Ask the Spirit to enlighten the meaning and relevance of scripture to you each time you sit to read and reflect on scripture. He is counselor and guide. All scripture is still relevant and worthy for use in teaching and rebuking.

Proverbs 25

Similitudes, Instructions

1These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.

2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

3As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

4Take away the dross from the silver,
And there comes out a vessel for the smith;

5Take away the wicked before the king,
And his throne will be established in righteousness.

6Do not claim honor in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of great men;

7For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

8Do not go out hastily to argue your case;
Otherwise, what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor humiliates you?

9Argue your case with your neighbor,
And do not reveal the secret of another,

10Or he who hears it will reproach you,
And the evil report about you will not pass away.

11Like apples of gold in settings of silver
Is a word spoken in right circumstances.

12Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

13Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.

14Like clouds and wind without rain
Is a man who boasts of his gifts falsely.

15By forbearance a ruler may be persuaded,
And a soft tongue breaks the bone.

16Have you found honey? Eat only what you need,
That you not have it in excess and vomit it.

17Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,
Or he will become weary of you and hate you.

18Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow
Is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.

19Like a bad tooth and an unsteady foot
Is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.

20Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on soda,
Is he who sings songs to a troubled heart.

21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

22For you will heap burning coals on his head,
And the LORD will reward you.

23The north wind brings forth rain,
And a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.

24It is better to live in a corner of the roof
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

25Like cold water to a weary soul,
So is good news from a distant land.

26Like a trampled spring and a polluted well
Is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

27It is not good to eat much honey,
Nor is it glory to search out one’s own glory.

28Like a city that is broken into and without walls
Is a man who has no control over his spirit.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Have you ever seen a set of wooden dolls which fit one inside another? There may be ten stacked inside one another. They are called matryoshka nesting dolls.  They do not look like much when they are stacked inside one another, but watch how much is there as you unpack them and spread them out. Proverbs strike me much the same way. If we are not careful, we may just read quickly over a chapter of Proverbs, saying… “that is nice” or “that is clever” and never really internalize the wisdom it contains. We should take our time to prayerfully consider the warnings and wisdom contained in each chapter. Carefully unpack each verse and consider it. Do not hurry. Appreciate each one for the wisdom it contains and take a few moments to consider how it applies to your life.

Proverbs 24

Precepts and Warnings

1Do not be envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;

2For their minds devise violence,
And their lips talk of trouble.

3By wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;

4And by knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.

5A wise man is strong,
And a man of knowledge increases power.

6For by wise guidance you will wage war,
And in abundance of counselors there is victory.

7Wisdom is too exalted for a fool,
He does not open his mouth in the gate.

8One who plans to do evil,
Men will call a schemer.

9The devising of folly is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10If you are slack in the day of distress,
Your strength is limited.

11Deliver those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.

12If you say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts?
And does He not know it who keeps your soul?
And will He not render to man according to his work?

13My son, eat honey, for it is good,
Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

14Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;
If you find it, then there will be a future,
And your hope will not be cut off.

15Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not destroy his resting place;

16For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.

17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;

18Or the LORD will see it and be displeased,
And turn His anger away from him.

19Do not fret because of evildoers
Or be envious of the wicked;

20For there will be no future for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21My son, fear the LORD and the king;
Do not associate with those who are given to change,

22For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?

23These also are sayings of the wise.
To show partiality in judgment is not good.

24He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Peoples will curse him, nations will abhor him;

25But to those who rebuke the wicked will be delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.

26He kisses the lips
Who gives a right answer.

27Prepare your work outside
And make it ready for yourself in the field;
Afterwards, then, build your house.

28Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
And do not deceive with your lips.

29Do not say, “Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.”

30I passed by the field of the sluggard
And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense,

31And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles;
Its surface was covered with nettles,
And its stone wall was broken down.

32When I saw, I reflected upon it;
I looked, and received instruction.

33“A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,”

34Then your poverty will come as a robber
And your want like an armed man.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Not everyone we meet is to be taken at face value for everything they may tell you. Some may invite you to eat from their table, but silently curse you if they think you are being greedy about how much you eat or ungrateful about not thank them enough. We should thoughtfully consider our behavior and how it matches with what YHWH tells us to do (and not to do) and also how our actions may affect others around us. Our Father has much to tell us about life and conduct in the Bible.

