728.) Proverbs 19

Proverbs 19 (New International Version)

 ¹ Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.

² Desire without knowledge is not good—
how much more will hasty feet miss the way!

³ A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,
yet their heart rages against the LORD.

⁴ Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.

⁵ A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will not go free.

⁶ Many curry favor with a ruler,
and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.

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Music:

Scripture tells us that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).  So let us thank the Lord for all his good gifts to us!

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⁷ The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
how much more do their friends avoid them!
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
they are nowhere to be found.

⁸ The one who gets wisdom loves life;
the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will perish.

¹⁰ It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury—
how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

¹¹ A person’s wisdom yields patience;
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

Once I was visiting with my friend RK and relating an incident which had caused friction and ill will between a mutual friend and another person.  Our mutual friend was quite hurt and discouraged by what had happened, and frankly, the other person was clearly at fault.  RK said, “I know a way to prevent such things from ever happening.”  I was astonished at his remark — what inside information did he have? 

Then RK said,  “It is really quite simple.  Choose NOT to be offended.”

Choose NOT to be offended.  It has become a motto for me!  When people say the wrong thing, whether unthinkingly or deliberately, I say to myself, “If they are stupid, it is not my problem.  If they are trying to hurt me, I will deny them that satisfaction.  I choose NOT to be offended.”  And I let it go.  If someone does something which makes my life more difficult and I find myself getting knotted up about it, I remind myself, “Life is full of ups and downs.  Choose NOT to be offended and just get on with it.” And I stop the pity party.

1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”  In my youth I thought it meant that my love covered other people’s sins, particularly the people I liked and could be generous and forgiving towards.  Now I know it is God’s love that covers all our sins.  Only with Christ’s forgiveness can I live at all!  With that clearly in mind, then, I have found it easier and easier to take my friend’s advice and choose NOT to be offended.

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¹² A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³ A foolish child is a father’s ruin,
and a quarrelsome wife is like
the constant dripping of a leaky roof.

¹⁴ Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,
but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

¹⁵ Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless go hungry.

¹⁶ Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.

¹⁷ Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD,
and he will reward them for what they have done.

Proverbs 19:17 (King James Version)

He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

We are to give to the poor out of pity.  Not to be seen and applauded, much less to get influence over them; but out of pure sympathy and compassion we must give them help.  We must not expect to get anything back from the poor, not even gratitude; but we should regard what we have done as a loan to the Lord.  He undertakes the obligation, and, if we look to him in the matter, we must not look to the second party.  What an honor the Lord bestows upon us when he condescends to borrow of us!  That merchant is greatly favored who has the Lord on his books.  It would seem a pity to have such a name down for a paltry pittance; let us make it a heavy amount.  The next needy man that comes this way, let us help him.

–Charles Haddon Spurgeon

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¹⁸ Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to their death.

¹⁹ A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
rescue them, and you will have to do it again.

²⁰ Listen to advice and accept discipline,
and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

²¹ Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

²² What a person desires is unfailing love;
better to be poor than a liar.

²³ The fear of the LORD leads to life;
then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

²⁴ A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

Too tired to eat!

²⁵ Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge.

²⁶ Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother
is a child who brings shame and disgrace.

²⁷ Stop listening to instruction, my son,
and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸ A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

²⁹ Penalties are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.

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New International Version (NIV)   Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

Images courtesy of:

Proverbs 19:11.  http://www.christian-myspace-layouts.com/comments/thumbs/biblical-proverb-19-11-engraved-on-a-grey-tablet.jpg

Difficult to offend.  http://spiritsassandspunk.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/007.jpg

Proverbs 19:14.  http://www.dogwoodradiance.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/proverbs-19_14-copy1.jpg

approved.   http://stevenshomler.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/approved.png

Baby asleep in high chair.    http://www.mnn.com/sites/default/files/BabySleepEat_main_0307.jpg

689.) Proverbs 18

Proverbs 18 (English Standard Version)

¹Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.
²A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing his opinion.
³When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.

"Adam and Eve" by Peter Paul Rubens

“As soon as sin entered, shame followed.”

–Matthew Henry

Genesis 3:6-8 (Good News Translation)

The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he also ate it.  As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding and realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and covered themselves.

That evening they heard the Lord God walking in the garden, and they hid from him among the trees.

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⁴The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
⁵It is not good to be partial to the wicked
or to deprive the righteous of justice.
⁶A fool’s lips walk into a fight,
and his mouth invites a beating.

He who thinks by the inch and speaks by the yard deserves to be kicked by the foot!

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⁷ A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.
⁸ The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.

⁹Whoever is slack in his work
is a brother to him who destroys.
¹⁰ The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

¹¹ A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
and like a high wall in his imagination.
¹² Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.
¹³If one gives an answer before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.

The adage says, “God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason!  Listen twice as much as you speak!”

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¹⁴A man’s spirit will endure sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?
¹⁵An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
¹⁶A man’s gift makes room for him
and brings him before the great.

As an example . . .

What gifts were most frequently given to Nixon by foreign Heads of State?
Framed photographs, paintings and decorative household objects such as vases and figurines were some of the most popular gifts given to President Nixon. Many of the gifts that Richard Nixon received reflect the native crafts of the culture they represent. For example, gifts from Africa include carved ivory tusks, traditional wooden masks and African jewelry.

What was the most unusual gift that President Nixon received?
The gift of two giant pandas, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, were perhaps the most unique gifts ever given to a president. The pandas were a Head of State gift from the People’s Republic of China. They were given as a token of friendship in response to President Nixon’s goodwill trip to China in 1972.

What type of gifts did President Nixon give to foreign Heads of State on behalf of the United States of America?
President Nixon usually presented Heads of State with gifts made by American companies or with American themes. Typical gifts given include Franklin Mint limited edition medallions, Ansel Adams prints depicting America’s national parks, Boehm porcelain figurines, and collector’s plates with reproductions of American artist Winslow Homer’s artwork. In addition, President Nixon often gave a framed photograph of his family to foreign Heads of State.

– from the Nixon Archives

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¹⁷The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.
¹⁸ The lot puts an end to quarrels
and decides between powerful contenders.
¹⁹A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
²⁰ From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.

Proverbs 18:20 (Good News Translation)

You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say.

Proverbs 18:20 (The Message)

Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach;
   good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest.

Proverbs 18:20 (Contemporary English Version)

Make your words good–

   you will be glad you did.

²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.
²²He who finds a wife finds a good thing
and obtains favor from the LORD.

(Guys — Today would be a good day to tell her how much you appreciate her!)

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²³The poor use entreaties,
but the rich answer roughly.
²⁴A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Luke 7:31-35 (New International Version)

Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?  They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

   “‘We played the pipe for you,
   and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
   and you did not cry.’

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’  But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

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Music:

So many of the verses in this chapter speak to the words we speak.  Here is Tim Hughes with “May the Words of My Mouth.”

