MY FAVORITE BOOK IN THE BIBLE"

Good Evening to All!

I am so embarrassed! I didn't realize I had already typed on this topic. I'm sure however that I have some new insights on it, so I hope you will enjoy and glean something of interest from it.

My favorite book in the Bible is just that because I love structure. I need instruction in my life. I'm 57 years old, yet I feel that we are NEVER TOO OLD to learn. My favorite type of books next to the Bible are Self-Help Books. I never want to stop learning or growing.

I think we can all continue to grow. I do not believe we can stand still. Just as in our walk with God, we are either constantly growing in our relationship with Him or we are going backward.

I believe it is that way in life also. As an example I will use our physical bodies. If you break your arm and have it in a cast for a long time does it not lose strength? If you are ill for a length of time and have to remain in bed, do you not lose strength and muscle tone in your legs?

Our walk with God is the same way. If we don't continue to get closer to Him, we will eventually fall away, and more than likely stop listening to Him.

In answer to the question, "What is my favorite Book of the Bible and Why?" Can you guess? If you guessed Proverbs you are correct!

I can't get enough instruction.

My Pastor was speaking about "Law and Liberty", but I think his statement holds true for this also. He said. "genuine liberty can only exist where there are rules and laws. Even liberty has it's limitations. In other words, if we did not have laws or rules then everyone would run amuck and chaos would abound. Everyone could kill everyone for no reason, we could steal from one another with no consequences, People could have their way with others and nothing would be done about it. This is with no laws or rules.

The Book of Proverbs is my favorite because it is our instruction book. Proverbs specializes in practical advice, but it's more than simply a collection of tips and tricks. This book passes on a core of knowledge that God says everyone must have successful living.

Because the words in Proverbs concern human nature AND God's ways, they speak to the modern problems as much as the ancient ones. Although our landscapes and gadgets have changed since the time of Solomon who wrote this book of the Bible, human nature has not changed nor has God's nature.

Practical Everyday Help: Proverbs succinctly details some of the overall principles scattered throughout the Bible. The teachings of Proverbs are not expressed with the words like the prophets or Moses saying, "This is what the Lord says"; instead the proverbs are given form the practical experience of a man who is tested and tried in the experience. This book is like an owner's manual for life. Any owner's manual will explain what needs to be done to avoid serious problems but does not promise or guarantee that nothing will go wrong. The best guarantee for the life of faith is to read and learn the wisdom in this book.

A Sample of Proverbs: Here's a small sample of the wisdom from Proverbs which are commonly known in this book: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:6-7). This is because God knows a lot more than we do. He knows everything from the end to the beginning, so who can argue with someone who already knows the outcome?

"Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops, then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." (Proverbs 3:9-10). If we will do this, God will reward us. We will gain a lot more than we give. I know this from experience.

"Wine is a mocker and beer, a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise." (Proverbs 20:1) This verse is self -explanatory

Last but not least, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17) What this verse says to me is that we are to build each other up with encouragement , not tear each other down with criticism.

At the end of the book Agur includes his sayings such as "There are three things that are too amazing for me, for that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden."
(Proverbs 30:18-19) There are just certain things that we are not to understand until we stand in front of God.

Proverbs concludes with a passage about the wife of noble character. "A wife of noble character who can find" she is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value." (Proverbs 3:10-11) Society now praises women who have initiative, education and independence. Look at the independence of this wife: "She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard . . . She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night" (Proverbs 31:16, 18).
For each of the writers of Proverbs, wisdom isn't something unattainable. If a person faithfully and consistently follows the advice in this book, they will gain the wisdom which they seek.

This is the reason I love this book. Every time I read it I gain much more than the time before.

Good Night to All and May God Bless!

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