January 2, 2018 - - Proverbs 2:1-9 The Treasure of the Bible

My son, if you receive my words,

And treasure my commands within you,

2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,

And apply your heart to understanding;

3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,

And lift up your voice for understanding,

4 If you seek her as silver,

And search for her as for hidden treasures;

5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,

And find the knowledge of God.

6 For the Lord gives wisdom;

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;

8 He guards the paths of justice,

And preserves the way of His saints.

9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice,

Equity and every good path.

Proverbs 2 NKJV

"It was an outlawed book, a text so dangerous 'it could only be countered by the most vicious burnings, of books and men and women.

"What book could incite such violence and bloodshed?

"The year was 1526. It is the age of Henry VIII and his tragic Anne Boleyn, of Martin Luther and Thomas More. The times are treacherous. The Catholic Church controls almost every aspect of English life, including access to the very Word of God. And the church will do anything to keep it that way.

"Enter William Tyndale, the gifted, courageous "heretic" who dared to translate the Word of God into English. He worked in secret, in exile, in peril, always on the move."

Tyndale: The Man Who Gave God an English Voice" D. Teems

back cover intro to the book

Think of it, the book that often gathers dust on our shelf is really explosive, dangerous and vital. Men died so that this book, the Bible, would be put into our hands in a language the average person could understand.

Proverbs teaches us this book is a hidden treasure, like silver. By reading this book one finds the pathway to wisdom, understanding and knowledge.

What better way to start this year than to recommit to daily Bible reading?! Say you miss a day or two? No worries, the book is still within reach and God is ready to reveal His glories to the one who sincerely searches for Him.

Thank You, Father in heaven, for the work of Your Spirit Who has preserved the Bible for each generation. Thank You, Father in heaven, that by Your Bible we learn of Your multitudes of mercies shown us in Jesus Christ. Forgive me for the times I have ignored the treasure You have given me. Forgive me for the times I have lightly scanned through the Bible just to check off one more thing on my "to do" list. By Your Spirit, lead me to the riches of wisdom, understanding and knowledge as I read the Word and stir in me a greater love and devotion to Jesus, my Saviour. Amen