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart
Bless Your name, bless Your name, Jesus
And the deeds of the day and the truth in my ways
Speak of You, speak of You, Jesus

For this is what I’m glad to do
It’s time to live a life of love that pleases You
And I will give my all to You
Surrender everything I have and follow You
I’ll follow You

Lord, will You be my vision, Lord, will You be my guide
Be my hope, be my light and the way
And I’ll look not for riches, nor praises on earth
Only You’ll be the first of my heart

I will follow
I will follow
I will follow You

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Simple Secrets of the Kingdom
Study 3 – The Creation of Man in the Image of God

In our last study, we learned that God created in Genesis by event and process.  God uses the same methods to create new life in us daily.   It is God’s Word that makes this change take place.  In today’s study we will see how God’s Word gives us dignity because we are created in His image.  We will also see the conflicts that this identity creates for us because we are in the world.  Click here for AUDIO or VIDEO.

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English Standard Version (ESV)   The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Images courtesy of:

A person’s words . . .   http://clarke-family.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Proverbs-18_4-1.jpg

Rubens.   https://www.myartprints.co.uk/kunst/noartist/p/p_p_rubens__adam_and_eve.jpg

ruler.   http://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/293609546/12_inch_18_inch_Wooden_Ruler.jpg

gossip.  http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l9ria4862R1qa7ieoo1_500.jpg

strong tower.   http://earnestlycontending.com/LUJesus/wp-content/gallery/proverbs/Prov18-10b.jpg

2 ears 1 mouth.    http://pictomins.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/2-ears-1-mouth.png?w=450

Nixon.  http://prmanwithus.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/president-nixon.jpg

Thank you.  http://rlv.zcache.com/soft_red_rose_thank_you_cards-p137442045531177021qiae_400.jpg

673.) Proverbs 17

"Bread and Water" by Steve Lyon-Bowes

Proverbs 17 (The Message)

A Whack on the Head of a Fool

¹ A meal of bread and water in contented peace
is better than a banquet spiced with quarrels.

² A wise servant takes charge of an unruly child
and is honored as one of the family.

³ As silver in a crucible and gold in a pan,
so our lives are assayed by God.

⁴ Evil people relish malicious conversation;
the ears of liars itch for dirty gossip.

⁵ Whoever mocks poor people insults their Creator;
gloating over misfortune is a punishable crime.

⁶ Old people are distinguished by grandchildren;
children take pride in their parents.

⁷ We don’t expect eloquence from fools,
nor do we expect lies from our leaders.

⁸ Receiving a gift is like getting a rare gemstone;
any way you look at it, you see beauty refracted.

⁹ Overlook an offense and bond a friendship;
fasten on to a slight and—good-bye, friend!

¹⁰ A quiet rebuke to a person of good sense
does more than a whack on the head of a fool.

¹¹ Criminals out looking for nothing but trouble
won’t have to wait long—they’ll meet it coming and going!

¹² Better to meet a grizzly robbed of her cubs
than a fool hellbent on folly.

¹³ Those who return evil for good
will meet their own evil returning.

¹⁴ The start of a quarrel is like a leak in a dam,
so stop it before it bursts.

¹⁵ Whitewashing bad people and throwing mud on good people
are equally abhorrent to God.

¹⁶ What’s this? Fools out shopping for wisdom!
They wouldn’t recognize it if they saw it!

 ¹⁷ Friends love through all kinds of weather,
   and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.

¹⁸ It’s stupid to try to get something for nothing,
or run up huge bills you can never pay.

¹⁹ The person who courts sin marries trouble;
build a wall, invite a burglar.

²⁰ A bad motive can’t achieve a good end;
double-talk brings you double trouble.

²¹ Having a fool for a child is misery;
it’s no fun being the parent of a dolt.

 ²² A cheerful disposition is good for your health;
   gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.

²³ The wicked take bribes under the table;
they show nothing but contempt for justice.

²⁴ The perceptive find wisdom in their own front yard;
fools look for it everywhere but right here.

²⁵ A surly, stupid child is sheer pain to a father,
a bitter pill for a mother to swallow.

²⁶ It’s wrong to penalize good behavior,
or make good citizens pay for the crimes of others.

²⁷ The one who knows much says little;
an understanding person remains calm.

²⁸ Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise;
as long as they keep their mouths shut, they’re smart.

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt.”

–Abraham Lincoln

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Music:

I am a Johnny Cash fan — and I bet some of you are, too!  Verse 19 (The person who courts sin marries trouble)  reminded me of a Cash classic:  “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.”   This is a hopeful song, I think — God will cut you down to lead you to redemption in Christ.

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The Message (MSG)   Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Images courtesy of:

Lyon-Bowes.    http://www.paintingsilove.com/image/show/178473/bread-and-water

grandpa and grandsons.     http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/MONEY/Pix/pictures/2010/10/15/1287147430998/grandfather-grandchildren-006.jpg

leaky dam.   http://www.bayviewbaptist.org/clientimages/21617/leaking_dam_op_800x1066.jpg

A friend loves at all times.   http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DoAT9IFBTqA/Shxq-60merI/AAAAAAAAD34/CQ1_FIEZbpY/s400/friend_daisy.jpg

A cheerful heart is good medicine.    http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1108/567439661_3caa76cea8.jpg

Abraham Lincoln.   http://www.historyplace.com/lincoln/lincpix/last.jpg

645.) Proverbs 16

Proverbs 16 (New International Version)

 ¹ To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue.

² All a person’s ways seem pure to them,
but motives are weighed by the LORD.

from Experiencing God Day-by-Day,
by Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby

GOD WEIGHS YOUR MOTIVES

How quick we are to question the motives of others, yet we are so slow to question our own!  When others harm us, we may assume the worst of intentions.  When we are guilty, we often excuse our offenses, concluding that others are far too sensitive!  Regardless of how we monitor our motives, God weighs them in His scales of righteousness.  It is futile to try to deceive God with our pious justifications, for He sees our hearts.

Is it possible to do the right thing for the wrong reason?  Of course!  You can attend worship services with a heart that is far from worshipful (Isaiah 1:10-17).  Could you show concern for the poor and yet have a heart that is opposed to God?  Judas did (John 12:4-8).  Could you make bold statements of love for Christ and actually be aiding the work of Satan?  Peter did (Matthew 16:21-23).  Could you offer sacrifices to God and be in total disobedience to Him?  King Saul did (1 Samuel 13:8-9).  Could you pray with the wrong motives?  James said you can (James 4:3).

Many things cause us to do what we do.  We can be motivated by good things, such as love for God, compassion, generosity, and faith.  Or our actions can come from unhealthy motives such as pride, insecurity, ambition, lust, greed, guilt, anger, fear, and hurt.  It is even possible to do the best things based on the worst motives.  When the Lord measures our motives He looks for one thing:  love.  All that we do should proceed from our love for God and for others (1 Corinthians 13).  Take time to look past your actions to what lies behind them.  Ask God to show you what He sees when He examines your motives.

