Proverbs 1

This chapter is broken into three sections: introduction, fear God, find wisdom. The introduction tells us why Solomon wrote Proverbs and what we can hope to gain by following its instruction. The list of benefits is great:

• wisdom,
• discipline,
• understanding,
• insight,
• a disciplined life,
• a prudent life,
• doing what is right, just, and fair,
• prudence,
• knowledge,
• discretion,
• learning,
• guidance,
• understanding the stories and riddles of life.

I think that is proof enough that we should study this book and learn all we can from it. Let’s make this our wish list, our prayer list, as we complete our study of Solomon’s life.

The second segment of the chapter tells us to fear God, to listen to our parents, and to stop wasting our time following people who lead us into trouble. If you want wisdom and knowledge, fear God. If you want to be a fool, disregard wisdom and discipline. We know what it looks like to be foolish. A fool lives a life of chaos, making the same stupid choices over and over again. I hope you are tired of living that kind of life. So, what does it look like to fear God? A God-follower keeps her eyes on what God tells her to do. A God-follower reads her Bible and prays over every decision, no matter how small it may seem. A God-follower makes the hard choices to deny selfish desires in order to live a disciplined life in the areas of relationships, finances, healthy living, etc. A God-follower seeks to glorify God rather than self at every turn. Easy? No. Worth it? Absolutely!

The things we learned from our parents should adorn our lives like jewelry. They are the accessories that complete our lives. They should make us beautiful people. Just like the feeling you have if you forgot to put on your wedding ring or your watch, we should feel naked when we disregard the wisdom passed down to us from generation to generation. LORD, help me teach my children to know Your wisdom. May they never leave home without Your Word of wisdom buried deeply in their souls.

O God, help my son and my daughter not to be enticed by people who will lead them into evil schemes. Keep their eyes wide open so they will not go along with the crowd. Keep their feet away from the path of sin; help them resist the desire to rush into decisions they will regret later in life. Help them to understand that greed steals our lives away. God, may we all come to learn that lesson.

The final portion of this proverb is devoted to Lady Wisdom. She is crying out at the top of her lungs, standing on the wall at the head of the multitudes, crying for us to listen to her voice. Why in the world do we turn a deaf ear to her? Why are we so hard-headed to think we can make our own way in life? If we wait too long, Wisdom will finally say, “Enough is enough. Tough cookies, child.” When we do not heed God’s call in our lives, He will let us die in our selfish choices. Girls, cry out to Jesus today, and He will provide you a place of safety and security, a home free from the fear of evil. Amen. Let it be so in our lives this day, dear Jesus.

My friend Julie sent me this, and I couldn't pass it up.

Solomon's Song of Songs 1 & 2

Song of Songs = the greatest of songs, just as King of kings = the greatest of kings, and Lord of lords = the greatest of lords. King Solomon wrote this song as a testimony of a true love story. Some scholars would say we should read this as a parable or an allegory. I want to know what’s wrong with reading it as a novel and as an example of how we should love our spouses. I will be writing directly to married women in my post today. Some of you might be shocked or appalled. Sorry. If any of this makes you terribly uncomfortable, feel free to meet us tomorrow in the book of Proverbs.

As a teenager, I got the message that the Song of Solomon was off limits for my young, innocent mind. Somehow I got the impression, though, that sexual intimacy was totally off limits for all Christians. When we teach our young people to save their purity for marriage, we must be sure to teach them that intimacy within marriage is a wonderful thing. As a dear Christian sister in Yuma, Colorado, says, “Sex within marriage is good! You can have it whenever you want it, and it doesn’t cost you anything.” Amen, girl!

Sadly, too many Christian couples are missing the joy of sex because satan has twisted our concept of what God created to be a beautiful act of devotion. Some of you are beet-red with embarrassment just reading the word on the screen, and you cannot believe a minister’s wife is actually blogging about the topic. Girls, that’s why so many of our marriages are in the dumps. Nobody talks about how to allow your husband to enjoy your body. Most of us think our husbands are perverted if they ask for sex more than once a month. God created us in His image, and God gave us the need for physical intimacy. It’s time to enjoy the gift!

Verse 2—Let him kiss me! Do you and your husband ever just sit on the couch or on the pickup seat and kiss? We used to when we were dating. Passionate kissing can stoke the fires! Give it a try.

Verse 3—Your perfume is pleasing. Here’s a fun date idea. Go to the mall together and try all the colognes and perfumes. Splurge and buy your favorites for one another, or if money is tight, save up and surprise your spouse with a gift later.

Verse 3—No wonder the maidens love you! Have you told your husband lately all the reasons you love and appreciate him? Do you point out the things other people admire about him? The rest of the world puts your spouse down most of the time. You be his cheerleader. If you aren’t his cheerleader, someone else will be. Believe me; you don’t want him finding another cheerleader.

Verse 4—Hurry! Take me away to your bed chambers! Say this to your husband tonight after dinner, or slip him a card with the words written on it. I’m guessing the results will be good.

Verse 4—The friends say . . . . You know, not many of us have any friends who encourage us to love our spouses. Most of our friends badmouth their own spouses, or their ex-spouses. Most people make fun of us if we hold hands or kiss in public, and heaven-forbid if we call each other a pet name. Ladies, let’s be encouragers of marriages.

Verses 5-6—Dark am I, yet lovely. The girl was ashamed of her looks because she had to work hard in the fields. Who among us does not have more than one thing we would like to change about how we look? Why are we never happy with the bodies God gave us? If we have straight hair, we want curly. If we have short legs, we want long. If we have breasts, we want them reduced. Good grief! Accept yourself the way God created you. Let your husband enjoy your body.

Verse 7—Tell me. Are you curious about your husband’s work? Do you ask about his day? Do you make an effort to find out where he is working at midday so you can make a surprise visit? Even a quick phone call just to say you were thinking of him can go a long way. Be interested in your spouse.

Verse 8—The friends are encouraging her to pursue him. Way to go, friends!

Verses 9-11—I liken you to a mare. This might not be the compliment you seek from your husband, but think about it. Have you seen how a stallion cannot resist a mare? Girl, that’s what you do to your husband!

Verses 12-14—All the senses are involved here: taste, sight, hearing, touch, smell. When you make love to your husband, pay attention to his senses. Make preparations beforehand to heighten his senses and yours.

Verse 15—How beautiful you are, my darling! When your husband pays you a compliment, do you take it in, or do you rebuff him? Since you and I don’t really like how we look, it is difficult for us to accept words of praise. Stop it! Listen to your husband praise you. Let him know how special you feel when he compliments your appearance.

Verse 16—How handsome you are. Likewise, we need to praise our husbands. Sure, we’ve all gotten older, and your husband may not be in tip-top shape anymore. But he still needs that assurance that you are attracted to him. Be sincere and tell him what draws you to him.

Verses 16-17—Our bed is verdant. Do you make your bedroom attractive, or is there laundry piled everywhere? Make your bedroom a love sanctuary.

Chapter 2—Okay, your assignment is to invite your husband to a love-making session with you. Begin by reading Song of Songs Chapter 2 to one another. Take time to enjoy one another as you read. Strengthen one another with apples and raisins. Allow him to embrace you. You get the picture.

Here’s to an exciting romance between you and your husband! I cheer you on, my friend!!!!