Who's Up For a Challenge? Read one chapter a day in the book of Proverbs.....

Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with the wise grows wise,
but a companion of fools suffers harm.
I really thought about this verse and how much I enjoyed it in my life.
Before I moved away, I was in a bible study group with older women.
Many of them were so wise. I learned so much from them. One in
particular was especially wise. She always had a Word for us. And her advice.....always on point and Word based. Even though she didn't talk much, we loved to hear her speak when she did. You knew her knowledge came from spending much time with our Father and His Word.
Those ladies encouraged me to not only do better but to be better.

:amen:! I have a friend that teases me on how I always become friends with older women no matter where I go...lol. She claims that I have an old soul but I simply enjoy learning from older women:yep:!
 
Good Morning!

Proverbs 13:2-3

2 From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things,
but the unfaithful have a craving for violence.
3 He who guards his lips guards his life,
but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

Two things stood out to me in these verses.
1) Death and Life is in the power of the tongue
2) Righteousness in Words and Deeds will prevail and outlive ungodliness


The more I affirm myself with the word of God; I began to believe it and watch it coexist in my life.


Also, verse 2 & 3 made me think about the Lord’s prophet Ezekiel. In the book of Ezekiel he reports how he stood in the midst of a pile of dead bones prophesying not to give up hope. Although in the valley of despair; God uses Ezekiel to demonstrate that the Lord will not leave us for dead but will give us new life and restore hope.

I’ve learned not only do I have to believe God’s word but speak it as well.

Ezekiel 37:1-14
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."

4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "
 
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Although, I am late. I will start. I can remember as a tenn in JR. Curch. Deacon Mansfield (God rest his soul) He was the one that had me to make it real with Christ without even knowing it. .... anyway one thing I can remember him saying is, "A Proverb a day will keep the devil away"

Ladies, you never know the influence you have a child that will last them into adulthood. Speak words of wisdom and positive words to out teens. Sorry - just a side bar.

Peace
 
Although, I am late. I will start. I can remember as a tenn in JR. Curch. Deacon Mansfield (God rest his soul) He was the one that had me to make it real with Christ without even knowing it. .... anyway one thing I can remember him saying is, "A Proverb a day will keep the devil away"

Ladies, you never know the influence you have a child that will last them into adulthood. Speak words of wisdom and positive words to out teens. Sorry - just a side bar.

Peace

Zeal - Welcome to the challenge!

@ the bolded - ....:thankyou:!
 
Today's Challenge is on Proverbs 15 :grin:.

Proverbs 15:33

33The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord brings instruction in Wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

This verse stood out to me. And I read the definition for the word humility and humble.

Humility - the quality or state of being humble.

Humble - not proud or arrogant; modest.
courteously respectful
meekness

I noticed throughout the bible those who were of a humble spirit God was able to use mightily. The Lord made them great and most of them did not realize how significant they had become. However, they realized it wasn't about them but rather God's Perfect Will in the earth.

My prayer is for me to consistently have a humble heart. And whenever I stray, I pray that the Lord will bring correction.

My grandmother used to constantly tell me and my cousins our attitudes will determine how far we make it in life.
 
1A SOFT answer turns away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger.(A)
2The tongue of the wise utters knowledge rightly, but the mouth of the [self-confident] fool pours out folly.

3The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch upon the evil and the good.(B)

4A gentle tongue [with its healing power] is a tree of life, but willful contrariness in it breaks down the spirit.

5A fool despises his father's instruction and correction, but he who regards reproof acquires prudence.

6In the house of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is great [priceless] treasure, but with the income of the wicked is trouble and vexation.

7The lips of the wise disperse knowledge [sifting it as chaff from the grain]; not so the minds and hearts of the self-confident and foolish.

8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, hateful and exceedingly offensive to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight!(C)

9The way of the wicked is an abomination, extremely disgusting and shamefully vile to the Lord, but He loves him who pursues righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation).

10There is severe discipline for him who forsakes God's way; and he who hates reproof will die [physically, morally, and spiritually].

11Sheol (the place of the dead) and Abaddon (the abyss, the final place of the accuser Satan) are both before the Lord--how much more, then, the hearts of the children of men?(D)

12A scorner has no love for one who rebukes him; neither will he go to the wise [for counsel].

13A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.(E)

14The mind of him who has understanding seeks knowledge and inquires after and craves it, but the mouth of the [self-confident] fool feeds on folly.(F)

15All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances].

16Better is little with the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord than great and rich treasure and trouble with it.(G)

17Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it.(H)

18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger appeases contention.

19The way of the sluggard is overgrown with thorns [it pricks, lacerates, and entangles him], but the way of the righteous is plain and raised like a highway.

