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Tag: Proverbs

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 27 (12/27) is Proverbs 12:27

    “The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
    BUT diligence is man’s precious possession.” – Proverbs 12:27
    The CALL to BE RESPONSIBLE

    The contrast between the LAZY man and the DILIGENT or RESPONSIBLE man in the book of Proverbs brings some of the strongest CONDEMNATIONS (of the lazy) and COMMENDATIONS (of the diligent/responsible) one will read.  There is no question that throughout Proverbs the reader is admonished to avoid BEING LAZY. Never once is anything good said about the lazy.  One of the worst characterizations a person can have is being known as LAZY.  On the other hand, one of the best characteristics a person can have is to be known as diligent or responsible.

    Here in Proverbs 12:27, we get the pathetic action or better stated, the pathetic inaction of the lazy man who does not follow through and does not finish. Although he has surprisingly gone hunting and has surprisingly killed something he lets it ROT rather than ROASTING it.  WHAT A WASTE!  

    On the other hand, there is the DILIGENT or the RESPONSIBLE. In contrast to the lazy, who are irresponsible, we have a person who finishes what is started. This person is DEPENDABLE, RELIABLE, and TRUSTWORTHY.   Whether it is at home or work, at church, or maybe with a team, this person is someone OTHERS CAN COUNT ON!  

    The character trait of diligence is to be admired.  Wisdom says to be known as one who is diligent and responsible is a precious possession to have.  

    As you THINK on the teaching of Proverbs 12:27 I trust there is a stirring to have a reputation of being RESPONSIBLE.  Any recommendation that is made on your behalf should find the recommender gladly writing or saying you are RESPONSIBLE.  The last thing you want is for them to say you are irresponsible and that you are LAZY.

    With the verse for the date, you may have discovered a weakness in your character. You don’t have to stay the way you are.  What changes need to be made to improve?  Don’t procrastinate! Don’t be lazy!  MAKE THEM and become more RESPONSIBLE WITH RESPONSIBILITIES!

    Verse to DATE the Word on December 27 (12/27) is Proverbs 12:27. Proverbs 12:27 says, “The lazy man DOES NOT roast what he took in hunting, BUT diligence is man’s precious possession.”

    Continue Strong being RESPONSIBLE with responsibilities! 
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

    PS – Parents, (fathers especially) reading this – demand diligence, especially with your sons! Raise them to be RESPONSIBLE. Be responsible when they are irresponsible and correct this character flaw.  Don’t tolerate lying and don’t tolerate laziness! 

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 26 (12/26) is Proverbs 12:26

    “The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
    for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” – Proverbs 12:26
    Oh BE CAREFUL WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE

    One of the most addressed topics in the Book of Proverbs is friendship. In Proverbs we learn about how TO BE a friend (a friend loves at all times, Proverbs 17:17).  We learn a friend HELPS their friend(s) to be better (Proverbs. 27:6 and 27:17)  Here in Proverbs 12:26 we are reminded to be CAREFUL of who we have as friends.  

    Why the CAUTION? Because as friendships develop the friend’s influence increases.  With teenagers, a friend’s influence can easily and quickly become more important to them than parental influence.  Proverbs 13:20 provides some very valuable insight as it states, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but a companion of fools will be destroyed.” 

    A quote I like to use about the influence of friends is “Friends are like buttons in an elevator. They can take you up or take you down.”

    No matter the age of a person one must be careful with whom they associate.  A great guide for who your friends should be is found in Psalms 119:63.  It says, “I am a friend to all who fear You, to those who keep Your precepts.”  In other words, your friend(s) should be those who love the Savior, love the Scriptures and love the saints.  And to be a great friend you start by loving the Savior, loving the Scriptures, and loving the saints.

    Oh, be careful who your friends are!

    Verse for the date of December 26 (12/26) is Proverbs 12:26.  It says, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.”

