Text: Prov 11:16-18 ESV 16 A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches. 17 A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself. 18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. - Prov 11:16-18 ESV THE BENEFIT OF BEING GRACIOUS In verse 16, Solomon is still making contrasts. Sadly, this verse suffers from translation from one language to another. The hidden point made here is not easily seen when moving to a...

Text: Prov 11:14-15 ESV 14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. 15 Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure. - Prov 11:14-15 ESV IN AN ABUNDANCE OF COUNSELORS THERE IS SAFETY Solomon continues in explaining the distinction between the righteous and the wicked. We have learned that the righteous person speaks wisely and causes others to rejoice...

God’s Word for Today 24 Oct, 2024 12 Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. 13 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered. - Prov 11:12-13 ESV TALK LESS, LISTEN MORE The act of belittling others is a foolish idea. ‘Belittling’ implies contempt or a sneering form of spite. A derogatory attitude towards other people causes friction and hard feelings. A good response is to...

God’s Word for Today 23 Oct, 2024 9 With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered. 10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. 11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. - Prov 11:9-11 ESV WHEN THE CITY REJOICES It is a sad reality that there are godless people who destroy the lives of...

Text: Proverbs 11:5-8 (ESV)   5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. 7 When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too. 8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead.   THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS STRAIGHT   The bible often speaks of a...

Text: Proverbs 11:1-4 (ESV)   1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. 2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. 3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. 4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.   THE INTEGRITY OF THE UPRIGHT   God does approve the honest persons in their professions. On the other hand, He has a...

Text: Prov 10:30-32 ESV 30 The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land. 31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off. 32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse. - Prov 10:30-32 ESV THE RIGHTEOUS WILL NEVER BE REMOVED It is our common observation that those who sincerely pursue truth will find more success than those who defy God. The...

Text: Prov 10:26-29 ESV 26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him. 27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short. 28 The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish. 29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers. - Prov 10:26-29 ESV THE WAY OF THE LORD IS A STRONGHOLD The wicked is a disappointment. He is not...

God’s Word for Today 17 Oct, 2024 22 The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. 23 Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding. 24 What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted. 25 When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever. - Prov 10:22-25 ESV THE BLESSING OF THE LORD, IT MAKES RICH Verse 22 in the original, it...

God’s Word for Today 16 Oct, 2024 17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray. 18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool. 19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. 20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth. 21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of...

Text: Proverbs 10:15-16 (ESV)   15 A rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin. 16 The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin.   THE VALUE OF HAVING WEALTH   We recognize that a wealthy person has an advantage over a poor person. But, we have to remember that his advantage is temporary and unreliable. A rich man's fortune can provide a certain amount of security. For example, if tragedy strikes and damages his house, he...

Text: Proverbs 10:12-14 (ESV)   12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. 13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense. 14 The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.   LOVE COVERS ALL OFFENSES   We live in a broken world. And, it’s a given fact that others would hurt us as we do to others, either advertently or inadvertently. Choosing to respond in love is powerful. This idea...

Text: Prov 10:8-11 ESV 8 The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. 9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. 10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin. 11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. - Prov 10:8-11 ESV DO WALK IN INTEGRITY The earnest seeker of God’s wisdom is teachable....

Text: Prov 10:6-7 ESV 6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. - Prov 10:6-7 ESV THE GOOD LEGACY The memory of the righteous is a blessing. They exude a good legacy. The righteous out of his good heart brings forth good, and the wicked person out of his evil heart brings forth evil. The motives of the righteous and wicked are diametrically...

God’s Word for Today 10 Oct, 2024 4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. 5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame. - Prov 10:4-5 ESV BE DILIGENT The righteous has God the Father who will surely provide his needs. He is more precious than the birds that He feeds. However, this does not mean he could be slack and lazy. There is no virtue in laziness. A lazy person is unproductive and suffer...

God’s Word for Today 9 Oct, 2024 1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. 2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. 3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. - Prov 10:1-3 ESV A WISE SON MAKES A GLAD FATHER The wise son is a joy to his parents. This is emphasized by the contrast to the sorrow a foolish son could give to his...

Text: Proverbs 9:13-18 (ESV)   13 The woman Folly is loud; she is seductive and knows nothing. 14 She sits at the door of her house; she takes a seat on the highest places of the town, 15 calling to those who pass by, who are going straight on their way, 16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” And to him who lacks sense she says, 17 “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” 18 But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the...

Text: Proverbs 9:7-12 (ESV)   THE WISE ARE BECOMING WISER   A wise person will grow wiser. The reason is in his teachable attitude which is opposite to the scoffer.[v.7-8]   The "scoffer" depicted here is unteachable, defined by a Hebrew word meaning "mocker, inflated, scorner." They hate any attempt to change their mind, preferring to pursue along their current path. They respond to other views with arrogance and ridicule. This is the same person as the "wicked" man[v.8], coming from a...

Text: Prov 9:1-6 ESV 1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. 2 She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table. 3 She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, 4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks sense she says, 5 “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.” - Prov 9:1-6 ESV...

Text: Prov 8:32-36 ESV 32 “And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. 34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. 35 For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, 36 but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” - Prov 8:32-36 ESV BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO KEEP MY WAYS Blessedness is neither in being...

God’s Word for Today 3 Oct, 2024 - Prov 8:22-36 ESV WISDOM AND CREATION The eternal God is the source of wisdom. It existed before the universe. [v.22-23] 22 “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. 23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. Wisdom emanates from eternity for God is eternal. Wisdom says, “Before the earth was… when there were no depths… fountains… mountains…hills… nor fields… I was there”...

God’s Word for Today 2 Oct, 2024 12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. 13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. 14 I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; 16 by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly. 17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. 18...

Text: Proverbs 8:1-11 (ESV)   DOES NOT WISDOM CALL?   There are two rhetorical questions asked[v.1]. Thus, wisdom is not some far-off or unattainable thing. Rather, our daily life and experience should inspire us to seek wisdom, for we can find it and have some benefits. Wisdom is personified here as the woman who contrasts sharply with the prostitute (Prov 7:10), who went into the streets in search of the foolish young man to seduce. Where could we find wisdom? We can find her...

Text: Proverbs 7:5-27 (ESV)   5 To keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words. 6 For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, 7 and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, 8 passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house 9 in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness. 10 And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a...

Text: Proverbs 7:1-5 (ESV)   1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; 2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; 3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend, 5 to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.   DO YOU CHERISH GOD’S WORDS?   Solomon instructs his son to have the right...