Proverbs 23: King James Bible
Daily Devotion of Proverbs chapter twenty three, Verse
12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
Daily Inspiration from This Verse
There is a difference between people who believe in the Lord and people who follow the Lord. Belief in Jesus is a crucial step of salvation, there’s no getting saved without first believing in he who has saved you.
But following his example, and living by his instruction is an entirely different ball of wax. We can believe in the Word of God, memorise it, behold it as the unadulterated truth, and still decide to ignore it all and go our own way.
The key word in the verse above is the word “apply.” We can receive all the instruction and knowledge we could ever contain, yet still choose not to put it into practice. When we apply what we’ve been given by the Father through his Word, we’re putting it to use and activating any blessings that the Father has attached.
His desire is for us to apply our hearts to do things in the manner that he designed us to do them. In doing so, we are walking confidently down the road that he has blazed before us, and not wavering all over the place, hitting every bump and tripping upon every off course obstacle.
There’s something that the Lord has impressed upon my heart to bring up. The Word of God is all inclusive, touching on all of the things that pertain to life, regardless where we’re at, from, how old we are, etc..
But some of us tend to lean on either one side of things, or the other. Some might concentrate on being obedient about things that the Lord instructs us not to do, while others concentrate on what the Lord wants us to do.
If you intend to apply your heart to the Lord’s instruction, and give ear to his words of knowledge, take in all of it, not just some. In other words, if you apply your heart to the “to do’s,” but continue living in the “dont’s,” there’ll most likely be a point where you’ll be butting heads with the Word, rather than being obedient.
Paul writes for us to use temperance, rather than being hot on certain things, and cold on the others. If doing what the Father teaches us to do is important to us, avoiding the things he tells us to avoid should be just as important.
Our own comfort zones get a little shaken up a bit when we are forced to step outside of it. Therefore, we have a tendency to follow all of the different things the Lord instructs that come easy to us, and that create less waves in our lives, with a hope that the Lord will take a blind eye, or just forgive us for all of the things that we ignore due to said comfort zone.
The Lord is indeed quick to forgive, but that doesn’t benefit you in the least while you’re still walking and breathing. We’ve got a life to live, and though he will forgive us, we still ride out the consequences of our actions.
Did the Lord stop loving Samson when his hair was chopped off die to his own actions? Not at all. Did the Lord forgive him for everything that led up to his imprisonment? I’m certain he did, as soon as he repented.
Did his strength return to him when he repented to the Father? Not at all. He needed to suffer the consequences of getting his hair chopped off, and did so till it grew back.
Through the entirety of his Word, the Father is bending over backwards, trying to get our attention for our own benefit. Apply your heart to the full counsel of God, and he will do that which he promised to do.
Related New Testament Scripture
Matthew 8: King James Bible
22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Matthew 16: King James Bible
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
John 8: King James Bible
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 1: King James Bible
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Prayer
Father
Thank you for giving us all of these instructions pertaining your will for our lives. Open our ears to your knowledge, and our hearts to your wisdom. Open up also, an understanding to your Word that is deeper than we’ve ever experienced before, and cause for us to be all the more like you, and more effective servants. Help us to receive and obey your full counsel. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen
Question
Do you apply your heart to the Father’s instruction?