Reading your Bible for today April 18

April 18: Proverbs 13:13-15

KJV Key Verse: Proverbs 13:15
15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.

Devotion:
There are only two sides to this ‘coin’; either you understand and believe, or you think you are better than God's Word. Satan chose the latter and he has paid for it by being rejected from heaven forever. Unless we want to join him there, then we have got some thinking to do. Thinking being the beginning of understanding, the beginning of the 'fear of God'. Not knee trembling fear, but full understanding that He is God and He was, is and forever will be. Knowing we must follow His commandments and follow His will. Without that fear, we start to think we are is some way better than Him and try to do things our own way.

The only way we are going to escape from eternal death is by believing in God, by asking for His forgiveness and then following His will. The longer we follow our own will, the more we upset Him. Just like an unruly child will upset their parents or teachers, an unruly Christian will upset God. It does not take much to listen to parents/teachers, but it may well take a while to get into the rhythm of actually doing what they want all the time. When we become Christians, it takes time for us to adjust to God and His will. Just how long it takes depends on how wiling we are to learn what it is that He wants in our lives.

The longer we continue to disobey, reject and walk away, the longer it will take for us to learn what it is we should be doing. If we are willing to stand up and take notice as soon as we can, then we are going to find the way a lot easier. Fighting against the law, against teachers and parents and against God just causes an uphill struggle that will make it harder to live. But accepting God's will in our lives makes things a whole lot easier.

The only way we are able to find out what it is that He would have us to do is by constantly keeping in touch with Him. Reading His word. Praying constantly. Understanding comes from learning His word.

Points to Ponder:
Have you ever tried to pass an exam without learning?

How are we supposed to know what God wants in our lives without reading His Word?