Text: Prov 13:20-22 ESV 20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. 21 Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good. 22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous. - Prov 13:20-22 ESV WALK WITH THE WISE Definitely, the people we associate with do influence our decisions and our outlook on life. Their choices can affect our lives. Peer...

Text: Prov 13:15-19 ESV 15 Good sense wins favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin. 16 Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly. 17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing. 18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored. 19 A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools - Prov 13:15-19 ESV A DESIRE...

God’s Word for Today 21 Nov, 2024 13 Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded. 14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. - Prov 13:13-14 ESV DO HONOR THE WORD Honoring the ‘word’ is shown by following good instruction from an authority having godly wisdom.[Prov 1:7] Doing so brings reward or blessing. "Word" means "instruction," or "advice" here in other...

God’s Word for Today 20 Nov, 2024 11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. 12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. - Prov 13:11-12 ESV LITTLE BY LITTLE Generally, wealth obtained through instant means like lottery, gambling, and fraud is not valued. Most likely, it will be squandered through excessive spending easily. A few days ago, a Singaporean man stole US$230 million in cryptocurrency...

Text: Proverbs 13:9-10 (ESV)   9 The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out. 10 By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.   THE LIGHT OF THE RIGHTEOUS REJOICES   The ‘light’ refers to the illumination a person in the ancient Middle East had in his tent. If his oil lamp did not stay lit throughout the entire night, everything became completely dark. Similarly, the life of the wicked’s life is a lamp put out....

Text: Proverbs 13:7-8 (ESV)   7 One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. 8 The ransom of a man's life is his wealth, but a poor man hears no threat.   WEALTH INFLUENCES   Whether we recognize it or not, either the possession of wealth or not has its own respective effects to our lives. Verse 7 has two views. Both views are taught in the book of Proverbs. Firstly, it may carry the idea of those who put on an appearance of being...

Text: Prov 13:4-6 ESV 4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. 5 The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace. 6 Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but sin overthrows the wicked. - Prov 13:4-6 ESV SIN OVERTHROWS THE WICKED An idle person often daydreams about what they want or what they wish to accomplish. Yet they never attain those goals because they are too lazy to work...

Text: Prov 13:1-3 ESV 1 A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. 2 From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence. 3 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. - Prov 13:1-3 ESV GUARDING OUR WORDS, GUARDING OUR LIVES Once again, the father offers his perspective and advice and his son should pay attention seriously. Why? He speaks...

God’s Word for Today 14 Nov, 2024 26 One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. 27 Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth. 28 In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death. - Prov 12:26-28 ESV THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIFE We live in a spiritually darkened world. People are gullible and are easily led astray without guidance. The righteous...

God’s Word for Today 13 Nov, 2024 25 Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.. - Prov 12:25 ESV THE BURDEN OF ANXIETY Anxiety has nothing good to give to our lives. It’s an unnecessary burden that weighs us down. The cares of this world can weigh heavily on one’s heart and cause him to despair or feel depressed. Anxiety can not improve our conditions as one sitting on a rocking chair – moving but not going anywhere. However, a kind word, a word of...

Text: Proverbs 12:24 (ESV)   24 The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.   THE DILIGENT RULES   The term ‘diligent’ is related to words that imply something sharp or cutting. Thus, the impression is the diligent person refers to someone effective, in control, and is making progress. Other verses imply someone who is hardworking, in contrast to someone lazy or distracted with trivial things. These verses are; “A slack hand causes poverty, but...

Text: Proverbs 12:23 (ESV)   23 A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly.   SILENCE MEANS PRUDENCE   It is prudent to keep silent. This is true in most cases, isn’t it? It’s better to keep silent when we have nothing good to say, is it not? It's better to say nothing than to babble out something foolish. Even if others might think poorly of the silent person, there is great advantage in being careful with one's words. As we learned earlier from...

Text: Prov 12:19-22 ESV 19 Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. 20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy. 21 No ill befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble. 22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight. - Prov 12:19-22 ESV TRUTH ENDURES FOREVER Truthful speech lasts while a lie does not. Lies will self-destruct and destroy those...

Text: Prov 12:16-18 ESV 16 The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult. 17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit. 18 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. - Prov 12:16-18 ESV THE PRUDENT IGNORES AN INSULT The fortitude of the prudent is his calmness. He restrains the show of anger. The fool, however, when annoyed loses control and goes out of...

God’s Word for Today 7 Nov, 2024 13 An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous escapes from trouble. 14 From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hand comes back to him. 15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice - Prov 12:13-15 ESV THE RIGHTEOUS ESCAPES FROM TROUBLE An evil person because of his deceitful lifestyle will be caught in the ‘web of lies’. Psalm 7:16 adds...

God’s Word for Today 6 Nov, 2024 11 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. 12 Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit. - Prov 12:11-12 ESV THE VIRTUE OF DILIGENCE Solomon contrasts the value of hard work and worthless pursuits of life. Diligent farmers will grab the opportune time in plowing, preparing the soil,and planting. They know the importance of the early and...

Text: Proverbs 12:8-10 (ESV)   8 A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is despised. 9 Better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man and lack bread. 10 Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.   A GOOD SENSE   A man shall be commended by good men, according to his prudence. His discourses and actions prove it to be in him. A man who gives practical proof of wisdom by life and...

Text: Proverbs 12:5-7 (ESV)   5 The thoughts of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. 6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright delivers them. 7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand.   THE HOUSE OF THE RIGHTEOUS WILL STAND   The heart of the issue is the issue of the heart. The righteous desires what is fair and honest for themselves and others. They do not scheme to take...

Text: Prov 12:4 ESV 4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones. - Prov 12:4 ESV AN EXCELLENT WIFE Solomon turns his attention to the ‘excellent’ wife. Just as a crown identifies a man is of royalty to others, a good woman does the same by bringing her husband honor and dignity. Simply put, he will make her husband appear like an honored or crowned king. She is beautiful from the inside out. As Peter pointed out,...

Text: Prov 12:1-3 ESV 1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. 2 A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices he condemns. 3 No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved. - Prov 12:1-3 ESV LOVE DISCIPLINE, LOVE LEARNING Solomon establishes the strong correlation between discipline and knowledge. That is, he who loves discipline loves to learn more. A wise person takes...

God’s Word for Today 31 Oct, 2024 27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it. 28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. 29 Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise. 31 If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the...

God’s Word for Today 30 Oct, 2024 23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good, the expectation of the wicked in wrath. 24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. 26 The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it. - Prov 11:23-26 ESV GIVING MORE, GETTING MORE The earthly...

Text: Proverbs 11:22 (ESV)   22 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.   BEAUTY AND DISCRETION   What is discretion? This is a person's awareness of what is appropriate, respectable, well-mannered, or dignified. Thus, a woman with "discretion," in this case, is one who acts sensibly and with self-control, as opposed to one who is crude, offensive, or "tacky." The culture of women wearing nose rings for ornamental purposes was a practice in Israel as...

Text: Proverbs 11:19-21 (ESV)   19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. 20 Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight. 21 Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.   THE BLAMELESS ARE HIS DELIGHT   It is an accepted norm that God rewards righteous living with life but inflicts death on those who lead a wicked life....