Tag: upright

December 29 – Essential Understanding

“Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.” – Hosea 14:9 (ESV)

For those who need a promise from God that will help them in their daily here’s one found in the book of Hosea. He was the last to prophesy before Israel’s northern kingdom fell to Assyria. In the last verse in the book we find a promise. Like other promises it has consequences or blessings. Many of the promises God gives us in the Bible are instructions regarding how we respond to the wisdom. Hosea cautions us with the this thought, the wise can understand and the discerning can know that whatever the Lord does is right. When we learn from reading or preaching what the Lord wants and promises us, we can know it is right for God does not instruct us to do what is wrong, He cannot. So the conclusion is this: faith believers are upright in their belief and so they guide their lives by God’s instructions. However not all peoples are upright and obedient. Some go their own way plotting their own course and the result is a life of stumbling over the will of God. Why? Because in their refusal and rebellion they fail to understand God’s promises and fail to be discerning.  

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August 2 – Wisdom’s True Source

“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you…

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.” – Proverbs 2:1, 6-8 (ESV)

The book of Proverbs came about in different ways. King Solomon, is called the wisest person and he ruled Israel from 971–931 B.C. He was granted great wisdom by God (see 1Kings 4:29–34). He authored the instructive sections found in chapters. 1–9.  It is in this section Solomon addresses his son about what chiefly speaks to the conduct of early life. The importance of knowing and possessing the wisdom God gives is emphasized. It is the wisdom we received from God that we need and want. Wisdom is believing the words of God’s mouth which are revealed in Scripture. We can trust His words because when God speaks He promises. We are promised wisdom will be given from the Lord for He gives wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. The upright are promised this wisdom. The upright identifies those who are true believers. God stores up sound wisdom as He is the source. True believers – covenant seekers – seek to know, love, obey God and to live righteously. Covenant keepers alone know this wisdom and experience God’s protection. For us who are true believers God promises to be our shield and to guard our paths as He watches over us.

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September 1 – He Stores Up For Us


“For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,” – Proverbs 2:6-7 (NASB)

True and Godly wisdom comes only by revelation. The words of the LORD’s mouth are contained in inspired Scripture. It is there that we can hear God speak. That is the promise we are given in the Bible, the Word of God. Through yielding to our awesome Lord God, we gain wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Wisdom promises us positive and moral benefits that become a shield for us. Wisdom keeps one from evil and contributes to holiness. Wisdom is a matter of our heart, and of our moral conduct, for it is not simply the acquisition of intelligence. Another promise beyond giving us wisdom, knowledge and understanding is that the LORD stores up sound wisdom for the upright. He has it in abundance and available for us when we need it and ask Him for it (James 1:5-8). The ‘upright’ identifies those who are true faith believers, who seek to know, love, and obey God. It identifies us as those who seek wisdom and instruction in order to live righteously. One verse more teaches that the only ones who can know this wisdom and experience God’s protection (Proverbs 2:8), are keepers of the covenant and promises of God.

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August 19 – A Rock We Trust

“This God—His way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.” – 2 Samuel 22:31 (ESV)

“The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4 (NASB)

Today we take a verse of promise from David’s “Son of Deliverance” in 2 Samuel 22 and another verse from “The Song of Moses” found in the fifth Book of the Law, Deuteronomy 32. Again, we see God called a Rock, or in this occasion, “The Rock!” This word, represented the stability and permanence of God. It was placed at the beginning of the verse we believe for emphasis and was followed by a series of phrases which elaborated the attributes of God as the Rock of Israel. His work is perfect. All His ways are just. He is a God of faithfulness. He is a God without iniquity. He is righteous and upright. These are the principal themes in this song by Moses. It stresses the unchanging nature of God in contrast with the fickle nature of the people. The description of God in this verse contrasts strongly with the description of the people which follows in the next verse, a perverse and crooked generation (Dt 32:5). Jesus used this phrase in Matthew 17:17 of an unbelieving generation. Let us choose today to trust in the Rock, our perfect shield who is just in all His ways.

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