Terry DelaneyMany ministers-to-be decide to attend seminary because they feel they need the education, experience and wisdom that comes with a degree from seminary. While these are not necessarily bad reasons to attend seminary, they cannot replace the education and wisdom that comes from God’s Word. Yes, experiences must be lived, but even those can be found in the Holy Scriptures.
James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” I know many who simply ask for wisdom “in faith” (vs. 6), and never actually seek wisdom. God, through the Holy Spirit, gave us the Bible, and found in the Bible is a wonderful book of wisdom (actually, a few books) called Proverbs.
A Schedule
It turns out that there are 31 Proverbs and no more than 31 days in a month. Coincidence maybe, but I believe at the very least it offers a schedule of sorts to drink in God’s wisdom. No matter what day of the month it is, you can have a place to turn in your Bible already selected for you based on what day it is. For example, I am writing this post on the 5th and therefore turned to Proverbs 5 before I started my day.
Benefits
The first benefit is that, like the “Psalms of the Day,” you do not waste your time seeking a passage to read and meditate upon. All you have to do is know what day it is and where the book of Proverbs is located in your Bible (just right of the middle) and you are ready to meditate on God’s wisdom.
A second benefit I have found to reading a Proverb a day is that the devil has a much harder time getting at me. Personally, the first 23 years of my life were extremely worldly and Satan knows this and uses it against me. However, since I starting reading a Proverb each day before I get going, I have discovered that my “sword” (Eph. 6) is more able to deflect any blows. Also, the hedge of protection that I pray for seems to be getting stronger and stronger.
Proverbs and the Seminary
While I do believe a seminary education is of importance and is extremely beneficial to those who are able to attend, I do not think it alone will suffice in the daily spiritual war in which we are engaged. The Word of God is the best education we can ever receive. The best part is that it can be absolutely free depending on how you go about acquiring a Bible.
Never think that you are supplementing the Bible with your seminary education. Rather, we should view our Bible being supplemented with the education you are receiving in seminary. It is one thing to read about the Bible. It is something completely different to read, and wrestle, with the Bible-especially, in the context of this article, the book of Proverbs. In viewing your education in this manner, you will soon discover that the wisdom you crave has been at your finger tips all this time. May God bless you as you drink from His well.
Guest Author
Didaktikos
Tavis Bohlinger
Great advice. I’ve followed this practice of reading through Proverbs day by day throughout the month before.
This was good to hear. Next year, I will not have access to many blogs (since I will be in a country that blocks many) and I am a bit afraid that I will not have the teaching I am used to getting so regularly via different blogs and websites. But this helped me remember that all I need, is available off-line :).