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³ Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.

⁴ The LORD works out everything to its proper end—
even the wicked for a day of disaster.

⁵ The LORD detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

When a man is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package.
~ John Ruskin

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⁶ Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the LORD evil is avoided.

⁷ When the LORD takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace with them.

⁸ Better a little with righteousness
than much gain with injustice.

⁹ In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the LORD establishes their steps.

There is a phrase in Jewish oral tradition that says, “May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi.”  The idea was that if a disciple walked behind his rabbi on the dusty roads, he would get covered in his dust.  In other words, you were following him so closely, to be so much like him, that you were glorified to be covered with the dust he left behind. That is how close a disciple wanted to be to his rabbi.  That is how the Lord can establish our steps.

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¹⁰ The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.

¹¹ Honest scales and balances belong to the LORD;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.

¹² Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.

¹³ Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.

¹⁴ A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
but the wise will appease it.

¹⁵ When a king’s face brightens, it means life;
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.

¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to get insight rather than silver!

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Music:

1 Corinthians 1:30 (New Living Translation) says,  God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself.  So when we have Jesus, we get his wisdom.  And his truth, for he is the truth (and the way and the life).  And his peace, for he is the Prince of peace.  And his love, for God is love.  He is all we need, for all eternity.  “Give Me Jesus”  by Fernando Ortega.

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¹⁷ The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.

Jesus Christ is a God whom we approach without pride, and before whom we humble ourselves without despair.
~ Blaise Pascal

¹⁹ Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.

²⁰ Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,
and blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD.

²¹ The wise in heart are called discerning,
and gracious words promote instruction.

²² Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,
but folly brings punishment to fools.

²³ The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,
and their lips promote instruction.

²⁴ Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

“That buzzing-noise means something. If there’s a buzzing noise, somebody’s making a buzzing-noise, and the only reason for making a buzzing-noise that I know of is because you’re a bee. …. And the only reason for being a bee that I know of is making honey….. And the only reason for making honey is so as I can eat it.”  So he began to climb the tree.

–Winnie the Pooh

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²⁵ There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.

²⁶ The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.

²⁷ A scoundrel plots evil,
and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.

James 3:6 (New Living Translation)

And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.

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²⁸ A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.

²⁹ A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.

³⁰ Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.

³¹ Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained in the way of righteousness.

A test of a people is how it behaves toward the old.  It is easy to love children.  Even tyrants and dictators make a point of being fond of children.  But the affection and care for the old, the incurable, the helpless are the true gold mines of a culture.

–Abraham J. Heschel

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³² Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.

³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the LORD.

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New International Version (NIV)   Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

Images courtesy of:

Proverbs 16:3.  http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AeLAKdA9VPc/TfoWt3lKfOI/AAAAAAAAF4s/irhfeoqEb_I/s1600/proverbs+16+3.jpg

Power . . . and other motives.    http://uploads.ronitbaras.com/2010/09/image9.png

small package.    http://www.visualphotos.com/photo/2×4315943/man_holding_out_small_gift_box_focus_on_foreground_faa036000175.jpg

feet.   http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7dAPXD4kC1M/TcR53VaYLeI/AAAAAAAACto/9YecAMc5OLE/s1600/jesusfeet3.jpg

truth.   http://propheticalert.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/the-truth-will-set-you-free.jpg

Proverbs 16:20.   http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6iifp1LS9ng/TOKcFtsAWyI/AAAAAAAAAJI/kGVZdxeE0Z0/s1600/proverbs16_20.jpg

Winnie the Pooh.    http://xlithiumx.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/winnie_the_pooh.jpg

tongue on fire.    http://files.blog-city.com/files/J05/86734/p/f/burn_mouth.jpg

old man.  http://www.southglos.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E797C0DC-10E4-413F-855B-86A02D1A23A2/0/000001559675web.jpg

520.) Proverbs 15

Even monkeys know to "Speak no evil!" Proverbs 15 has long been a chapter I turn to, since so often when I get into trouble, it is because of something (unwise, unkind, unnecessary) that I said. Here are many recommendations for how to keep a guard on your mouth and in so doing, lead a life that honors God and doesn't offend others.

Proverbs 15 (The Message)

God Doesn’t Miss a Thing

¹ A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.

² Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise;
fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.

³ God doesn’t miss a thing—
he’s alert to good and evil alike.

Oh, be careful, little eyes, what you see,
Oh, be careful, little eyes, what you see,
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love,
So be careful, little eyes, what you see.

Oh, be careful, little ears, what you hear,
Oh, be careful, little ears, what you hear,
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love,
So be careful, little ears, what you hear.

Oh, be careful, little hands what you do,
Oh, be careful, little hands what you do,
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love,
So, be careful, little hands what you do

Oh,  be careful, little feet, where you go,
Oh, be careful, little feet, where you go,
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love,
So be careful, little feet, where you go.

Oh, be careful, little mouth, what you say,
Oh, be careful, little mouth, what you say,
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love,
So be careful, little mouth, what you say.

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⁴ Kind words heal and help;
cutting words wound and maim.

⁵ Moral dropouts won’t listen to their elders;
welcoming correction is a mark of good sense.

"A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence." (verse 5, NIV)

⁶ The lives of God-loyal people flourish;
a misspent life is soon bankrupt.

⁷ Perceptive words spread knowledge;
fools are hollow—there’s nothing to them.

⁸ God can’t stand pious poses,
but he delights in genuine prayers.

⁹ A life frittered away disgusts God;
he loves those who run straight for the finish line.

¹⁰ It’s a school of hard knocks for those who leave God’s path,
a dead-end street for those who hate God’s rules.

¹¹ Even hell holds no secrets from God—
do you think he can’t read human hearts?

Life Ascends to the Heights

¹² Know-it-alls don’t like being told what to do;
they avoid the company of wise men and women.

¹³ A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face;
a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day.

¹⁴ An intelligent person is always eager to take in more truth;
fools feed on fast-food fads and fancies.

¹⁵ A miserable heart means a miserable life;
a cheerful heart fills the day with song.

¹⁶ A simple life in the Fear-of-God
is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches.

¹⁷ Better a bread crust shared in love
than a slab of prime rib served in hate.

"Better a meal of vegetables where there is love, than a fattened calf with hatred." (verse 17, NIV)

¹⁸ Hot tempers start fights;
a calm, cool spirit keeps the peace.

¹⁹ The path of lazy people is overgrown with briers;
the diligent walk down a smooth road.

²⁰ Intelligent children make their parents proud;
lazy students embarrass their parents.

²¹ The empty-headed treat life as a plaything;
the perceptive grasp its meaning and make a go of it.

²² Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail;
take good counsel and watch them succeed.

²³ Congenial conversation—what a pleasure!
The right word at the right time—beautiful!

²⁴ Life ascends to the heights for the thoughtful—
it’s a clean about-face from descent into hell.