    “Associate yourself with Men of good Quality if you esteem your own reputation; for ‘tis better to be alone than in bad Company.”   George Washington

    Continue Strong being and having friends,
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 22 (12/22) is Proverbs 12:22

    “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.” – Proverbs 12:22
    Honesty is the Best Policy – the Only Policy and it brings great Delight to God

    God’s Word is very clear about the absolute necessity of honesty.  The ninth commandment of the Ten Commandments says, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16) 

    When it comes to God and His feelings about lying, we find they are expressed without reservation.  We find from the list of things that God hates in Proverbs 6:16-19 that a lying tongue and a false witness are on the list.  Two of the 7 things that are most detestable to God are connected to dishonesty.  Here in Proverbs 12:22, we see God saying, “Lying is an abomination to Him.”  Lying is one of the most severe offenses a person can do.   Lying is exactly the opposite of who God is.  When one lies, they are behaving like Satan who is the father of lies. 

    Before we move forward, I must ask how seriously do you take telling the truth.  How serious is it for you to resist the temptation to NOT LIE?  

    While lying and dishonesty are some of the most offensive things to God, we find that those who tell the truth are His delight.  Telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth brings DELIGHT to the heart of God.  It is worth noting that Proverbs 11:1 says, “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight.”  Cheating and misrepresenting the true value of something is grievous to God.  Honesty, though, brings delight to God.

    As a quick reminder about God’s expectations regarding honesty:
    In the Old Testament: Leviticus 19:11 says, “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.”
    From the New Testament, Colossians 3:9 says, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,”

    Our verse to DATE the Word on December 22 (12/22) is Proverbs 12:22. Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.”

    Are you honest? BE HONEST WITH YOUR ANSWER!! 

    Continue Strong telling the truth! 
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 16 (12/16) is Proverbs 12:16

    “The anger of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.” – Proverbs 12:16
    The Wise will Carefully CHOOSE their Response to the Critic

    In the multitude of contrasts found in Proverbs, we have a proverb that contrasts a response to the critic.  Whereas the fool responds with indignation to the insult the prudent (the wise) ignores the insult.  The fool is ready to beat up the person while the prudent brushes it off.  The fool has no patience and explodes in retaliation.  The prudent, on the other hand, will carefully choose their response with patience and will refuse to engage in senseless name-calling to defuse the matter.  The fool has no filter!  Their action only makes the matter worse.

    Having read the above, where are you in your response to the critic?  
    Are you more like the FOOL who is quick-tempered, with a short fuse, and responds with equal or MORE force?
    Are you more like the prudent?  Do you carefully consider your responses to the critic?  
    BTW – I like to define the prudent as one who carefully considers the consequences of their choices.  Do you process the critic’s attack and insults with a patient thoughtful response?

    Here are a few thoughts on responding to the critic’s insults:
    Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
    NLT “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.”
    Proverbs 23:9 Don’t speak to a fool, for he will despise the insight of your words.

    Working with Dr. Jerry Falwell, who had many insults hurled at him, I heard him many times say never defend yourself as your friends don’t need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.  

    As you live and breathe living and serving the Lord you will be attacked and criticized.  I had only been a Christian a short time when I encountered vicious name-calling.  My past life without Christ was demanding a response of both verbal and physical, but the new life in Christ was calling for self-control.  While not easy, I ignored the insults that day. 

    Remember that as Christians our testimony is so often revealed by our temper and our tongue.  We reveal just how different we are when we don’t return an insult with an insult.  

    Verse to DATE the Word on December 16 (12/16) is Proverbs 12:16. It says, “The anger of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.”

    Continue Strong with self-control of temper and tongue!
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 11 (12/11) is Proverbs 12:11

    “He who tills (WORKS) his land will be satisfied with bread, but he who follows
    frivolity (worthless things) is devoid of understanding.” – Proverbs 12:11
    Work, Hard Work Pays Off 

    Our verse may have two words that are unknown to us.  There is the word “TILLS” and the word “FRIVOLITY.”   Sometimes other versions help us out.  From the NIV Proverbs 12:11 reads, “He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.”
    NASB says, “He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.”
    NLT says, “A hard worker has plenty of food,  but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.”
    ESV says, “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.”

