Day 5 of Pastor Chris' Paraphrase of Proverbs Devotion

Day 5  A greedy heart will quickly lead you astray.  The wise person learns to be satisfied with what God gives them.  He always gives you what you need.  Practice letting go of desire and being satisfied with what you already have.  It is hard to entice or cheat or trick someone who is already deeply satisfied.  Wisdom grows in the soil of satisfaction.  Foolishness takes root in longing.  Pastor Chris’ Paraphrase of Proverbs 5:7-20 So listen, child, and don’t forget what I say:  Stay away from whores. Don’t even go near her house or you’ll forfeit your honor and suffer bad.  Strangers will take everything you have and you’ll spend your life working for people who don’t care about you.  You’ll end up in misery, sick and wasted, moaning, “Why didn’t I listen and control myself? I didn’t listen to my teacher’s wisdom!  Now I’m completely ruined and despised!” Drink clean, pure water from your own well.  Why would you drink water from the sewer and let strangers take a bath in your drinking water?  Keep your drinking water clean.  It’s for you and your wife only, the beautiful one you’ve always loved.  Be captivated by her love alone and let her satisfy your most intimate needs.  Why should you trust a whore with such vulnerable and sacred moments? Be satisfied with what you have.  Go further, cherish and thank God for it.  You will realize how blessed you are and have no need or desire for the filthy things the world offers. Prayer "Father, help me to appreciate all the pure and lovely things You have given me and so see I don't need to lust after the disgusting things of this world. Amen." Read Proverbs Chapter 5
New American Standard Bible	Pastor Chris’ Paraphrase
Proverbs 5 Pitfalls of Immorality 1 My son, give attention to my wisdom, Incline your ear to my understanding; 2 That you may observe discretion And your lips may reserve knowledge. 3 For the lips of an [a]adulteress drip honey And smoother than oil is her [b]speech; 4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death, Her steps take hold of Sheol. 6 [c]She does not ponder the path of life; Her ways are unstable, she does not know it. 7 Now then, my sons, listen to me And do not depart from the words of my mouth. 8 Keep your way far from her And do not go near the door of her house, 9 Or you will give your vigor to others And your years to the cruel one; 10 And strangers will be filled with your strength And your hard-earned goods will go to the house of an alien; 11 And you groan at your [d]final end, When your flesh and your body are consumed; 12 And you say, “How I have hated instruction! And my heart spurned reproof! 13 “I have not listened to the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined my ear to my instructors! 14 “I was almost in utter ruin In the midst of the assembly and congregation.” 15 Drink water from your own cistern And [e]fresh water from your own well. 16 Should your springs be dispersed abroad, Streams of water in the streets? 17 Let them be yours alone And not for strangers with you. 18 Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth. 19 As a loving hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be [f]exhilarated always with her love. 20 For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an [g]adulteress And embrace the bosom of a foreigner? 21 For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He watches all his paths. 22 His own iniquities will capture the wicked, And he will be held with the cords of his sin. 23 He will die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his folly he will go astray. Footnotes: 1.            Proverbs 5:3 Lit strange woman 2.            Proverbs 5:3 Lit palate 3.            Proverbs 5:6 Lit That she not watch 4.            Proverbs 5:11 Or latter 5.            Proverbs 5:15 Lit flowing 6.            Proverbs 5:19 Lit intoxicated 7.            Proverbs 5:20 Lit strange woman	Proverbs 5 Don’t Cheat 1-6 Sweet child, listen because I know and pay close attention to my advice; I know the way things work.  That way, you’ll learn some common sense and sound rational.  The temptress has sexy lips and tells you what you want to hear, but she’s full of poison and will cut your heart out.  She’s heading to death and destruction. She won’t find life.  She doesn’t even know she’s wandered off course.  7-14 So listen, child, and don’t forget what I say:  Stay away from whores. Don’t even go near her house or you’ll forfeit your honor and suffer bad.  Strangers will take everything you have and you’ll spend your life working for people who don’t care about you.  You’ll end up in misery, sick and wasted, moaning, “Why didn’t I listen and control myself? I didn’t listen to my teacher’s wisdom!  Now I’m completely ruined and despised!” 15-20 Drink clean, pure water from your own well.  Why would you drink water from the sewer and let strangers take a bath in your drinking water?  Keep your drinking water clean.  It’s for you and your wife only, the beautiful one you’ve always loved.  Be captivated by her love alone and let her satisfy your most intimate needs.  Why should you trust a whore with such vulnerable and sacred moments? 21-23 God watches us closely and always sees what we do.  Bad people’s sins get them in trouble.  They get caught up in their own wickedness.  They are lost in foolishness and their recklessness leads to death.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 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

