Premature Death

(Prov 21:16 NIV) A man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead.

I may not be able to send out Today's Word for the rest of the week. I am If you do not receive Today's Word will know why. I solicit your prayers. It is my sincere desire that God would be glorified in this situation.


This morning we continue our series entitled, "Unlocking the Power of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God." Here Solomon warns us about making the foolish decision of intentionally straying away from God's desired path for our lives. In this series we have learned about the many benefits of making decisions that line up with God's counsel. Think about it, God Himself - the King of kings, Lord of lords, and 'all wise one' - lovingly and willingly made His wisdom available to us in His Word. He inspired men to write His Words so that they would be available to us.

Furthermore, for the New Testament believer, He provided us Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit. So in addition to having His will documented in His Word, we have His Spirit so that we could be led and directed on a personal level, on a daily basis. The Father has gone to great lengths to ensure that we have everything we need to live the life that He intends for us to live. But at the end of the day, our life is a grand-sum-total of our decisions. Even though God has gone to these lengths, the sad reality is that many stray from God's desired path for their lives because of their own lusts, wayward desires, pride, stubbornness, and foolishness.

The Hebrew words used for "path of understanding" in this text are also translated "being prudent" in other places. This is what it comes down to: the Father expects us, as His children, to be prudent in our decision-making process because He knows that we will definitely reap (good or bad) whatever we sow and in this text Solomon points out that if we are not careful, our foolishness could lead to premature death. This is not the first time Solomon has taught on this. Way back in the first chapter Solomon said, "Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm" (1:30-33).

In chapter 10 he said, "If you respect the LORD, you will live longer; if you keep doing wrong, your life will be cut short" (v.27). In chapter 19 he said, "Keep God's laws and you will live longer; if you ignore them, you will die" (v.16). These are just a few references, and in addition to these I could provide a litany of references that tell us that it is God's desire that we will long and strong lives.

The point is, however, that if we willingly choose to ignore God's counsel and do the things that He clearly instructs us NOT to do, then we will wind up prematurely dead and it will not be His fault. And before I close I want to point out God's counsel is not just all spiritual. If you read His Word you will find out that God does promote a healthy and active lifestyle that includes a proper diet, exercise, and sufficient rest.

So what does this mean to you? It means you ought to heed God's counsel so you can make good decisions and take care of yourself (physically, spiritually, mentally, psychologically). This way you will be able to live the life the Father desires for you to live and maximize your purpose and potential before you die.

Father, I want to maximize the potential and purpose You have placed down inside of me. Therefore, I shall make Godly decisions daily; decisions that line up with Your Word. Your Word gives me insight for living and Your Spirit leads me in the way that I should go. I declare, by faith, that I listen and obey. I choose to keep Your commandments. I receive Your counsel concerning what to eat. I get sufficient rest and sleep. I am quick to forgive and I do not harbor bitterness or hatred in my heart. I pray, walk in love, and commune with You daily. I seek to be a blessing to others, I commit my ways to You, and I trust in You to bring to pass Your best in my life. I shall live long strong! In Jesus' name. Amen!