    Proverbs will over and over give us a CONTRAST so we can see the RESULTS of an action which in turn allows us to make BETTER DECISIONS.  The contrast of Proverbs 12:11 is one person is going to be satisfied with food while the other person is going to be hungry. When a person TILLS the land or WORKS the land they have they will have a harvest that earns income to buy bread. The phrase “working the land” can refer to whatever job you have. The person who is chasing fantasies or going after worthless things will not have any income and thus will not have any food to eat.  The proverb conveys that this person lacks common sense!  

    So, what do you think about the subject of WORK?  Some might think of it as a 4-letter curse word, but I would say definitively it is not a 4-letter curse word.  Work was given to Adam before the fall.  It was only after the fall did work take on a curse.  God has always valued work and so should we.  Here are a couple of verses to help our thinking.
    Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.”
    Romans 12:11 NLT “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically”. (Could have been the verse for the date)
    2 Thessalonians 3:10-12  For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. (maybe chasing worthless things) 12  Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.”

    One of the hard truths of the Bible is there are times when a person is not to be helped. In not helping them Proverbs 16:26 kicks in.  Do you know Proverbs 16:26? Proverbs 16:26 says, “The person who labors, labors for himself, For his hungry mouth drives him on.“

    I trust you have a great work ethic! 

    The verse to DATE the Word on December 11 (12/11) is Proverbs 12:11. It says, “He who tills (WORKS) his land (at their job) will be satisfied with bread, but he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding. (lacks common sense and will be hungry)”

    Romans 12:11 NLT Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

    Continue Strong with your WORK!
    And remember to DATE The WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 8 (12/8) is Proverbs 12:8

    “A person will be commended according to his wisdom,
    But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.” – Proverbs 12:8
    Our verse to DATE the Word on December 8 (12/8) is Proverbs 12:8. Proverbs 12:8 says, “A person will be commended according to his wisdom, But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.

    Decisions can bring PROMOTION or DEMOTION

    Proverbs is so good at reminding us that our choices have consequences, both for good and for bad. Proverbs 12:8 tells of how a person’s decision to acquire and apply WISDOM can bring praise and commendation, yes, PROMOTION. In contrast, the decisions of another person to practice perversity can bring disgust and be literally despised, yes, face demotion.

    Throughout Proverbs, you will find “THE WISE” being described by their actions and the various advantages that come from those actions.  Sometimes the advantages are seen by what DOES NOT happen to them but happens to the FOOL.
    For instance, For instance, here are a few examples of what the wise DO:
    “The wise in heart will receive commands, But an arrogant fool will fall.” Proverbs 10:8
    Proverbs 10:14 says, “Wise people store up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.”  The wise have wisdom when they need it. 
    Proverbs 10:19 says, “he who restrains his lips is wise.”  
    Proverbs 13:20 says, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.” The WISE will choose carefully their companions.
    Proverbs 9:9  says, “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;” 

    The perverse heart is totally different. First of we learn from Proverbs 3:32 that “The perverse person is an abomination to the LORD,”  
    From Proverbs 16:28 we see that  “A perverse man sows strife,”
    Proverbs 28:18 compares the advantages of the blameless with the perverse telling us. “Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved, But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.”
    Proverbs 14:2 provides contrasting responses to God.   It says, “He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.”   

    The perverse do not want God to tell them anything. They want to live how they want to live. There is no respect for God or His ways. 

    Thinking of this practically we ask if they are not willing to listen to God why would you ever think they would listen to a boss or to any other authority?   No wonder they are despised.

    Are you a wise person?  If you are, you know that you don’t know all you need to know and you, therefore, seek to acquire more wisdom so that you might apply it to your life.  When this is happening, you will be commended!  

    Are you a perverse person whose heart is filled with filth that brings forth crooked actions?  Do you find that you despise what God has to say?  If you live this way expect to be despised. Your choices have consequences!

    Verse to DATE the Word on December 8 (12/8) is Proverbs 12:8. It says, “A person will be commended according to his wisdom, But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.