Proverbs 23

On Life and Conduct

1When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
Consider carefully what is before you,

2And put a knife to your throat
If you are a man of great appetite.

3Do not desire his delicacies,
For it is deceptive food.

4Do not weary yourself to gain wealth,
Cease from your consideration of it.

5When you set your eyes on it, it is gone.
For wealth certainly makes itself wings
Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

6Do not eat the bread of a selfish man,
Or desire his delicacies;

7For as he thinks within himself, so he is.
He says to you, “Eat and drink!”
But his heart is not with you.

8You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten,
And waste your compliments.

9Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
For he will despise the wisdom of your words.

10Do not move the ancient boundary
Or go into the fields of the fatherless,

11For their Redeemer is strong;
He will plead their case against you.

12Apply your heart to discipline
And your ears to words of knowledge.

13Do not hold back discipline from the child,
Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

14You shall strike him with the rod
And rescue his soul from Sheol.

15My son, if your heart is wise,
My own heart also will be glad;

16And my inmost being will rejoice
When your lips speak what is right.

17Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But live in the fear of the LORD always.

18Surely there is a future,
And your hope will not be cut off.

19Listen, my son, and be wise,
And direct your heart in the way.

20Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine,
Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;

21For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,
And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

22Listen to your father who begot you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.

23Buy truth, and do not sell it,
Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.

25Let your father and your mother be glad,
And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

26Give me your heart, my son,
And let your eyes delight in my ways.

27For a harlot is a deep pit
And an adulterous woman is a narrow well.

28Surely she lurks as a robber,
And increases the faithless among men.

29Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?

30Those who linger long over wine,
Those who go to taste mixed wine.

31Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it goes down smoothly;

32At the last it bites like a serpent
And stings like a viper.

33Your eyes will see strange things
And your mind will utter perverse things.

34And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea,
Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast.

35“They struck me, but I did not become ill;
They beat me, but I did not know it.
When shall I awake?
I will seek another drink.”

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

It is easy to claim that we serve and obey YHWH or Yeshua, but it is by our deeds rather than our words that we demonstrate to others whether we are wicked or righteous. To claim we follow Yeshua means little if our actions do not reflect obedience to His instructions. As you read through Proverbs 20, I invite you to identify at least one or two verses to walk away with that are particularly meaningful for you to apply and learn from in your life today. Pray humbly for the Holy Spirit to reveal to you which ones are most important for you to take action on to change your behavior and / or attitude and in what specific situations.

Proverbs 20

On Life and Conduct

1Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.

2The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.

3Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man,
But any fool will quarrel.

4The sluggard does not plow after the autumn,
So he begs during the harvest and has nothing.

5A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding draws it out.

6Many a man proclaims his own loyalty,
But who can find a trustworthy man?

7A righteous man who walks in his integrity—
How blessed are his sons after him.

8A king who sits on the throne of justice
Disperses all evil with his eyes.

9Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,
I am pure from my sin”?

10Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the LORD.

11It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself
If his conduct is pure and right.

12The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The LORD has made both of them.

13Do not love sleep, or you will become poor;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food.

14“Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.

15There is gold, and an abundance of jewels;
But the lips of knowledge are a more precious thing.

16Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;
And for foreigners, hold him in pledge.

17Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

18Prepare plans by consultation,
And make war by wise guidance.

19He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
Therefore do not associate with a gossip.

20He who curses his father or his mother,
His lamp will go out in time of darkness.

21An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning
Will not be blessed in the end.

22Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
Wait for the LORD, and He will save you.

23Differing weights are an abomination to the LORD,
And a false scale is not good.

24Man’s steps are ordained by the LORD,
How then can man understand his way?

25It is a trap for a man to say rashly, “It is holy!”
And after the vows to make inquiry.

26A wise king winnows the wicked,
And drives the threshing wheel over them.

27The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD,
Searching all the innermost parts of his being.

28Loyalty and truth preserve the king,
And he upholds his throne by righteousness.

29The glory of young men is their strength,
And the honor of old men is their gray hair.

30Stripes that wound scour away evil,
And strokes reach the innermost parts.

