Proverbs 25

Greetings!

More Proverbs of Solomon
25     These are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.
3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of [...]

Proverbs 24

Greetings!  I always enjoy coming back to the Proverbs.

24     Do not envy wicked men,
do not desire their company;
2 for their hearts plot violence,
and their lips talk about making trouble.

 How many times do we envy those who mock God?  We shouldn’t envy anyone, let alone people who are unsaved. 

3 By wisdom a house [...]

Proverbs 23

Greetings!

23     When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.
3 Do not crave his delicacies,
for that food is deceptive.
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
have the wisdom to show restraint.
5 [...]

Proverbs 22

Greetings!

22     A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

It is amazing and a bit scary how quickly you can lose a good name.  Even a lifetime of achievement and good works can be ruined with a careless decision. 

2 Rich and poor have this in [...]

Proverbs 21

Greetings! 

21     The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord;
he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

This is contrasted to many cultures where they thought the king was god or on a par with him, as in the Roman Empire.

2 All a man’s ways seem right to him,
but the Lord weighs [...]

Proverbs 20

Greetings!  Back to the Proverbs today.  I always enjoy their timeless advice. 

20     Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler;
whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

Alcohol isn’t prohibited by scripture, but too much of them can indeed lead you astray.  Drunkedness is indeed a sin.  They distort our interpretation of the truth, [...]

Proverbs 19

Greetings!

19     Better a poor man whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.
2 It is not good to have zeal without knowledge,
nor to be hasty and miss the way.

People often think that zeal is a bad thing, as in, “He’s so zealous!”  But done in the right way zeal is [...]

Proverbs 18

Greetings! 

18     An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends;
he defies all sound judgment.
2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding
but delights in airing his own opinions.

I am frequently reminded of the importance to think first, then talk (or write).

3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes disgrace.
4 The words of [...]

Proverbs 17

Greetings!

17     Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.

That speaks volumes about how important wisdom is in decision making.  You can marry all sorts of people and be within God’s moral laws, but there are many ways to choose unwisely.  Several Proverbs point to the folly of [...]

Proverbs 16

Greetings!  Here is another major dose of wisdom from the Lord.

16     To man belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.
2 All a man’s ways seem innocent to him,
but motives are weighed by the Lord.

People are really good at rationalizing away their sins.  I know I [...]

Proverbs 15

Greetings!
15     A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.

I encourage everyone to memorize and apply verse 1.  You can use it all day, every day with great success.  I don’t follow it all the time but when I do it works so well.

2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, [...]

Proverbs 14

Greetings! 
Verse 1 should convict us all.  If we are not careful our words and deeds can destroy the things we worked hard to build.  How many times have we seen a few careless words destroy long term relationships?  Or critical spirits or misplaced priorities damage relationships permanently?

14     The wise woman builds her house, but with her [...]

Proverbs 12

Greetings!
Solomon didn’t pull any punches in v. 1!  It convicts me of the many times that pride keeps me from wanting correction.
V. 4 emphasizes character as the trait of a wife (or, presumably, a husband).  It is more important than fleeting beauty.  What could be worse than a decay in your bones?

12     Whoever loves discipline loves [...]

Proverbs 11

Greetings!  It is time for another chapter of wisdom from the book of Proverbs.
1 The LORD abhors dishonest scales,
but accurate weights are his delight.
What a simple thought – but consider the implications.  Even though so many businesses prey on the ignorance of customers, Christians should not do that.  Time and again businesses that put the [...]

Proverbs 10

Greetings!
Proverbs 10 (NIV)
Proverbs of Solomon
10     The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
2 Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.

Another reason God warns us not to take things that don’t belong to us.  Not only does it [...]

Proverbs 9

Greetings! 

Proverbs 9
Invitations of Wisdom and of Folly
 1 Wisdom has built her house;
       she has hewn out its seven pillars.
 2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
       she has also set her table.
 3 She has sent out her maids, and she calls
       from the highest point of the city.
 4 “Let all who are simple [...]

Proverbs 8

Greetings!  In Proverbs 7 an adulteress calls out, but in Proverbs 8 wisdom personified as a woman calls out.  The importance of wisdom is emphasized.  It is more important than riches.
Verse 17 notes that all who seek widsom will find it.  That reminds me of Matthew 7:7-8 where Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to [...]

Proverbs 7

Greetings!  This Proverb continues the warnings against adultery.  Again, the dangers of sexual sin are spelled out in graphic terms: “like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life . . . Many [...]

Proverbs 6

Greetings!  We’ll cover Proverbs for a couple days, then start Genesis.
The first section reminds me of what I often tell my kids: “The first thing to do when you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging.“  The Proverbs are actually after something more in depth, though – to make restitution once you have [...]

Proverbs 5

Greetings!  Here are some timeless words of wisdom about sexual purity and avoiding adultery.  At a time when married people are in the minority for the first time in U.S. history, this advice is more important than ever.  Sex outside of marriage has destroyed countless lives and relationships.  It makes it hard for people to [...]