Proverbs 3:23-26: No fear. Confidence. Protection.

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. Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught. Proverbs 3:23-26

"Then", refers to the keeping of sound wisdom and discretion (Proverbs 2:21). Proverbs 3:23-26 describe the results of wisdom. 

Walk safely: quietness and security

Not stumble: make a fatal mistake; of serious (even fatal) injury

Afraid: be in dread

Sweet: pleasing

Not afraid: FEAR NOT! 

Sudden terror: sudden terror of dread

Trouble: devastation, ruin

Wicked: criminal

Lord: deity Yahweh, the proper name of the God

Confidence: hope

Keep: preserve, protect

Foot: be able to endure, journey

Caught: capture

Walk safely. Sweet sleep. No fear. Confidence. Protection. And it's all the result of finding Wisdom and obeying Wisdom—not just knowing about it, but putting it into practice. And remember the source of true Wisdom is God Himself! 

Walk safely. Sweet sleep. No fear. Confidence. Protection. Each is available to me, and it begins when my heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). 

Proverbs 3:21, 22: Looks good on you!

My son, let them not depart from your eyes—keep sound wisdom and discretion; So they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck. Proverbs 3:21, 22

Let them not: expressing a prohibition

Depart: be perverse, contrary

From your eyes: sight, figurative of mental and spiritual faculties

Keep: watch, guard, preserve, to protect, maintain, obey

Sound wisdom: efficient wisdom, abiding success

Discretion: power of devising, intent, purpose

So they will be: become, result

Life: as welfare and happiness, consisting of earthly felicity (state of being happy) combined with spiritual blessedness

To your soul: living being

Grace: favor, elegance

Neck: ornament around the neck

Looks good on you! 

Not only do wisdom and discretion allow you to enjoy life knowing that you are doing what God wants, but they look good on you! The result of keeping wisdom and knowledge in your "awareness zone", will allow you to filter your thoughts and actions through God's wisdom. And as you keep the perversion of truth away, you're appearance will be that of happiness and grace. 

Looks good on you! We've seen people that seem to glow from within—they look beautiful and radiant. That is what wisdom provides—that growing grace. 

Looks good on you! It all begins with the heart. A heart that is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God is where the wisdom flows forth. When the heart is full of respect for God, then there is a strong desire to preserve wisdom and live in obedience to that wisdom. 

Proverbs 3: 19, 20: Wisdom, Understanding, and the Power of God!

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; By His knowledge the depths were broken up, and clouds drop down the dew. Proverbs 3: 19, 20

The Lord: deity Yahweh, the proper name of the God

Wisdom: ethical and religious: of God, as a divine attribute or energy

Founded: establish

Earth: land, water

Understanding: the act of discernment

Established: set up, fashion, fixed

Heavens: sky

Knowledge: perception, skill

Depths: deep, of subterranean waters

Broken up: rent open

Clouds: sky

Drop down: trickle, drip

Dew: night-mist

The things that can be done with wisdom and understanding..... and the power of God! A few days ago the world stopped to view the Super Moon. I continue to be awe as God displays His power and wonderful aspects of creation. Near the Castle,  is a road that has a beautiful display of flowers. Each time I approach that specific intersection, I thank God that He chose to create in living color. 

The Lord BY wisdom founded the earth. He knew exactly what was needed in order for His creation, including man, to survive and enjoy life on Earth. He provides rivers and lakes and vast oceans, and also the nightly dew to nurrish the Earth. 

The sky this morning was just a magnificent mix of cloud types and shades of pinks and blues. Beautiful craftsmanship on display as the sun rose creating a spectacular sunrise. And each morning the sunrise is a bit different but still each is beautiful. Wisdom, Understanding, and the power of God = spectacular results! 

Wisdom and understanding and the power of God—that same that was used to Create the World,  is available to each of us! Now that is awe-inspiring! Think about it. 

In order to fully take advantage of the wisdom, understanding the power of God, my heart must be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). And when I have a fear and respect of God, then my heart and mind is open to the wisdom, understanding and power God wants to provide. 

Wisdom, Understanding, and the power of God = spectacular results!

Proverbs 3:16-18: False Advertisement?

Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her. Proverbs 3:16-18

Length of days: according to (the length of) thy life

Her right hand/left hand: wisdom personified

Riches: far richer, wealth, fortune

Honor: splendor, glory, of external condition and circumstances

Ways: duty, journey, manner

Pleasantness: agreeableness, delight, suitableness,

Paths: course of life

Peace: completeness, soundness, welfare, safety

Tree: figurative of source of (life and) happiness

Life: sources (origin and direction) of life

Take hold of: seize, catch

Happy: be made happy, blessed

Retain: grasp, lay hold of

As I read these verses, it reminded me an advertisement. Look at all the great things wisdom has to offer! And unlike most advertisements today, there are not adverse side-effects. 

