0736915567
Trade Paperback
256 pages
Mar 2005
Harvest House Publishing

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Excerpt:
Watch Out for Shallow Waters

My [daughter], if you accept my words and
store up my commands within you…
then you will understand the fear of the
LORD and find the knowledge of God.

—PROVERBS 2:1,5 NIV

We live in Newport Beach, California, just one block off the Pacific Ocean and Balboa Bay. Each day we have two high tides and two low tides. The thousands of boaters have to be careful that they pay attention to the tide charts. If not, they can have serious problems.

One of the conditions for safe, enjoyable boating is to make sure that the water is deep enough. If the water is too shallow, you run the risk of running aground and breaking out the bottom of your boat. Similarly, spiritual shallowness is not a good condition for our personal lives.

How do we develop a deep walk with the Lord—one that protects us from the shallowness of life? In Proverbs 2:1-9, I have found four provisions that might help you in this “walk with depth”:

•	Saturate your life with the Word—We are to respond to the Word of God and know it inside and out. “My [daughter], if you accept my words and store up my commands within you… (verse 1 NIV). In this regard, we are to have faith in God’s inspiration of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16). If we doubt this inspiration, we will doubt verse after verse, and the Bible will hold no constants for us.
•	Desire God’s Word—We are to be open to what God is saying to us, and begin to desire what He has for us: “…turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding” (verse 2 NIV). This is why a daily habit of being in God’s Word is such a valuable discipline. The more we know, the more we fall in love with God’s words.
•	Develop a prayer life—“If you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding…” (verse 3 NIV). Every mature Christian whom I have ever met has had a strong devotional life. Our prayer time is when we really get to know who God is, and when He can speak to our heart.
•	Be consistent in your walk—“If you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure…” (verse 4 NIV). In 1849 gold was discovered in California, and those early prospectors spent years searching for their treasure. They had to be persistent and consistent. That is how it is with our approach to God’s Word. There are no overnight miracles when it comes to overcoming the shallowness of life. The race of life is not a sprint, but a marathon.

What will be the result of abiding by these four principles? In verse 5 we read that we will learn “the fear and the knowledge of God.” That is a high-tide mark. Our boat will not run aground because of being in shallow water if we fear and know God.

Prayer:	Father God, may my life truly reflect the fear and the knowledge of You. May I stay afloat and not be damaged because of sailing in shallow waters. You are the Commander of my ship. Amen.
Action:	Check your tide tables today. Is there enough water to prevent you from going aground? If not, wait until high tide.
Today's Wisdom:	Knowledge is horizontal. Wisdom is vertical—it comes down from above. —Billy Graham

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Excerpted from More Faith in My Day by Bob and Emilie Barnes. Copyright © 2005 by Bob and Emilie Barnes. Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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