²⁵ God smashes the pretensions of the arrogant;
he stands with those who have no standing.

²⁶ God can’t stand evil scheming,
but he puts words of grace and beauty on display.

²⁷ A greedy and grasping person destroys community;
those who refuse to exploit live and let live.

²⁸ Prayerful answers come from God-loyal people;
the wicked are sewers of abuse.

²⁹ God keeps his distance from the wicked;
he closely attends to the prayers of God-loyal people.

“I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time– waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God– it changes me.” 
–C.S. Lewis (Shadowlands)

³⁰ A twinkle in the eye means joy in the heart,
and good news makes you feel fit as a fiddle.

³¹ Listen to good advice if you want to live well,
an honored guest among wise men and women.

³² An undisciplined, self-willed life is puny;
an obedient, God-willed life is spacious.

³³ Fear-of-God is a school in skilled living—
first you learn humility, then you experience glory.

from Morning and Evening,
by Charles H. Spurgeon

Humiliation of soul always brings a positive blessing with it. If we empty our hearts of self God will fill them with His love. He who desires close communion with Christ should remember the word of the Lord, “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word.” Stoop if you would climb to heaven. Do we not say of Jesus, “He descended that He might ascend”? So must you. You must grow downwards, that you may grow upwards; for the sweetest fellowship with heaven is to be had by humble souls, and by them alone. God will deny no blessing to a thoroughly humbled spirit. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” with all its riches and treasures. The whole exchequer of God shall be made over by deed of gift to the soul which is humble enough to be able to receive it without growing proud because of it.

_________________________

Music:

“That’s Why We Praise Him”  sung by Lisa Bevill.

_________________________

Simple Secrets of the kingdom
Study 13 — The Battle inside Yourself

Since God is at work in us, why do we not change completely over time?  The reason is that the “old and unimproved” self is enslaved to ungodly habits, and keeps fighting with the “new and improved” person who is inside us.  The battle for a life of fruitful living in Jesus continues until we die.  In today’s study, Paul draws the battle zone between the old me, the flesh, and the new me, the inmost self. The daily solution to the battle is to get help from the only one who can strengthen our inmost self, Jesus Christ.  Click here for AUDIO or VIDEO.

_________________________

The Message (MSG)  Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Images courtesy of:

three monkeys.     http://pressvision.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/hear-no-evil-speak-no-evil-photo.jpg

little girl with big brown eyes.     http://cdn.elev8.com/files//2009/08/baby-with-big-brown-eyes-300×300.jpg

Don’t be a fool . . .     http://rfiles.thebowmans.us/Images/Scriptures/Proverbs/Proverbs15_5.jpg

The lips of the wise . . .    http://censaydesigns.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/Proverbs_15-7.240210814_std.png

A cheerful heart . . .      http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_k_0tVV1FpVU/S736bVejtvI/AAAAAAAAA_o/0pdJBb85gBU/s1600/proverbs-15-15.jpg

vegetables.     http://www.jacksonfarmersmarketgrill.com/vegetable-platter_1.jpg

A word fitly spoken . . .    http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/drewsfamilytx/othersuchhappenings/proverbs25-11.jpg

humility.    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9S-IMzFDIuY/TatVTGDfB9I/AAAAAAAABEk/pDmJT3Ud9nM/s1600/Humility-BlanchardBySG.jpg

495.) Proverbs 14

“Let nothing disturb thee; Let nothing dismay thee; All thing pass; God never changes. Patience attains All that it strives for. He who has God Finds he lacks nothing: God alone suffices.” --wisdom from St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

Proverbs 14

(Contemporary English Version)

Wisdom Makes Good Sense

¹A woman’s family

is held together

by her wisdom,

but it can be destroyed

by her foolishness.

²By living right, you show

that you respect the LORD;

by being deceitful, you show

that you despise him.

³Proud fools are punished

for their stupid talk,

but sensible talk

can save your life.

⁴Without the help of an ox

there can be no crop,

but with a strong ox

a big crop is possible.

⁵An honest witness

tells the truth;

a dishonest witness

tells nothing but lies.

Don’t ask a man for a vow.  If he has integrity, that’s enough.  If he lacks integrity, no vow can bind him.

–Moishe Rosen, the founder of Jews for Jesus

_________________________

⁶Make fun of wisdom,

and you will never find it.

But if you have understanding,

knowledge comes easily.

⁷Stay away from fools,

or you won’t learn a thing.

⁸Wise people have enough sense

to find their way,

but stupid fools get lost.

 

Yes, that just might be me! -- (metaphorically speaking!).

⁹Fools don’t care

if they are wrong,

but God is pleased

when people do right.

¹⁰No one else can really know

how sad or happy you are.

¹¹The tent of a good person

stands longer

than the house

of someone evil.

¹²You may think you are

on the right road

and still end up dead.

Well, if it comes to that, I guess I would rather be dead on the right road than on the wrong one!

“We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road…”

– C.S. Lewis in  Mere Christianity

_________________________

¹³Sorrow may hide

behind laughter,

and happiness may end

in sorrow.

¹⁴You harvest what you plant,

whether good or bad.

¹⁵Don’t be stupid

and believe all you hear;

be smart and know

where you are headed.

¹⁶Only a stupid fool

is never cautious–

so be extra careful

and stay out of trouble.

¹⁷Fools have quick tempers,

and no one likes you

if you can’t be trusted.

¹⁸Stupidity leads to foolishness;

be smart and learn.

¹⁹The wicked will come crawling

to those who obey God.

²⁰You have no friends

if you are poor,

but you have lots of friends

if you are rich.

²¹It’s wrong to hate others,

but God blesses everyone

who is kind to the poor.

“Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely, and the unwanted according to the graces we have received, and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.”

– Mother Teresa of Calcutta

_________________________

²²It’s a mistake

to make evil plans,

but you will have loyal friends

if you want to do right.

²³Hard work is worthwhile,

but empty talk

will make you poor.

²⁴Wisdom can make you rich,

but foolishness leads

to more foolishness.

²⁵An honest witness

can save your life,

but liars can’t be trusted.

Liars, when they speak the truth, are not believed.

–Aristotle

_________________________

²⁶If you respect the LORD,

you and your children

have a strong fortress

²⁷and a life-giving fountain

that keeps you safe

from deadly traps.

²⁸Rulers of powerful nations

are held in honor;

rulers of weak nations

are nothing at all.

²⁹It’s smart to be patient,

but it’s stupid

to lose your temper.

If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.

–Chinese proverb

He that can have patience, can have what he will.

–Benjamin Franklin

All human wisdom is summed up in two words—hope and wait.

–Alexander Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

_________________________

³⁰It’s healthy to be content,

but envy can eat you up.

Envy is the art of counting the other fellow’s blessings instead of your own.

–Harold Coffin

_________________________

³¹If you mistreat the poor,

you insult your Creator;

if you are kind to them,

you show him respect.