20A wise son makes a glad father, but a self-confident and foolish man despises his mother and puts her to shame.

21Folly is pleasure to him who is without heart and sense, but a man of understanding walks uprightly [making straight his course].(I)

22Where there is no counsel, purposes are frustrated, but with many counselors they are accomplished.

23A man has joy in making an apt answer, and a word spoken at the right moment--how good it is!

24The path of the wise leads upward to life, that he may avoid [the gloom] in the depths of Sheol (Hades, the place of the dead).(J)

25The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but He makes secure the boundaries of the [consecrated] widow.

26The thoughts of the wicked are shamefully vile and exceedingly offensive to the Lord, but the words of the pure are pleasing words to Him.

27He who is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.(K)

28The mind of the [uncompromisingly] righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.(L)

29The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the [consistently] righteous (the upright, in right standing with Him).

30The light in the eyes [of him whose heart is joyful] rejoices the hearts of others, and good news nourishes the bones.

31The ear that listens to the reproof [that leads to or gives] life will remain among the wise.

32He who refuses and ignores instruction and correction despises himself, but he who heeds reproof gets understanding.

33The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord brings instruction in Wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Verse three really stuck with me today... I think that sometimes many of us forget that God is always watching. On my drive in this morning I was listening to a radio show and the Pastor said "Do you think that when you repented for what you did was the first that God heard about it." I had to chuckle because its so true, I think when you really come into the realization that God is always watching then you monitor your behavior as such.
 
Proverbs 15:1
1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
This scripture reminds me of my son, my Mom and the Children of Israel. My little boy learned this scripture and everytime he didn't fuss or argue with his sister he would shake his head and look at me while quoting it. It was too cute.
Numbers 14:1-4
1 That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?"
4 And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."
Numbers 14:26-35
26 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 27 "How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. 28 So tell them, 'As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: 29 In this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. 32 But you—your bodies will fall in this desert. 33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. 34 For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.' 35 I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this desert; here they will die."


Lastly the Lord and Momma are right...If you can't say anything good don't say anything at all.
 
Hi Ladies,

I haven't posted in a few days but I'm still reading. My energy has been low. I just posted about it in the pray request thread so please pray that God continues to strengthen me. I want to finish this challenge.

I know we're past chapter 14 but I just wanted to post about a scripture that stood out to me. It's verse 9 and it reads...

9 Fools make fun of guilt,
but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.

I think this is an important scripture for all Christians. As Christians, we must have a conscience and must experience guilt. To me, if we don't experience it then our ears are not in tuned with God. I'm not talking about the type of guilt that leaves you so down and feeling so unworthy that you get depressed because that's just the devil trying to keep you from God. I'm talking about that little voice that tells you when you've done something wrong. That nagging feeling you get when you know you've hurt someone's feeling and you need to apologize. Those small feelings of guilt that remind us that our behavior may not be in line with God's will. I think those feelings are God tapping us on the shoulder, it's His voice whispering in our ears telling us we need to do better. And here in Proverbs 14:9, it tells us that the godly should acknowledge it and seek reconciliation meaning we need to hear God's voice AND obey it.

I'm so thankful for this scripture. It's a reminder to me that I need to be constantly only my toes. I can't shrug off those little feelings of guilt. They are there for a reason. To ignore them is to ignore God. This scripture is very powerful!
 
Proverbs 16:1,3
1 Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word.

3 Put God in charge of your work, then what you've planned will take place.
This brought to mind The Tower Of Babel
Genesis 11:1-9
1-2 At one time, the whole Earth spoke the same language. It so happened that as they moved out of the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled down.
3 They said to one another, "Come, let's make bricks and fire them well." They used brick for stone and tar for mortar.

4 Then they said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city and a tower that reaches Heaven. Let's make ourselves famous so we won't be scattered here and there across the Earth."
5 God came down to look over the city and the tower those people had built.
6-9 God took one look and said, "One people, one language; why, this is only a first step. No telling what they'll come up with next—they'll stop at nothing! Come, we'll go down and garble their speech so they won't understand each other." Then God scattered them from there all over the world. And they had to quit building the city. That's how it came to be called Babel, because there God turned their language into "babble." From there God scattered them all over the world.

I trust that if I hand over my life to Him, even if He doesn't tell me directly with words, He will guide me.
Reminiscing remembering you in prayer.
 
Hi Ladies,
I haven't posted in a few days but I'm still reading. My energy has been low. I just posted about it in the pray request thread so please pray that God continues to strengthen me. I want to finish this challenge.

Hi Reminiscing - :bighug:
I will keep you in my prayers Sis.

May the Lord renew your strength. And in the name of Jesus bind the spirit of heaviness and clothed you with the garment of praise and the oil of joy.

