Wish Inmates would "Get This"

It applies to me, to you, to all....but this is particularly true for those who are "doing life on the installment plan,"

Proverbs 26.11

Like a dog that 

returns to his vomit

is a fool

who

repeats his folly."

Shattered and Defenseless

"I just couldn't help myself."

Well....

Proverbs 25.28

A man

without self-control

is like

a city broken into 

and 

left without walls."

Need Incentive to Talk About Jesus and the Gospel?

Proverbs 24.11

"Rescue those who 

are being taken away to death;

hold back those who are

stumbling 

to the slaughter."

And you probably better read verse 12, also.

Life verse for Children!

Proverbs 23.25

Let your father and mother be glad;

ler her who bore you

rejoice."

Does My Love and My Lips Match?

Reread the title, then read this:

Proverbs 22.11

"He who loves purity of heart,

and

whose speech is gracious,

will hve

the king

as his friend."

Sometimes Easier to "Sacrifice" than (truly) Serve

Keith Green was such a prophet...here's his comments and song concerning Proverbs 21.3:

Am I Honorable?

Proverbs 20.3 gives me pause to think on this Father's Day:

"It is an honor for a man

to keep aloof from strife;

but

every fool will be quarreling."

Tis easier to be a fool than a man of honor; tis more "natural," and therein is both the problem and the solution.

Perplexing to Me

Any ideas on the first part?

Proverbs 19.8   Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will discover good.

Who Is Your Tonto?

Recognize that Tonto may not be known to many.

The Christian life is to be lived in community. We really do "need each other."

Proverbs 18.1 declares, "Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment."

The life of faith can not be lived in isolation. Even the Lone Ranger had a buddy!

That's one reason why faithfulness...yeah, membership...in a church is so vital. And, to paraphrase JFK, "Ask not what your church can do for you, ask what you can do for your church."

How Short is Your Fuse?

My tiredness is most often displayed by a short temper. I'm grateful I'm wired to need only about 6 hours of sleep...but if I get less than that I can be more than a bit irritable.

Proverbs 19.11 says, "Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense."

God, make me a man of good sense, help me to have a long fuse so I don't blow up easily; and give me the grace to overlook mickey-mouse offenses.

Stop Peeing!

Okay, a crude title I suppose; but the Bible is sometimes "crude."

Take Proverbs 17.14, for instance:

"The beginning of strife

is like

letting out water,

so quit

before the quarrel breaks out."

Yeah, "letting out water" means what it means. Once it starts, very hard to stop. Same with a quarrel; so our proverbial advice is to "chill," "ignore," "look the other way" rather than start a fight over something relatively unimportant.

Just not natural, is it?

And that's the point.

Don't Just "Have Devotions"

Proverbs 16:20

"Whoever gives thought

to the word

will discover good,

and

blessed is the man

who trusts in the Lord."

Note it does not say "Whoever has devotions," nor "whoever reads the word," nor "whoever memorizes a verse," but rather, "whoever gives thought to the word..."

Thinking...meditating...chewing. Not rushing through with a self-satisfied "Now I can check that off," or, worse, "Now I am better than most because I've had my time in the Word," nor "Thank God at least I have a quiet time."

Better to thoughtfully read one verse than speed-read through five chapters.

But, as often said, thinking involves two four-letter words---time and work.

Turn it away!

Wonder why I don't take His Word at face value?

For instance, if someone is railing on me, why am I so quick to respond angrily, or to form a line of defense that evolves into offence?

Instead, maybe I should heed Proverbs 15.1, "A soft answer turns away wrath..."

Clean House No Work?

Proverbs 14.4, "Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean..."

A spotless manger is an uninhabited manger. Sort of like a home? I like the plaque, "Pardon the mess, we live here."

Of course I also wonder why we make the bed each morning fully knowing we will get back in it later?

Zip It, Jack

Amazing how often Proverbs speaks of our mouths, our words, our tongue.

Proverbs 13.3   Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;

he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

How much drama, conflict, and worse would be never born if I'd just keep my mouth shut...at least long enough to pray?

What do I Love?

Before I read today's chapter; if I was asked to write down twenty things I "love," I'd not have gotten to this one:

Proverbs 12.1  "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge..."