³²In times of trouble

the wicked are destroyed,

but even at death

the innocent have faith.

³³Wisdom is found in the minds

of people with good sense,

but fools don’t know it.

_________________________

Music:

The wise, innocent ones have learned, in the reading of the Word and the living of the life of faith, the difference between what is important and what is not, between what is eternal and what is temporal, between what is “something” and what is “nothing.”

Craig Morgan and “This Ain’t Nothin’.”

_________________________

³⁴Doing right brings honor

to a nation,

but sin brings disgrace.

³⁵Kings reward servants

who act wisely,

but they punish those

who act foolishly.

_________________________

Next book:  the story of Jesus, the way MARK told it!  We will be going through the Gospel of Mark chapter by chapter, day by day.  I encourage you to share DWELLING with a friend and read through the oldest, shortest gospel together!

_________________________

Simple Secrets of the Kingdom
Study 4 – The Trouble with Man

This study shows us that we do hear other voices in the world. The voice of the Bible is the voice of reality.  The serpent’s lies begin with “if” or “what if.”  When we listen to and follow the voice of the serpent (the devil) we are cut off from the Word of life. Click here for  AUDIO or  VIDEO.

_________________________

Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society

Images courtesy of:

colorful church.     http://sequentialthought.com/sitebuilder/images/18-447×447.jpg

integrity.    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VG8ZK0YYH6g/TVV7F2GWkfI/AAAAAAAAALA/QT18Fbkk8cQ/s1600/bible_scriptures_on_trust_and_integrity_business_card-p2407182133128116734j5c_400.jpg

lost.    http://photos.travelblog.org/Photos/24813/103071/t/681559-When-getting-lost-is-worth-it-0.jpg

right way, wrong way.    http://ontherightroad.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/RightWayWrongWaySign.jpg

Kind hearts are the garden . . .   http://www.joyfulheartsfarm.com/graphics/fruittree.gif

verse 17.    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6iifp1LS9ng/TN-v9X8chMI/AAAAAAAAAIM/Nt3nbQvJVEE/s1600/Proverbs14_17.jpg

Mother Teresa.    http://www.turnbacktogod.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/mother-teresa-pics-0101.jpg

The Boy who cried Wolf. http://www.2littlegirls.co.za/book_pics/Cried%20Wolf.jpg

patient chickens.    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j4yNrKPIwFY/TIo-pqWZTTI/AAAAAAAAAKI/ugkIhLK2rtk/s320/patient.jpg

envy.    http://www.psychologytoday.com/files/u203/Envy.jpg

the Gospel of Mark.    http://www.christchurchmesa.org/wp2/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/The-Gospel-of-Mark.jpg

326.) Proverbs 13

Proverbs 13:12

Proverbs 13 (The Message)

Walk with the Wise

¹ Intelligent children listen to their parents;
foolish children do their own thing.

Don’t these “foolish children” remind you of the book of Judges? –  “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

_________________________

² The good acquire a taste for helpful conversation;
bullies push and shove their way through life.

³ Careful words make for a careful life;
careless talk may ruin everything.

⁴ Indolence wants it all and gets nothing;
the energetic have something to show for their lives.

⁵ A good person hates false talk;
a bad person wallows in gibberish.

⁶ A God-loyal life keeps you on track;
sin dumps the wicked in the ditch.

(See song below . . . )

⁷ A pretentious, showy life is an empty life;
a plain and simple life is a full life.

Let me hold lightly things of this earth:
Transient treasures, what are they worth?
Moths can corrupt them, rust can decay;
All their bright beauty fades in a day.
Let me hold lightly temporal things —
I, who am deathless, I, who wear wings.

Let me hold fast, Lord, things of the skies;
Quicken my vision, open my eyes!
Show me Thy riches, glory and grace,
Boundless as time is, endless as space.
Let me hold lightly things that are mine —
Lord, Thou hast given me all that is Thine!

–Martha S. Nicholson

_________________________

⁸ The rich can be sued for everything they have,
but the poor are free of such threats.

⁹ The lives of good people are brightly lit streets;
the lives of the wicked are dark alleys.

(See song below . . . )

¹⁰ Arrogant know-it-alls stir up discord,
but wise men and women listen to each other’s counsel.

¹¹ Easy come, easy go,
but steady diligence pays off.

¹² Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick,
but a sudden good break can turn life around.

Proverbs 13:12 (English Standard Version)

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

Dream Deferred
a poem by Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore–
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over–
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

_________________________

¹³ Ignore the Word and suffer;
honor God’s commands and grow rich.

¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
so, no more drinking from death-tainted wells!

¹⁵ Sound thinking makes for gracious living,
but liars walk a rough road.

_________________________

Music:

“Liars walk a rough road” — sounds like a country music song, doesn’t it?!  Here is Garth Brooks singing about a liar whose road is just about to get rougher — “The Thunder Rolls.”  The song was released in 1991.

Three thirty in the morning
Not a soul in sight
The city’s looking like a ghost town
On a moonless summer night
Raindrops on the windshield
There’s a storm moving in
He’s heading back from somewhere
That he never should have been
And the thunder rolls
And the thunder rolls

Every light is burning
In a house across town
She’s pacing by the telephone
In her faded flannel gown
Asking for miracle
Hoping she’s not right
Praying it’s the weather
That’s kept him out all night
And the thunder rolls
And the thunder rolls

The thunder rolls
And the lightning strikes
Another love grows cold
On a sleepless night
As the storm blows on
Out of control
Deep in her heart
The thunder rolls

She’s waiting by the window
When he pulls into the drive
She rushes out to hold him
Thankful he’s alive
But on the wind and rain
A strange new perfume blows
And the lightning flashes in her eyes
And he knows that she knows
And the thunder rolls
And the thunder rolls

The thunder rolls
And the lightning strikes
Another love grows cold and dark
On a sleepless night
As the storm blows on
Out of control
Deep in her heart
The thunder rolls

She runs back down the hallway
And through the bedroom door
She reaches for the pistol
Kept in the dresser drawer
Tells the lady in the mirror
He won’t do this again
Cause tonight will be the last time
She’ll wonder where he’s been

_________________________

¹⁶ A commonsense person lives good sense;
fools litter the country with silliness.

¹⁷ Irresponsible talk makes a real mess of things,
but a reliable reporter is a healing presence.

¹⁸ Refuse discipline and end up homeless;
embrace correction and live an honored life.

¹⁹ Souls who follow their hearts thrive;
fools bent on evil despise matters of soul.

(See song above . . .)

²⁰ Become wise by walking with the wise;

Only a few of my favorite “wise ones” I have walked with, ones who have shaped me:

Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre is my favorite redemption story.  I read it every year.

C. S. Lewis. Till We Have Faces has taught me much about true and false love, and how often we call our self-serving pride “love.”

Leo Tolstoy. Anna Karenina speaks so clearly to the consequences of choosing to serve self or choosing to serve others.

Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird — to stand up for what is right, against what your friends think, no matter the cost.

William Golding. Lord of the Flies.  A great gift to anyone who believes humans are innately good.

O. E. Rolvaag. Giants in the Earth gave me a deep respect for the faith and the courage of the pioneers.

Fyodor Dostoevsky. Crime and Punishment is a penetrating study of the human soul when facing sin.  Eat and sleep before you start reading because it is impossible to put down.

Dr. Seuss. On Beyond Zebra, because “now I know in part.”

Madeleine L’Engle. A Wrinkle in Time displays the greatness of creation, the love of God, the reward of loyalty to what is true and good.  I believe every middle school child should read this book!

Dominique Lapierre. The City of Joy confronted me with staggering human brokenness and suffering, juxtaposed with a love that willingly serves others.

Now –  please share with me and our DWELLING community some of the “wise ones” you have walked with!

_________________________

hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.

(See song above . . . )

²¹ Disaster entraps sinners,
but God-loyal people get a good life.

²² A good life gets passed on to the grandchildren;

A mother becomes a true grandmother the day she stops noticing the terrible things her children do because she is so enchanted with the wonderful things her grandchildren do.
~ Lois Wyse

My mother said, Don’t worry about what people think now. Think about whether your children and grandchildren will think you’ve done well.
~ Lord Mountbatten

Grandchildren:  the only people who can get more out of you than the IRS.
~ Gene Perret

_________________________

ill-gotten wealth ends up with good people.

²³ Banks foreclose on the farms of the poor,
or else the poor lose their shirts to crooked lawyers.

²⁴ A refusal to correct is a refusal to love;
love your children by disciplining them.

_________________________

Ephesians 6:4 (New International Version)

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

_________________________

²⁵ An appetite for good brings much satisfaction,
but the belly of the wicked always wants more.

_________________________

THE TEXTS, OTHER THAN THE SCRIPTURE REFERENCES, ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT AND/OR OTHER APPLICABLE LAW. ANY USE OF THE WORK OTHER THAN AS AUTHORIZED UNDER AN APPROPRIATE LICENSE OR COPYRIGHT LAW IS PROHIBITED.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Images courtesy of:

verse 12.    http://www.thefinalharvest.org/art/proverbs13-12%20with%20verse%20no%20shadow.jpg

It’s all about me.     http://happybunny.orbitearthstores.com/images/AllAboutMeLarge.jpg

verse 4.     http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2104/1747477155_ff5c48cbdf.jpg

Rolex watch.    http://www.brandtrading.net/pic/2008416225361.jpg

tree of life.    http://emmeleia88.free.fr/tyran/tree-of-life.jpg

books on a shelf.    http://acplteens.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/classic-books.jpg

grandparents with grandchild.     http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01371/grandparents_1371795c.jpg

father scolding son.     http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KNWH2MDBIW0/S8Rsh0AT7dI/AAAAAAAAA14/ToO96K1Y4w8/s400/discipline.jpg

303.) Proverbs 12

Proverbs 12 (The Message)

If You Love Learning

¹ If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it—
how shortsighted to refuse correction!

He who opens a school door, closes a prison.

Victor Hugo — French novelist, statesman, human rights activist (1802 – 1885)

_________________________

² A good person basks in the delight of God,
and he wants nothing to do with devious schemers.

³ You can’t find firm footing in a swamp,
but life rooted in God stands firm.

⁴ A hearty wife invigorates her husband,
but a frigid woman is cancer in the bones.

happy couple: a wife with a good heart and a husband who loves her!

Eve was not taken from Adam’s head, because she was not intended to be his ruler . . . nor from his feet either, because she was not intended to be his slave . . . but from his side, precisely, because she was intended to be his companion.

_________________________

⁵ The thinking of principled people makes for justice;
the plots of degenerates corrupt.

⁶ The words of the wicked kill;
the speech of the upright saves.

⁷ Wicked people fall to pieces—there’s nothing to them;
the homes of good people hold together.

2 Peter 2:9 (English Standard Version)

The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.

_________________________

⁸ A person who talks sense is honored;
airheads are held in contempt.

⁹ Better to be ordinary and work for a living
than act important and starve in the process.

¹⁰ Good people are good to their animals;
the “good-hearted” bad people kick and abuse them.

Have you seen this? Frisbee Dog Golf! (Naw -- only photoshopped!)

¹¹ The one who stays on the job has food on the table;
the witless chase whims and fancies.

¹² What the wicked construct finally falls into ruin,
while the roots of the righteous give life, and more life.

Wise People Take Advice

¹³ The gossip of bad people gets them in trouble;
the conversation of good people keeps them out of it.

¹⁴ Well-spoken words bring satisfaction;
well-done work has its own reward.

Tulips in a couple of the one thousand acres of Longwood Gardens, PA.

Kind hearts are the garden,
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the blossoms,
Kind deeds are the fruits.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow — American poet (1807 – 1882)

_________________________

¹⁵ Fools are headstrong and do what they like;
wise people take advice.

¹⁶ Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly;
the prudent quietly shrug off insults.

¹⁷ Truthful witness by a good person clears the air,
but liars lay down a smoke screen of deceit.

¹⁸ Rash language cuts and maims,
but there is healing in the words of the wise.

HEALING WORDS

The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love.
– Hubert H. Humphrey

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing… not healing, not curing… that is a friend who cares.
– Henri Nouwen

The miracles of the church seem to me to rest not so much upon faces or voices or healing power coming suddenly near to us from afar off, but upon our perceptions being made finer, so that for a moment our eyes can see and our ears can hear what is there about us always.
– Willa Cather

You don’t have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.
– C.S. Lewis

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
– Philippians 4:8  (King James Version)

_________________________

¹⁹ Truth lasts;
lies are here today, gone tomorrow.

²⁰ Evil scheming distorts the schemer;
peace-planning brings joy to the planner.

²¹ No evil can overwhelm a good person,
but the wicked have their hands full of it.

²² God can’t stomach liars;
he loves the company of those who keep their word.

²³ Prudent people don’t flaunt their knowledge;
talkative fools broadcast their silliness.

²⁴ The diligent find freedom in their work;
the lazy are oppressed by work.

It is possible to fail in many ways. . . while to succeed is possible only in one way.

Aristotle — Greek critic, philosopher, physicist, zoologist (384 BC – 322 BC)

_________________________

²⁵ Worry weighs us down;
a cheerful word picks us up.

²⁶ A good person survives misfortune,
but a wicked life invites disaster.

²⁷ A lazy life is an empty life,
but “early to rise” gets the job done.

Early to bed, and early to rise,
Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

Benjamin Franklin — author, printer, politician, scientist, inventor, diplomat (1706-1790)

_________________________

²⁸ Good men and women travel right into life;
sin’s detours take you straight to hell.