Day 4 of Pastor Chris' Paraphrase of Proverbs Devotion

Day 4  The wise person does the right thing in the right way at the right time.  Wisdom is not always so complicated.  Many times, we know what we should do, when we should do it, and how.  But the temptation, so often, is to try something different, to do it our way.  Maybe, we feel, we can get more or a better deal or just something different and more exciting.  The temptation is there.  The choice is ours to make.  Wisdom warns us to stay on the right path. Pastor Chris’ Paraphrase of Proverbs 4:10-14 Listen to me, child, and believe me and you’ll live a long time.  I’ve shown you how to be wise; I’ve started you down the right road.  You can walk confidently and run without tripping.  But stick to what I said and don’t give up on it.  Guard this wisdom, because she’s your lifeline. Don’t turn down the path of the wicked or follow the ways of evil people.  Stay off that road. Don’t go near it!  Just walk right on by. Wisdom and discipline go hand in hand.  When we know what to do, we have to choose to do the right thing at the right time in the right way.  We need God's grace to help us choose the right path. Prayer "Father, please, please, please, give us the grace we need to make the right choices in our life that we may live holy and good lives.  Amen." Read Proverbs Chapter 4
New American Standard Bible	Pastor Chris’ Paraphrase
Proverbs 4 A Father’s Instruction 1 Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention that you may [a]gain understanding, 2 For I give you [b]sound teaching; Do not abandon my [c]instruction. 3 When I was a son to my father, Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, 4 Then he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live; 5 Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 “Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you. 7 “The [d]beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding. 8 “Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her. 9 “She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty.” 10 Hear, my son, and accept my sayings And the years of your life will be many. 11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths. 12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; And if you run, you will not stumble. 13 Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life. 14 Do not enter the path of the wicked And do not proceed in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away from it and pass on. 16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; And [e]they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness And drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. 19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they [f]stumble. 20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them And health to all [g]their body. 23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth And put devious [h]speech far from you. 25 Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your [i]gaze be fixed straight in front of you. 26 Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established. 27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil. Footnotes: 1.            Proverbs 4:1 Lit know 2.            Proverbs 4:2 Lit good 3.            Proverbs 4:2 Or law 4.            Proverbs 4:7 Or the primary thing is wisdom 5.            Proverbs 4:16 Lit their sleep is robbed 6.            Proverbs 4:19 Or may stumble 7.            Proverbs 4:22 Lit his 8.            Proverbs 4:24 Or lips 9.            Proverbs 4:25 Or eyelids	Proverbs 4 A Parent’s Advice 1-6 Listen to your father, children, I’m trying to teach you the right way.  Pay attention and you’ll understand.  My principles are very important and you don’t want to miss anything.  I learned it from my dad because my parents loved me.  He said, “Take my words to heart, follow my commands and you will live.  Get wisdom and understanding; never forget or abandon what I say.  Don’t turn away from wisdom and she will keep you safe; love her and she will guard you. 7-9 Here’s how wisdom all starts:  Chase it!  And whatever else you do, get wisdom and understanding.  Prize it above everything else and wisdom will exalt you; she will bring you honor if you hold her in your arms.  She’ll bless you and give you a beautiful crown.” Stay on the Right Path 10-13 Listen to me, child, and believe me and you’ll live a long time.  I’ve shown you how to be wise; I’ve started you down the right road.  You can walk confidently and run without tripping.  But stick to what I said and don’t give up on it.  Guard this wisdom, because she’s your lifeline. 14-19 Don’t turn down the path of the wicked or follow the ways of evil people.  Stay off that road. Don’t go near it!  Just walk right on by.  They can’t go a day without doing wrong.  They can’t sleep at night unless they’ve messed somebody up.  They chew on evil and gulp down violence.  But those vindicated by God walk into a beautiful sunrise--full of hope for the future, growing day by day until becomes reality.  Ungodly people stumble blindly down a dark, dark path and don’t even know what trips them up. 20-23 Listen to what I say, child, and pay close attention.  Let it sink deep into your heart and show you the way, because my advice brings healing and new life.  Your life pours out of your heart so protect it very carefully. 24-27 Don’t say filthy words and never distort the truth.  Look straight ahead and keep your eyes to yourself.  Watch your step and you won’t fall.  Don’t wander off the path this way or that; steer clear of trouble.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 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