    The wise bring delight and are promoted while the perverse are despised and demoted.

    Continue Strong by acquiring and applyiing WISDOM,
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on November 30 (11/30) is Proverbs 11:30

    “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and 
    he who wins souls is wise.” – Proverbs 11:30
    Living a Life that brings and gives LIFE!

    Living right brings LIFE to one’s life!!!  If there is ever a question of whether there are any benefits to living right Proverbs 11:30a gives one of the greatest. Living life right brings life to life.  I say it that way because living wrong (sinfully) brings death to life. If you are wondering where that thought comes from notice James 1:14 -15 as it says, “but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”  When you yield to a temptation it gives birth (or life) to sin and then the sin gives birth to death.  When you do wrong (sinning) you bring death to life in your life.  But from Proverbs 11:30a when you do right you bring life to life in your life!  I have to believe you would rather bring life to life in your life than death to life in your life!

    The person who is living right and experiencing an abundant life will also want others to have life, here and hereafter.  Proverbs 11:30b tells us that a WISE person wins souls.  The wise have come to understand their need for Christ and have gotten saved and now they want OTHERS to know how they can be saved.  

    Are you witnessing for the Lord?  Are you sharing Christ with anyone presently?  Do you have a burden to see a friend, a relative, an associate, a neighbor, or even a stranger come to know Jesus?  One of the characteristics of a wise person is they want to see lost people saved and will look for opportunities to share Christ with the lost!

    The verse to DATE the Word on November 30 (11/30) is Proverbs 11:30. It says, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.”

    It has been said that soul-winning is one beggar telling another beggar where to find food!  Since you have found “food” tell someone else where to find it!

    Continue Strong living right and being the light!
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on November 25 (11/25) is Proverbs 11:25

    “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters 
    will also be watered himself.” – Proverbs 11;25
    Sometimes I like to present our verse to date from other versions:
    KJV: Proverbs 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
    ESV: Proverbs 11:25  Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
    HCSB: Proverbs 11:25  A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water.
    NLT:  Proverbs 11:25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

    The multiple BLESSINGS of being GENEROUS!

    I wanted to have you see a few translations of Proverbs 11:25 as the Hebrew word that we translate generous can be translated as LIBERAL or BLESSING.   When we think of someone being generous we think of one freely giving and freely giving really more than what is expected.  When someone is generous, freely giving more than is expected, they are a tremendous blessing.  I would think you have been the recipient at some point of someone’s generosity. I know I have been a multitude of times.  My hope is that you are also one who has been the one who extended generosity to others.   Our verse is APPEALING that we choose to be generous as it reveals the advantages, the benefits, of being generous.  

    There is an old saying that tells us you can’t outgive God.  Proverbs 11:25 conveys that saying.  As you are a blessing you will be blessed.  As you provide water you will be receiving back water.  You just can’t outgive God.  

    So how is your thinking when it comes to YOUR MONEY?  On a scale of 1-10 with 1 low and 10 high, are you a KEEPER?  On a scale of 1-10 with 1 low and 10 high, are you a GIVER?  

    For me, it is hard to look at Proverbs 11:25 without looking at Proverbs 11:24. It says, “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty.”   

    The stingy tight-fisted person thinks they are going to be better off because they are KEEPERS.  The picture of Proverbs 11:24 is from the world of agriculture and pictures the scattering of a seed like wheat.  Being stingy with the seed wheat leads to a small harvest, but a bountiful scattering of seeds leads to a bumper harvest!  The short interpretation of Proverbs 11:24 is YOU CAN’T AFFORD to be STINGY!  YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO NOT BE A GIVER!

    You do get to make your choice with your money.  Proverbs 11:25 lets you know that being a blessing brings multiple blessings!  BEING A BLESSING BRINGS MULTIPLE BLESSINGS.  Your blessing to another blesses them and it will bless you!  

    Verse to DATE the Word on November 25 (11/25) is Proverbs 11:25. It says, “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.”

    BEING A BLESSING BRINGS MULTIPLE BLESSINGS.