No, though I know "the Lord disciplines those He loves," in my humanity I can't say I love discipline...I mean I love the end result, but I don't love the journey.

Lord God, help me to see the short as well as long term benefits of discipline; and enable me to love it.

Oh, He Is, Huh?

Proverbs 11.8 declares, "The righteous is delivered from trouble..."

Oh, really, Lord?

I know Proverbs is principles, and not promises in the strictest sense; but Christians still get in trouble (or the name it claim it "best life now" bozos would be right!)...

Yet this IS a promise...because, no matter the circumstance, the converted are "delivered from trouble," for even our death is but a transformation from this body into His presence.

Thanks, Lord.

Wonder Why...

Why the glad/sad thing with Dad/Mom?

Proverbs 10.1

A wise son

makes a glad father;

but

a foolish son is

sorrow to his mother. 

Proverbs 9

Proverbs 9.6

"Leave your simple ways, and live,

and

walk in the way of insight."

1. Leave

2.  Live

3.   Walk

Got Ears to Hear?

Proverbs 8 begins with an obviously rhetorical question:

"Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?"

How do you "hear" the call of wisdom and the voice of understanding?

What Do You Treasure?

If I kept a regular inventory of my time, what would be revealed as priority in my life?

All too often a question like that leads me to wonder what kind of "garbage" is in my life. But for the serious disciple of Jesus Christ, it is usually not the "bad" things that mess us up; but the "good."

Too often something "good" takes priority over that which is best.

Even things like family, ministry, the Bible, etc become an idol in our life, and that "thing" is clearly the most important thing...and thus has pushed God downward.

Those thoughts were spawned as I read Proverbs 7.1, "My son, keep my words, and treasure up my commandments within you."


Do I "treasure" His commands?

So, God loves the sinner, huh?

It was Gandhi who first said, "God loves the sinner, but hates the sin."

Yet Proverbs 6 lists seven types of sinners who "God hates." Verse 19 ends by saying, in context, He hates "one who sows discord among brothers."

Yes, "God so loved," but God is God, and thus He hates/loves at the same time.

No way to explain it away...as there are numerous references throughout the Word...God hates sin, and God is angry with sinners. Thankfully, for the converted, His anger due us was poured out on His Son.

Amazing grace.

Oops

Ah, summer schedule with travel and speaking engagements...got behind a bit (not in reading, thankfully; but in posting!)

As I read Proverbs 5 one verse jumped off the page. I reread it, and wondered how many Christian do I know that this, if they were honest, would be their "life verse"...at least for the moment:

Prov 5.14

I am at the brink of utter ruin

in the assembled congregation.

I pray that I communicate to all that I am willing to listen and pray to those who have stumbled, or are on the precipice of a fall. 

Perhaps the biggest lie uttered by people of faith is, "Doing great" when asked, "How are you?"

May God make His church and His people a haven of honesty.

What Do You Prize?

What is important to you?

What do you think of often, most?

Proverbs 4.8 declares, "Prize (wisdom) highly, and (wisdom) will exalt you, (wisdom) will honor you if you embrace her."

Big "if," huh?

Plug the Holes!

People leak.

We forget that which we should remember (and all too often remember what we should forget!).

Thus the warning of Proverbs 3.1, "My son, do not forget my teaching..."

How to plug the holes?

Stay in the Word...memorize the Word...apply the Word...have an accountability partner...pray the Word...

Do the work to plug the holes!

Need Some Smarts?

"Well, how do I...?"

"When should I...?"

"How do I...?"

Got questions? Need answers?

Don't overlook the obvious...

Proverbs 2.6 "For the Lord gives wisdom..."

James 1.5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given him."

"There's always time" NOT

Those who postpone the wooing of God's Spirit play more than russian roulette with their souls...sometimes they are even told, "Well, maybe it's not your time yet, think about it, and come back.." etc...

What does the Word say?

Proverbs 1.28 "Then they will call upon Me, but I will not answer; they will seek Me diligently but will not find Me."

The devil has a favorite word...it is "someday." He cares not what you will do "someday."

God's Word is "today," as in "today is the day of salvation."