_________________________

Music:

The Gandhi quote at the top of the page has really stayed with me, perhaps because I have had a couple deaths in my circle of friends recently: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow.  Learn as if you were to live forever.”

Tim McGraw sings some of the same thoughts in his “Live Like You Were Dying,” a song which won the County Music Song of the Year for 2004.

(The end of the music video shows the clip where Tim’s father, Tug McGraw, pitched the final strike for the 1980 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies, which, at the time, was the team’s only World Series Championship. The elder McGraw died of a brain tumor in early 2004.)

He said I was in my early forties
With a lot of life before me
When a moment came that stopped me on a dime
I spent most of the next days
Looking at the x-rays
Talking about the options, talking ’bout sweet time

And I asked him when it sank in
That this might really be the real end
How’s it hit ya’ get that kind of news
Man, what’d you do (he said)

I went sky diving
I went rocky mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds
On a bull named FuManChu. And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
And gave forgiveness I’d been denying
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dying

He said I was finally the husband
That most the time I wasn’t
I became a friend a friend would like to have
And all ‘a sudden going fishin’
Wasn’t such an impostition
And I went three time that year I lost my dad

And I finally read the good book
And I took a good long hard look
At what I’d do if I could do it all
again….. and then

I went sky diving
I went rocky mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds
On a bull named FuManChu
And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
And gave forgiveness I’d been denying
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dying

Like tomorrow was a gift
And you’ve got eternity to think about
What you’d do with it
What did you do with it
What did I do with it
What would I do with it

sky divin,
n’ I went rocky mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds
On a bull named FumanChu
And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
And I watched an eagle as it was flying
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dying
To live like you were dying
To live like you were dying

_________________________

THE TEXTS, OTHER THAN THE SCRIPTURE REFERENCES, ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT AND/OR OTHER APPLICABLE LAW. ANY USE OF THE WORK OTHER THAN AS AUTHORIZED UNDER AN APPROPRIATE LICENSE OR COPYRIGHT LAW IS PROHIBITED.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Images courtesy of:

school-apple.    http://extraordinarymomsnetwork.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/apple-school.jpg

dear friends Sonja and Johan Hinderlie.    http://lh6.ggpht.com/_wwHflP16Wm8/SlgCGi-f0OI/AAAAAAAAES8/EOHXusOYupU/s288/100_4460.jpg

search and rescue.    http://www.refugeministry.net/wp-content/uploads/search-and-rescue7.jpg

frisbee dog golf.     http://www.wickedfishgraphics.com/images/category111/Frisbee%20Dog%20Golf.jpg

Longwood Gardens.    http://www.appraisaltrend.com/xSites/Appraisers/AppraisalTrendLLC/Content/UploadedFiles/LongwoodGardens.jpg

bouquet of flowers.   http://www.flowersacrossamerica.com/flowers/products/B24-4138.jpg

verse 24 and bird.    http://theinspirationalwallpaper.com/wallpaper/work-hard-become-leader_1024%20x%20768.jpg

Ben Franklin.    http://stevenblair.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/ben-franklin-2.jpg

280.) Proverbs 11

"The righteous will thrive like a green leaf." -- Proverbs 11:28

Proverbs 11 (The Message)

Without Good Direction, People Lose Their Way

¹God hates cheating in the marketplace;
he loves it when business is aboveboard.

A recent example of cheating in the marketplace: Bernard Madoff orchestrated a multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme that collapsed, affecting thousands of investors.

² The stuck-up fall flat on their faces,
but down-to-earth people stand firm.

³ The integrity of the honest keeps them on track;
the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.

⁴ A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart,
but a principled life can stand up to the worst.

⁵ Moral character makes for smooth traveling;
an evil life is a hard life.

⁶ Good character is the best insurance;
crooks get trapped in their sinful lust.

⁷ When the wicked die, that’s it—
the story’s over, end of hope.

⁸ A good person is saved from much trouble;
a bad person runs straight into it.

⁹ The loose tongue of the godless spreads destruction;
the common sense of the godly preserves them.

a poster from World War II

WHAT COMES OUT OF YOUR MOUTH?

from Experiencing God Day-by-Day,
by Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby

The Bible stresses that what you say is an accurate indicator of what is in your heart.  If your words bless and encourage others, they give evidence of a compassionate heart.  If you often share the good news about Christ, you demonstrate a heart that is grateful for your own salvation.  When others are in a crisis, do they know they will find peace and comfort in your words?  Do you frequently and spontaneously offer prayers for others?  Do your words and the manner in which you say them reveal a patient heart?  All of these behaviors indicate a heart that is like the heart of the Father.

Or do you often regret your words?  Are there people even now who are hurt or angry because of something you have said?  Do you enjoy gossip?  Do you tend to criticize others?  Do you feel that you are not responsible for what comes out of your mouth when you are angry?  Does your mouth spew grumbling and complaints?  These behaviors come from a heart that is unlike God’s heart.

You may say, “Oh, but that’s just the way I am!  I am always saying the wrong thing!”  Yet Scripture clearly states that an abusive tongue is not under the control of the Spirit (see James 3:3-10).  A sanctified mouth is a wonderful instrument for the Lord.  A heart like the father’s heart will produce only pure and loving words.  Without making any excuses for your words, ask the Holy Spirit to forgive you for any words that have brought harm.  Then ask Him to discipline your mouth so that every word you speak is used by God to encourage and edify others.

_________________________

¹⁰ When it goes well for good people, the whole town cheers;
when it goes badly for bad people, the town celebrates.

¹¹ When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes;
evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time.

¹² Mean-spirited slander is heartless;
quiet discretion accompanies good sense.

¹³ A gadabout gossip can’t be trusted with a secret,
but someone of integrity won’t violate a confidence.

"Gossip" by Norman Rockwell.

¹⁴ Without good direction, people lose their way;
the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.

¹⁵ Whoever makes deals with strangers is sure to get burned;
if you keep a cool head, you’ll avoid rash bargains.

¹⁶ A woman of gentle grace gets respect,
but men of rough violence grab for loot.

A God-Shaped Life

¹⁷ When you’re kind to others, you help yourself;
when you’re cruel to others, you hurt yourself.

_________________________

Music:

“We Can Be Kind”  sung by Nancy Lamott.

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¹⁸ Bad work gets paid with a bad check;
good work gets solid pay.

¹⁹ Take your stand with God’s loyal community and live,
or chase after phantoms of evil and die.

²⁰ God can’t stand deceivers,
but oh how he relishes integrity.

²¹ Count on this: The wicked won’t get off scot-free,
and God’s loyal people will triumph.

²² Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful face on an empty head.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.”

–Miss Piggy

_________________________

²³ The desires of good people lead straight to the best,
but wicked ambition ends in angry frustration.

²⁴ The world of the generous gets larger and larger;
the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

"The Miser" by Tsaritsa Maria Fyodorovna (mother of Tsar Nicholas II), 1890.

