial, or any adversity, knowing that "all things work together for good," because our Saviour is using even those to prepare us.

If any are unsure whether they have a right to heaven, regard the fact that even in this Jesus Christ understands and has worked even that out!

"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6 KJV).

Why?

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 KJV).

Daily Bible study is necessary if we are going to begin our day with the right attitude and the right spiritual diet. Proverbs has 31 chapters, and most months have 31 days, so let's read a chapter of Proverbs a day and see what God might have for us. As the Lord leads, share with us what God has shown you in a special way and by His grace let us build up a devotional repository. Let's keep our knives and forks handy for some daily bread! Ideally, a chapter or two of Proverbs will fit in nicely with a good plan of reading our Bibles through each year.

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