Daily Devotion of Proverbs 27

Daily Nugget:
“Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1

Although Proverbs 27 is chock-full of life-directing wisdom, verse one should remind each one of us that our time on this Earth is not forever. Our life could end before the sun sets today. No one knows how much time they have left. No one has the promise of tomorrow!

While we do have the time, do not procrastinate. Do not put off:

• Being saved. Although many put off being born-again (John 3:3), they may not have tomorrow to do so. Not only may one’s opportunity to have God’s promise of an eternity with Him be soon ended, but each time salvation is also put off one’s heart hardens and becomes more defiant to God’s calling.
  
  One may have another day, but after having ignored the pleas of the Holy Spirit so often, He may no longer speak to one about securing their eternity (Romans 10:9) in Heaven. Each time one says “No” to the Spirit of God’s prodding by not obeying His commandments, one’s sensitivity to God’s calling is lessened.
  “Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” Hebrews 4:7
  “And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” Acts 24:24-25
• Halting the sin(s) you have been convicted of doing. When a person is saved, the Holy Spirit convicts one of sin(s) that is/are prohibiting one’s spiritual growth. Putting off iniquity one was made aware of should be dealt with immediately. What if the rapture (I Thes. 4:16-18) or death takes one home before the “convenient time” to obey the Lord occurs? It would be too late. Obey the Lord now while there still is an opportunity. 
• Doing what the Lord laid on your heart to do. Has the Lord urged you to rebuild a broken relationship, get involved in a ministry, read your Bible, be faithful in church, make your testimony more godly, or something else? Do it now, as again, you may not have another chance to do it.
• Being the Christian, spouse, parent, or child, God would have you be. You may never have another opportunity if you put it off any longer.

Most of us have had many days. We assume we will have more time, but we may not. This may be the last reminder one may have to obey what God has laid on their heart to do. Do it now, as no one knows how much more time they have left.

Today’s Thought: 
“The clock passes time by keeping its hands busy.” — Author Unknown

Words to Understand:
Bewrayeth: make visible; show
Boast: to brag
Calamity: a problem; an affliction
Contentious: causing disagreement; tension between people
Reproacheth: to correct; to reprove

Today’s Reading:
Proverbs 27
1 ¶ Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 ¶ Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 ¶ A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
5 ¶ Open rebuke is better than secret love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 ¶ The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 ¶ As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 ¶ Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
11 ¶ My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12 ¶ A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
13 ¶ Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
14 ¶ He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
15 ¶ A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.
17 ¶ Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 ¶ Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
19 ¶ As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
20 ¶ Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21 ¶ As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
22 ¶ Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23 ¶ Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?
25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
27 And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.