Proverbs 16:22-25 – The Word of God
Verse 22 – When God changes our hearts, we understand. We understand His Word, we understand what the minister is saying, we understand the psalms we are singing. We are alive. What before was foolish gibberish, now is a fountain of life. But those whose hearts are dead, continue in their sinful folly on the way to destruction.
Verse 23 – When our hearts are filled with the love of God, with understanding of His commands, with a desire to obey them, it guides what we say. We can restrain our tongues from running away with us, from gossiping, or speaking hurtfully. Our love of the Lord comes through clearly in what we say, we speak of the grace of God, the love of God, the peace of God. We talk about Christ and His Word. It is obvious from our speech that we are genuine believers who love the Lord.
Verse 24 – Who hasn’t benefited from kind, encouraging, sympathetic, loving words or wise advice? As pleasant as the words of others can be, how much better the words of God. They are completely trustworthy, absolutely true, and for our good. God’s Word heals our broken heart, forgives our sin, strengthens our hands, clarifies our thinking, and guides our path.
Verse 25 – Pride, pride, pride. Just because something seems right doesn’t mean it is right. We can’t trust ourselves. We’re sinners, and sin blinds us. So, how do we know if something really is right? Test it by the Word. Does it make us do something God’s Word says is sin? Will it keep us from doing something God’s Word says we should be doing? Don’t lean on your own understanding. Look to the Word.
Questions
- How is our talk affected by our heart?
- What are the benefits of God’s Word?
- How can we test our ideas?
Prayer Points
- Pray for unbelieving friends and family.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.