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Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Day 9 of Pastor Chris' Paraphrase of Proverbs Devotional


Day 9  One wise choice leads to another.  One foolish choice leads to another.  Make your choices carefully. And if you realize you've made some mistakes, turn quickly and run to Jesus and beg him to help back on the right path.  And listen carefully to those who invite you to their table.

Pastor Chris’ Paraphrase of Proverbs 9:4-6
“Come in here, little children!”  To everyone with some sense and potential she says, “Come dine with me!  Leave your childish life behind.  It’s time to mature and learn how to handle yourself.”

The other choice in verses 16-18 sounds like the trailer for a horror movie:

“Come on in, little children!”  To fools who who still need to learn, she says, ”Forbidden fruit and hidden pleasures savored secretly are so sweet.”  But they don’t know it’s a house of rotting corpses.  Her guests are dining in the depths of Hell.

Prayer
"Jesus, forgive me for the ways I have turned my back on goodness and common sense, chasing happiness of my own making instead of yours.  Save me and fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may have the good sense to dine with Wisdom and not Folly from this day forward.  Amen."
Read Proverbs Chapter 9
New American Standard Bible
Pastor Chris’ Paraphrase
Proverbs 9
Wisdom’s Invitation
1 Wisdom has built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars;
2 She has [a]prepared her food, she has mixed her wine;
She has also set her table;
3 She has sent out her maidens, she calls
From the tops of the heights of the city:
4 “Whoever is [b]naive, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks [c]understanding she says,
5 “Come, eat of my food
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 “[d]Forsake your folly and live,
And proceed in the way of understanding.”
7 He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And he who reproves a wicked man gets [e]insults for himself.
8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,
Reprove a wise man and he will love you.
9 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser,
Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
And if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
13 The [f]woman of folly is boisterous,
She is [g]naive and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the doorway of her house,
On a seat by the high places of the city,
15 Calling to those who pass by,
Who are making their paths straight:
16 “Whoever is [h]naive, let him turn in here,”
And to him who lacks [i]understanding she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the [j]dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
Footnotes:
1.    Proverbs 9:2 Lit slaughtered her slaughter
2.    Proverbs 9:4 Lit simple
3.    Proverbs 9:4 Lit heart
4.    Proverbs 9:6 Or Forsake the simple ones
5.    Proverbs 9:7 Lit a blemish
6.    Proverbs 9:13 Or foolish woman
7.    Proverbs 9:13 Lit simple
8.    Proverbs 9:16 Lit simple
9.    Proverbs 9:16 Lit heart
10.  Proverbs 9:18 Lit departed spirits
Proverbs 9
A Feast At Wisdom’s House
1-3 Wisdom built a home; she carved out seven perfect pillars. She’s prepared meat for the feast, mixed up the cocktails, and the table is all set.  She’s sent out her hostesses with a message to everyone in town: 
4-6 “Come on in, little children!”  To fools who who still need to learn , she says, “Come for dinner!  Leave your childish life behind.  It’s time to grow up and learn how to handle yourself.”

General Truths
7-12 If you try to teach a scoffer, they’ll just insult you; arguing with ungodly people will blacken your eye or your soul.  So don’t try to teach a scoffer who is determined not to believe; they’ll just be your enemy. Save your arguments for those wise enough to listen and they’ll love you for it.  Devote yourself to the wise and they’ll get even wiser.  A godly man will get smarter if you teach him.  Wisdom all starts with reverence for Jehovah; knowing the Holy One gives you insight into everything.  “I will multiply your days and add years to your life.”  So live wisely and you will reap the benefits.  If you remain a scornful skeptic all your life, you’re the one who suffers.

The Feast of Foolishness
13-15 The Foolish Lady--Wisdom’s arch-nemesis--is loud and obnoxious.  She’s naive and empty-headed.  She sits on her porch or the important places in town, talking to everyone she sees doing their business:
16-18 “Come on in, little children!”  To fools who who still need to learn, she says, ”Forbidden fruit and hidden pleasures savored secretly are so sweet.”  But they don’t know it’s a house of rotting corpses.  Her guests are dining in the depths of Hell.

Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Pastor Chris’ Paraphrase of Proverbs (PCP)
Copyright © 2018 by Chris Mullis

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