February 16, 2026 -- Proverbs 3:1-2 -- The Advantage of Treasuring Up Teaching

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My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.
Proverbs 3:1-2 ESV
 
Why is it that a boy, a teen-ager, a young woman, and every adult must remember the teaching of God. Godly instructions which have been given through a parent, or a spiritual father or mother? First, if your heart keeps the commandments, if you delight in the law of the LORD within yourself, then obedience will flow from your life. Whatever it is your heart ponders, your hands will eventually do.
 
Second, such obedience leads to greater obedience. In fact, guarding up the teaching of the LORD in your heart will lead to making a practice of living out the very holiness your heart treasures. Why is it that we often go astray? Simply because we have been treasuring up wrongdoing in our hearts. But if we’d treasure up the teaching of God, then our life would be filled with righteousness—that is, holiness acted out in every part of our day.
 
Third, keeping the commandments of God keeps a man from the destructive ways of sin. The Devil entices people to wrongdoing. Sure, sin feels good, but that is the Devil’s way where actions inevitably lead to death. Sin leads to death. It is the decree of God from the beginning. It is the will of the Devil to destroy all who are image-bearers of God—because the Devil hates God and can’t directly attack God, he attacks the image-bearers of God.
 
So, it makes sense that a man, or a woman, who has treasured up in the heart the teaching of God will experience length of days and years of life. Living for God results in life that is honourable, joy filled and purposeful. Even when a Christian is severely persecuted because he is living for Jesus, there is great rejoicing. Every hint of persecution confirms the godly one has identified with Jesus, not with the wickedness of the world.
 
Finally, treasuring up the teaching of wisdom will bring you peace. That wonderful word, peace, is a translation of the Hebrew word shalom. Shalom means wholeness. Absence of war. When a believer, guided by the Holy Spirit, walks in the ways of God, he is not at war in himself, endlessly deciding what he will do, or won’t do. When a woman is at peace with God in her soul, she is not on the fly making decisions about the important matters of her life. It is already settled within her, so every circumstance she meets, she can face knowing she has already committed her way to God, her gracious Father.
 
Father in heaven, thank You for every instruction in holiness we have received from faithful parents, from willingly-serving Sunday School teachers, and from our spiritual fathers or mothers. Blessed are You, O LORD our God, for adding length of days and years of life to those who are obedient to you through Jesus, our Redeemer-King. By Your Holy Spirit, planted within us, sustain and enlarge our desire to live for Jesus. Empower us to do what we have pledged to do, so that our heart and our hands, our lips and our life bring honour and praise to God. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/C-T7VyCMbQQ?si=lCpRjSvCMnDIkoAU Take My Life and Let It Be
 

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