Perhaps some are thinking as they read these verses, that Wisdom is participating in false advertising. They aren't rich, their life isn't "delightful", they aren't content, they aren't happy—rather they are struggling and frustrated and overwhelmed with life and responsibilities. 

Yes, life and responsibilities can be hard, however, when handled with true wisdom, decisions are easier and we have peace that God is in control and overseeing each and every detail. We can rest and relax in the safety of God Almighty. 

There is no false advertisement here regarding what Wisdom offers. Rather, if we are not enjoying the God given bounties of peace and joy—it's that we are not receiving His gift of wisdom. Remember a heart must be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG), to accept Wisdom and life in accordance to that wisdom. No false advertisement here—just false reality for not applying wisdom correctly. 

Proverbs 3:14, 15: Incomparable

For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Proverbs 3:14, 15

Better: good, rich, valuable in estimation, compare to something (better than)

Proceeds, Profits: commerce, gain, merchandise

Silver: sliver as merchandise, 

Gain: profits 

Gold: decision, diligent, fine gold

Precious: precious, highly valued

Rubies: value

All: entirety, whole 

Desire: delight, pleasure, all things to be desired, longing 

Cannot compare: incomparable, no match

"Her, she" refers to the Wisdom that was sought after and found in verse 13. 

Think of the most valuable thing you can think of..... wisdom supersedes that! Compare anything to wisdom and that thing will fall short. Wisdom is the greatest treasure one can attain. 

Think about this for a moment. When something breaks, or when we have an emergency, we want those helping us to have the GREATEST wisdom possible. For example, when our car breaks down we don't call for a surgeon to come fix it. Rather we call an auto mechanic, one who has knowledge about cars and the experience in fixing cars—in other words, WISDOM. 

As we live life, God offers us Wisdom so that we can enjoy peaceful refreshment (Proverbs 3:8) and make the best decisions in life as we live our lives in accordance with God's Wisdom. Proverbs 2:7 tells that God is storing up Wisdom for us (#TreasureUp), it's available. And then Proverbs 2:7 and 8 explain that because Wisdom is so valuable, God provides a Supreme Body Guard to protect us as we live in obedience to wisdom! 

Wisdom is incomparable to the most valuable things we can imagine. And it's readily available. But without a heart that is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God, sadly, we ignore the incomparable resource and try to live on our own lacking knowledge. 

Incomparable—to the more valuable thing—it's available. The question is will I seek after it and take hold of it? 

Proverbs 3:13: Finds

Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; Proverbs 3:13

Happy: how happy! -- blessed

Finds: to attain to; to find thing sought

Wisdom: ethical and religious

Gains: bring out, elicit, obtain

Understanding: the object of knowledge

Searching for something and when you find it that wonderful feeling of success! Even more exhilarating that finding that thing, is finding wisdom and putting the wisdom into practice. 

Finds, to attain to to find the thing sought. Before you can find something, first you must decide what you are after. Then you have to be willing to seek it. And once you find it, take possession of it. 

I like to know why. I like to know how things work. I like to learn. The key to wisdom is the desire to know and learn and be willing to search for wisdom. And the great thing about that... is that we know the source of wisdom so that narrows down our search area. We can go directly to God Himself who is the Creator of all—the very source of wisdom. 

We know where to look—God. The next is having that desire to look. The motivation to find, attain wisdom and understanding. That begins when a heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). 

And as we gain wisdom, we must put into practice the knowledge and understanding. Live our lives in accordance to what we learn. 

And the end result is true happiness that is not base on how we feel, but rather based on the wisdom and knowledge of Almighty God. 

Finds. What is that thing which you are seeking? If you are looking for true happiness, then begin seeking wisdom. 

Proverbs 3:11, 12: Accept the Discipline

My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction;

For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:11, 12

Despise: reject, refuse

Chastening: discipline, more severely, chastisement of Yahweh

Detest: feel a loathing at, abhor, sickening dread

Correction: reproof, chiding

Loves: divine love to individual

Corrects: rebuke of God

Father the son: owing reverence, obedience, etc. to parents

Delights: be pleased with, favorable to

Do not. Nor. Neither. Do not do it! It's going to happen—simply because as sinners we will need discipline and correction. So, when it happens, do not refuse or reject it, don't approach it with a sickening dread. Rather accept the discipline and learn and put into practice what is learned so that you don't repeat it in the future. 

And remember the underlining and foundation for the discipline is true divine love. God wants us to learn, and grow, and live a life of peaceful refreshment (Proverbs 3:8).

We often get mad that the Lord disciplines us. But don't we get upset when we see a child misbehaving in the store and the parents ignore it or simply reward the bad behavior? Yet, that's what we expect when we do something wrong, we want the Lord God to ignore it or reward us. Yet, that is not how true love responds. True love will discipline and correct, knowing that there is something better when there is obedience. 

Do not. Nor. Neither. Do not do it! Accept the discipline and learn and grow from it. But that can only take place when a heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG).