Pactolus Baptist Church

Daily Devotional

By Pastor Jerry Teboe

A Closer Walk with Christ in 2026

Finding Wisdom

Proverbs 2:1-5

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; Pro 2:2  So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Pro 2:3  Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; Pro 2:4  If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Pro 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 

Solomon gives a call to find wisdom.  He also gives the prerequisite for seeking and finding that wisdom.  My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee.  The prerequisite is based on a willingness to receive the words of counsel.  This is often the problem with anyone who needs to learn.  There must be a desire to learn and an openness to listen and accept the counsel that is offered. 

                Here the writer sets the goals that must be achieved.  First, a person must open his ears to hear what is being said.  Then the heart must be applied to understand what is being taught. So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding.   The voice must “cry after knowledge…” This signifies that prayer is involved in order to understand what is being given as stated in James 1:5. Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding.  Wisdom must be sought in order to be found.  This is a picture of one seeking for buried treasure and searching for that treasure until the mother lode is found.  If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures.

                An old story is told of a young man that came to Socrates who was known for his wisdom.  The young man asked him how he could learn the wisdom of the sage.  Socrates then told the young man to step over to a fountain of water with him and get into the water.  When this was done, Socrates then grabbed the young man and put his head beneath the water.  He held him down, and finally as the young man was gasping for air, brought him up.  Socrates then asked him what he wanted while he was under the water.  The young man gasped and said, “Air.”  Socrates then told him that when he desired wisdom as much as air to breathe when he thought he was drowning, then he would find it.  The moral of the story is that there must be a desire to know God’s wisdom, and it must be sought for as treasure.  When our desire is that great, then we will find the wisdom we are seeking.

                Wisdom does not come easily.  This is why we must seek to know the Word of God so that we might have God’s wisdom in our lives.  Then we must pray and ask God for His wisdom in every area of our lives.  Lord, You are the source of true wisdom. Teach us Your Word and help us apply it to our hearts so that we might find wisdom and be used for Your glory.

Bible Reading for the Year

Prayer Needs

Continue to pray for Mary and the rest of the Marvin Silverthorne family as they remember Marvin in his homegoing. 

Please pray for Shea Harris, Maggie Harris’s stepson.  He is in the cardiac unit in Greenville ECU.  His heart rate went down some on its own.  They may still do the cardioversion.

Please pray for Shirley Deal, Carolyn Tyson’s sister.  She is back in the hospital in Washington.  She is very weak, but is starting to eat a little better to gain back her strength.

Please pray for Willie Pollard, Deb Skinner’s brother.  They put in a tube to drain his right lung, which went well.  He is feeling better.

Please continue to pray for Faye Smith, Jack Gargis’ sister.  She was moved to rehab Sunday for physical therapy and to help improve her eating.  

Please continue to pray for Jennifer Teboe Buchamer.  She went last Thursday for her Keytruda infusion.  Her hemoglobin was low, and they had to give her another infusion.  The doctor gave her iron, which is causing diarrhea.  Pray for healing and strength for her, for the tumors to shrink, and that the medication will not cause inflammation in her lungs.

Please continue to pray for Shirley Deans.   She is home and some better but is still weak.  Pray for wisdom for the next step forward.

Please continue to pray for Vickie Dalton.  Pray for God’s healing.  She has some good days and some bad ones.

Linda Franks wants to thank everyone who prayed for her.  She had a follow-up visit with the surgeon on last Tuesday, and all went very well.     

Please continue to pray for Beth Buchta.  On Thursday, September 10^th, she had an appointment with her orthopedist about the ongoing pain in her leg.  She starts physical therapy on October 19^th.

Thank you for praying for Dr. Joe Jordan.  The doctors changed his meds which has helped him, and he is getting stronger. Please continue to pray for him.

Please continue to pray for Peggy Warren.  She is facing some difficult challenges, but seems to be getting some better. 

Pray for our Missionaries! 

Sue Singleton and the mission in Cambodia

Dr. Joe Jordan and the CBM (Cross and Bible Ministries) 

Travis and Caroline Fennessy – IBM missionaries to Southeast Asia