    Continue Strong being generous, 
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

    PS – this coming Tuesday is GIVING TUESDAY –  I hope you will consider supporting ministries that are dear to you.   From FCA to Christian Universities, yes, your local church, and ministries like Word of Life, etc. pray about how you can give “WATER” to a ministry.  And yes – you can give to DATE the Word to help Date the Word be on the numerous radio stations of TruthNetwork as well as to help us to extend our reach through other means.  Visit our website giving page for more information. We thank you ahead of time for your support.

  • Verse to DATE the Word on November 20 (11/20) is Proverbs 11:20

    “Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the Lord,
    but the blameless in their ways are His delight.” – Proverbs 11:20
    Bringing DELIGHT to the Lord

    As far as contrast goes Proverbs 11:20 may be one of the greatest for contrasting God’s feelings (attitude and actions) toward our behavior. Toward those who are perverse (think crooked, think twisted, think depraved, think dishonest) He finds them to be an abomination, to be DETESTED and despised.  Let us make no mistake that the perverse and depraved behavior is detested and despised by God.  On the other hand, toward those who are blameless (think upright, think one with INTEGRITY. think honest, think doing what is right) He finds them to be His DELIGHT.  
    One might say the perverse brings PAIN to God’s heart while the blameless brings PLEASURE to God’s heart.   

    It should be the AIM of each of us to do that which brings pleasure to God, doing what is PLEASING to God.  2 Corinthians 5:9 says, “We make it our AIM – our AMBITION – to be WELL PLEASING to God.”  Our actions are acceptable to God!

    As well, it should be our desire to despise any depraved action.  That which is despised by God should be despised by His children.  Proverbs 8:13 says, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.”

    A great example of how one might live is found in Job. The Book of Job opens with a description of Job and it is a description we should desire to be used to describe us.  Job 1:1 says, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil (turned away or stayed away from evil.)   I trust you agree that this is a description that should be desired!  Job was right with God and right with people!  There was nothing crooked in his dealings with people.  

    In considering Proverbs 11:20 we asked what is your heart’s daily desires.
    Is it to bring pain to the heart of God or pleasure to the heart of God? 
    Is it to have God despise your actions or be delighted in your actions?  

    Verse to DATE the Word on November 20 (11/20) is Proverbs 11:20. It says, “Those who are of a perverse (crooked, twisted, depraved, dishonest) heart are an abomination to the Lord, But the blameless (honest, upright, having integrity) in their ways are His delight.”

    Our choices have consequences! May we do the things that DELIGHT the Lord!

    Continue Strong, desiring and living to delight the Lord!
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on November 14 (11/14) is Proverbs 11:14

    “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude
    of counselors there is safety.” – Proverbs 11:14
    The BEST ADVICE is to get the BEST ADVICE

    A summary of Proverb 11:14 would be that the best advice wisdom can give is to get the best advice! I am a firm believer that each person should have a personal “board of directors” to go to for advice.  These will be those who have your best interest in mind!  You can ask questions of them and they can ask questions of you.  Godly counselors can help prevent you from making a BAD decision and provide insights for making the BEST decision.  They can help you move from making a GOOD decision to making a GREAT decision! 

    Please be sure to heed the warning of this verse. It warns us, “where there is no counsel, the people fall.”  I know it is hard to hear but you really are not smart enough to figure out life’s decisions by yourself.  Trusting your own thinking brings only what you know to the table.  Having a multitude of counselors allows for much more to be brought to the table as each one has PAST EXPERIENCES to DRAW ON!

    So, do you have a “multitude of counselors?”  Have you established a “board of directors?”  If not, heed the advice of Proverbs 11:14 and create this personal board.  Cultivate relationships with a few godly, wise men and women that you can invite into your life so that when decisions come you can say, “WHAT DO YOU THINK?”

    Verse to DATE the Word on November 14 (11/14) is Proverbs 11:14. It says, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”

    Listen to the advice to get advice and then GET ADVICE!  

    Continue Strong with a strong personal board of directors!
    And remember to DATE THE WORD