Each verse reveals deep truth. Be careful and patient as you read so as not to read so quickly that you miss considering how you should apply it in your life. We do well to come back to Proverbs often and read through the whole book over and over, perhaps one chapter every day. It is a wealth of wisdom for how we should relate to one another and how we should approach our own lives.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Do not rush through Proverbs. Take time to read or perhaps even read a second time. Think of each line. Pause. How does it apply in your life? Ask God to show you.

Proverbs 19

On Life and Conduct

     1Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

      2Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries his footsteps errs.

      3The foolishness of man ruins his way,
And his heart rages against the LORD.

      4Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.

      5A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who tells lies will not escape.

      6Many will seek the favor of a generous man,
And every man is a friend to him who gives gifts.

      7All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his friends abandon him!
He pursues them with words, but they are gone.

      8He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good.

      9A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who tells lies will perish.

      10Luxury is not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a slave to rule over princes.

      11A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.

      12The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like dew on the grass.

      13A foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.

      14House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the LORD.

      15Laziness casts into a deep sleep,
And an idle man will suffer hunger.

      16He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who is careless of conduct will die.

      17One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD,
And He will repay him for his good deed.

      18Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire his death.

      19A man of great anger will bear the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.

      20Listen to counsel and accept discipline,
That you may be wise the rest of your days.

      21Many plans are in a man’s heart,
But the counsel of the LORD will stand.

      22What is desirable in a man is his kindness,
And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.

      23The fear of the LORD leads to life,
So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

      24The sluggard buries his hand in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.

      25Strike a scoffer and the naive may become shrewd,
But reprove one who has understanding and he will gain knowledge.

      26He who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.

      27Cease listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

      28A rascally witness makes a mockery of justice,
And the mouth of the wicked spreads iniquity.

      29Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And blows for the back of fools.

Again I encourage you, do not rush through Proverbs. Take time to read or perhaps even read a second time. Think of each line. Pause. How does it apply in your life? Ask God to show you.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Let us delight in understanding and dwell thoughtfully and prayerfully on each verse. Ask the Spirit to help you focus any areas you need to take action on in your life.

Proverbs 18

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1He who separates himself seeks his own desire,
He quarrels against all sound wisdom.

      2A fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his own mind.

      3When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes,
And with dishonor comes scorn.

      4The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

      5To show partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment.

      6A fool’s lips bring strife,
And his mouth calls for blows.

      7A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.

      8The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.

      9He also who is slack in his work
Is brother to him who destroys.

      10The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is safe.

      11A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own imagination.

      12Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,
But humility goes before honor.

      13He who gives an answer before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.

      14The spirit of a man can endure his sickness,
But as for a broken spirit who can bear it?

      15The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

      16A man’s gift makes room for him
And brings him before great men.

      17The first to plead his case seems right,
Until another comes and examines him.

      18The cast lot puts an end to strife
And decides between the mighty ones.

      19A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.

      20With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.

      21Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

      22He who finds a wife finds a good thing
And obtains favor from the LORD.

      23The poor man utters supplications,
But the rich man answers roughly.

      24A man of too many friends comes to ruin,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

For Proverbs, it sometimes helps to go through it again. Pause between each verse or new thought. If you move to quickly, you won’t stop to think how it applies in your life still today.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Take time to consider the treasure of wisdom in Proverbs. Reflect prayerfully on how it applies in your life today.

Proverbs 17

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of feasting with strife.

      2A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
And will share in the inheritance among brothers.

      3The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But the LORD tests hearts.

      4An evildoer listens to wicked lips;
A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

      5He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker;
He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.

      6Grandchildren are the crown of old men,
And the glory of sons is their fathers.

      7Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool,
Much less are lying lips to a prince.

      8A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.

      9He who conceals a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.

      10A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool.

      11A rebellious man seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

      12Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.

      13He who returns evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.

      14The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.

      15He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

      16Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
When he has no sense?

      17A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.

      18A man lacking in sense pledges
And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.

      19He who loves transgression loves strife;
He who raises his door seeks destruction.

      20He who has a crooked mind finds no good,
And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil.

      21He who sires a fool does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.

      22A joyful heart is good medicine,
But a broken spirit dries up the bones.

      23A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom
To pervert the ways of justice.

      24Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

      25A foolish son is a grief to his father
And bitterness to her who bore him.

      26It is also not good to fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

      27He who restrains his words has knowledge,
And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

      28Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.