Thought for the Day

These verses in Proverbs tell us that through wisdom, knowledge and understanding, we can lay a proper foundation for our lives. God said in Hosea 4:6a: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." Many of God's people are destroyed because they are ignorant of His ways. Proverbs mentions "wisdom" over fifty times. The Bible tells us why we are here, and what our purpose in life is. Life does not make sense until we find God and begin to understand His ways. Trusting Jesus Christ as your Savior gives our lives the only sure foundation there is. As we follow Him daily, we build solidly on that foundation.

To illustrate this truth, we can liken it to a manufacturer who includes an instruction book with his product. For best results, we must follow the operation instructions. God is the manufacturer who gave us the Bible as an instruction book. The operation of a steam iron can illustrate this principle. If we buy a steam iron, we must read the instruction book for it to work properly, or we could scorch or burn the item we intended to press. First, the iron must be plugged in. That is the foundational principle. It will not work until that is done. Then, water must be poured into the iron in the proper amount. After that, the gauge on the iron must be set for the proper temperature for the proper fabric. Only then can the iron be used properly to achieve the proper results.

God is our "manufacturer." He gave us life, but life without Him is like having an iron without the proper instructions to use it. Upon accepting Christ, we are given a new life that comes with a new instruction manual - the Bible. To live wisely, we must study and practice the truths of this new manual. An iron is useless unless plugged in and turned on. We must nourish and cultivate a living relationship with God, without whom we can do nothing. A steam iron must constantly be filled with water, and we must constantly be filled with the Holy Spirit who instructs and empowers us. An iron has a temperature gauge to handle both the toughest and most delicate fabrics, and in the same way the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom for every situation in life.

Accepting Christ as Savior and knowing what the Bible says is not enough to make us overcomers in life. Every day we must spend time with God, and live according to what we learn. As we do this, we gain wisdom to build sound lives and families. As a mansion is filled with fine furnishings and art, knowledge of God and His Word fills every part of our lives with riches such as love, joy, peace, righteousness, physical healing, soundness of mind, and material provision as needed. It enriches every area of life: marriage, business, and all endeavors.