"PROVERBS, MY FAVORITE BOOK OF THE BIBLE"

Good Evening to All!

I belong to a group called "Faithful Bloggers". Courtney, who is the originator of it has started something called "Faithful Blog Prompts", where she gives us subjects we can choose to write about and link to that site. This week's "blog prompt" is "What is your favorite book of the Bible and Why?"

My all-time favorite book of the Bible is Proverbs. The key word for this book is "wisdom". It is one of the few biblical books that clearly states its purpose. The words "wisdom and instruction" in 1:2 complement each other because wisdom (hokhmah) means "skill" and instruction (musar) means "discipline." No skill is perfected without discipline, and a person with skill has the freedom to create something beautiful. Proverbs deals with the most fundamental skill of all: practical righteousness before God in every area of life. The key Chapter is Proverbs 31 which is unique in ancient literature, as it reveals a very high and noble view of women.

The Key Verses in Proverbs are Proverbs 1:5-7 and 3:5-6-- (5-7) A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: (6) To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. (7) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
(3:5-6) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
(6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Not only are those the key verses of this book, they are two of my favorite verses. To me, they are "right up there with "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness..... and I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

I love structure and I'm definitely not one for "vagueness". It's like I tell people all the time. I will do anything anyone asks of me, but don't "assume" I can read your mind. S P E L L - I T -
O U T. Be direct. Tell me exactly what you want.

I have always been a lover of "self-help books, and How-to's. Mainly because they spell everything out, like a laundry list.

This is what Proverbs reminds me of. Proverbs spells out God's plans for our lives, how we are supposed to live our lives. What to do and if we "don't do it, what to expect. While I love the book of Psalms also, it to me is just a "book of pretty poetry". We are to look at David's and the other writers' poems and songs and go by their examples. Proverbs states the obvious.

I love this book because if there is something you aren't sure about as far as whether it is acceptable or not, Proverbs is a book you can go to and pretty much find out what is acceptable and what isn't.

I am constantly striving to live the way God wants me to, and have the "mind of Christ", and while the whole Bible is my "text book" on life, the book of Proverbs is my "How-To Guide".I know this post was "short and sweet" but I feel like this is one instance where I could get straight and to the point. I don't know why I can't do that all the time, or why I feel the urge more times than not to go into GREAT DETAIL, but this was not one of those times, so maybe this post will give you the urging you need to go back into the Book of Proverbs and investigate my reason for it being my favorite book of the Bible.

Have a Wonderful evening and May God Bless!