The Miser

A miser once dreamed he had given away
Some bread to the beggar he’d met in the day.
He woke with a start and solemnly swore
That as long as he lived he would slumber no more.

_________________________

²⁵ The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;
those who help others are helped.

²⁶ Curses on those who drive a hard bargain!
Blessings on all who play fair and square!

²⁷ The one who seeks good finds delight;
the student of evil becomes evil.

²⁸ A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump;
a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.

²⁹ Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air;
common sense tells you it’s a stupid way to live.

³⁰ A good life is a fruit-bearing tree;
a violent life destroys souls.

Galatians 5:22-23 (English Standard Version)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

_________________________

³¹ If good people barely make it,
what’s in store for the bad!

_________________________

THE WORK IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT AND/OR OTHER APPLICABLE LAW.   ANY USE OF THE WORK OTHER THAN AS AUTHORIZED UNDER AN APPROPRIATE LICENSE OR COPYRIGHT LAW IS PROHIBITED.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Images courtesy of:

green tree.    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xCDusF6AqVw/ShDIZLS80KI/AAAAAAAAAFY/F61YeQT8EFk/s400/Tree3.jpg

Bernie Madoff.    http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/12/12/alg_bernard_madoff.jpg

“Loose lips sink ships” poster.    http://robinrile.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/loose-lips-sink-ships-posters.jpg

Rockwell.    http://tucsoncitizen.com/retroflections/files/2009/11/Gossip.jpg

Miss Piggy.    http://farm1.static.flickr.com/100/296745849_ec37dced32_o.gif

Fyodorovna.    http://01varvara.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/maria-fyodorovna-the-miser-1890-e1268345929496.jpg

fruit and verse 30.    http://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/fruit-de.jpg

260.) Proverbs 10

Proverbs 10 (The Message)

The Wise Sayings of Solomon

An Honest Life Is Immortal

¹ Wise son, glad father; stupid son, sad mother.

² Ill-gotten gain gets you nowhere;
an honest life is immortal.

³ God won’t starve an honest soul,
but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked.

Psalm 37:25 (New International Version)

I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.

_________________________

⁴ Sloth makes you poor;
diligence brings wealth.

⁵ Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart;
go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid.

⁶ Blessings accrue on a good and honest life,

but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.

⁷ A good and honest life is a blessed memorial;
a wicked life leaves a rotten stench.

⁸ A wise heart takes orders;
an empty head will come unglued.

⁹ Honesty lives confident and carefree,
but Shifty is sure to be exposed.

Reflections on telling the truth and lying:

Who lies for you will lie against you.
~Bosnian Proverb

No man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar.
~Abraham Lincoln

Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure there is one less rascal in the world.
~Thomas Carlyle

A lie will easily get you out of a scrape, and yet, strangely and beautifully, rapture possesses you when you have taken the scrape and left out the lie.
~Charles Edward Montague

Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom.
~Thomas Jefferson

_________________________

¹⁰ An evasive eye is a sign of trouble ahead,
but an open, face-to-face meeting results in peace.

¹¹ The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well,
but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.

¹² Hatred starts fights,
but love pulls a quilt over the bickering.

1 Peter 4:8 (New International Version)

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

_________________________

¹³ You’ll find wisdom on the lips of a person of insight,
but the shortsighted needs a slap in the face.

¹⁴ The wise accumulate knowledge—a true treasure;
know-it-alls talk too much—a sheer waste.

The Road to Life Is a Disciplined Life

¹⁵ The wealth of the rich is their bastion;
the poverty of the indigent is their ruin.

¹⁶ The wage of a good person is exuberant life;
an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.

¹⁷ The road to life is a disciplined life;
ignore correction and you’re lost for good.

¹⁸ Liars secretly hoard hatred;
fools openly spread slander.

¹⁹ The more talk, the less truth;
the wise measure their words.

²⁰ The speech of a good person is worth waiting for;
the blabber of the wicked is worthless.

²¹ The talk of a good person is rich fare for many,
but chatterboxes die of an empty heart.

Fear-of-God Expands Your Life

²² God’s blessing makes life rich;
nothing we do can improve on God.

_________________________

Music:

The Oslo Gospel Choir sings about how rich life is in  “The Power of Your Love.”  Lyrics below.

Lord I come to You
Let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace
That I’ve found in You
Lord I’ve come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the Power of Your love

Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like an eagle
And I will soar with You
Your spirit leads me on
In the Power of Your love

Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see you face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As you live in me
Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
In the Power of Your love

Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love

_________________________

²³ An empty-head thinks mischief is fun,
but a mindful person relishes wisdom.

²⁴ The nightmares of the wicked come true;
what the good people desire, they get.

1 John 5:14-15 (New International Version)

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

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²⁵ When the storm is over, there’s nothing left of the wicked;
good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren’t even fazed.

²⁶ A lazy employee will give you nothing but trouble;
it’s vinegar in the mouth, smoke in the eyes.

²⁷ The Fear-of-God expands your life;
a wicked life is a puny life.

²⁸ The aspirations of good people end in celebration;
the ambitions of bad people crash.

Job 8:11-13 (New International Version)

Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?
Can reeds thrive without water?

While still growing and uncut,
they wither more quickly than grass.

Such is the destiny of all who forget God;
so perishes the hope of the godless.

_________________________

²⁹ God is solid backing to a well-lived life,
but he calls into question a shabby performance.

³⁰ Good people last—they can’t be moved;
the wicked are here today, gone tomorrow.

³¹ A good person’s mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom;
a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp.

³² The speech of a good person clears the air;
the words of the wicked pollute it.

Psalm 19:14 (New International Version)

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

_________________________

THE WORK IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT AND/OR OTHER APPLICABLE LAW.   ANY USE OF THE WORK OTHER THAN AS AUTHORIZED UNDER AN APPROPRIATE LICENSE OR COPYRIGHT LAW IS PROHIBITED.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Images courtesy of:

various workers and verse 4.    http://rfiles.thebowmans.us/Images/Scriptures/Proverbs/Proverbs10_4.jpg

boy eating bread.    http://www.britsattheirbest.com/images/ii_bread_boy.gif

crown and verse 6.   http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/glorifing/Bible%20Scripture/proverbs10_6crop.gif

Pinocchio.   http://eurohero.wikispaces.com/file/view/pinocchio.jpg/94456428/pinocchio.jpg

Love.    http://okanaganchristianevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/love-westside.jpg

butterfly and verse 19.    http://www.godsbutterflies.com/images/prov10.19s.jpg

painting of the face of Jesus by Ju Chul Kim, 2006.    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UINMWAJ5Ul8/SVI01IN3LuI/AAAAAAAAAAg/pymUlv8mP20/s400/Oh+My+God0019.JPG

papyrus plant.    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Papyrus_plant.jpg

air pollution.    http://www.urbansprout.co.za/files/images/air%20pollution_0.jpg