May God give you peace that surpasses all understanding that will guard your heart and mind. And I pray that you will find rest and comfort in the presence of the living God :Rose:.

And remember you already have your sword which is the word of God.

~God Bless.
 
Proverbs 16:20

20He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.

The Lord had to teach me how to handle matters wisely in Corporate America. There are so many personal agendas, motives, different personalities, and character flaws in the work place. And it was definitely a culture shock for me. Through prayer and meditation on God's word, the Lord guided me on how to succeed and receive promotions in the midst of chaos.

Recently I re-read the story of Nehemiah. And this proverbs' verse made me think on how wisely Nehemiah prayed and sought the Lord to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Despite opposition and threats the Lord guided Nehemiah and gave him favor with the King.

Not only did the King approve of rebuilding the walls but he also wrote letters to the governors to provide supplies and an army of officers on Nehemiah's behalf.

Overall, when we pray, seek the Lord, and meditate on His word, God will give us wisdom and direction on how to handle difficult and challenging situations.
 
Today's challenge is on Proverbs Chapter 18 :grin:!

Prroverbs 18:24
24A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

This verse stood out to me because I know in the presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy! I can attest that Jesus is not only my Lord & Savior but my friend that will stick closer than a brother.

The nature of mankind is imperfect. Therefore, it's inevitable not to experience some form of betrayal, disappointment, and heartache. However, with Jesus He can make all things new; restore my soul, mend my broken-heart, heal my body, minister to my spirit, comfort me in distress, and give me peace of mind. The bottom line is that He will never leave me nor forsake me.

Likewise, I thank the Lord for teaching me how to be a friend, and blessing me with genuine / sincere friendships.

I read a quote that stated: "A true friend is not a friend for what he can get out of it, but what he can give into it."

In the past, I used the word friend to loosely. Now I'm grateful to have true friends that:

1. Will Celebrate and Rejoice with me when I receive a blessing or reward.

2. Are already standing with a helping hand before I can ask them for
help.

3. Are Trustworthy

4. Will Pull me to the side and respectfully tell me when I'm wrong or out
of character.

5. Will Intercede for me in prayer.

6. Have Positive Energy, Encouraging.

I realize that true friends doesn't come by that often so that's why I hold on to them and show my gratitude!
 
Hi Ladies,

I'm still catching up. Here's my favorite verse from Chapter 16...

7 When people’s lives please the Lord,
even their enemies are at peace with them.

I have proven this over and over again in my career. I have faced so much adversity being a young black women in a decision-making position. My decisions and actions are often questioned by others and the enemy at times seems to take residence in my office. But over and over again I have overcome all adversity through prayer and seeking God. I keep a small new testament bible in my desk flipped open to Psalms 35 which asks God to fight against those who fight against me. I stay humble and respectful to my co-workers through it all and by the time God is done with them, all negative actions from them have ceased and their attitudes towards me are nothing but peaceful. I have watched God turn the most hostile environment for me into the most peaceful one. His Word is true! When you please God he will protect you and comfort you through everything.
 
Chapter 17...

9 Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,
but dwelling on it separates close friends.

10 A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding
than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.

I think these two scriptures are the key to great communication with others. We all have faults and to examine others' faults more closely than ours is wrong. I know sometimes we correct the ones we love and we repeat our words of correction to them over and over because we don't want to see them mess up again but rubbing it in is sometimes more damaging than watching them repeat the same mistake. If we're constantly reminding them of their wrong, how can they move on? We need to forgive and keep moving. After all, part of life is falling and getting back up even if you fall twice from the same mistake. However, we do have to protect ourselves as well. If the hurt that was brought from the mistake was so great that you have no choice but to end the friendship, then do so but as you move on please do forgive. I don't believe it's a sin to end friendships but the Bible is clear that it is a sin to not forgive. Don't let hurt keep you from the blessings of God.

This is truly a message for me as I have been hurt so many times in life but I thank God that he is giving me the strength to look past the hurt and keep loving.
 
Chapter 18...

I had to go back to the good old Kings James Version to quote this because I love the way it's written!

22Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

I think this is every christian single woman's motto (or at least it's mine :grin:). This is all I need to know that I should wait on God for my husband. He who finds a wife finds a good thing and I KNOW I am a good thing! God is my father and he makes all things GREAT!!! God doesn't make mistakes and that includes making me. Sorry if I sound a little conceited right now :lachen: but God told me that he made me great and I AM WORTH WAITING FOR!!! If I don't believe it who will?

Amen for this scripture! It is my motivation. I believe my husband is out there looking for me and I want to be deeply rooted in God's word when he finds me. In the meantime I'm patiently waiting :grin:. And here's what I'm jamming to as I wait...

Fred Hammond's "They That Wait"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wcdY2v5Kio
 
Chapter 19. YAY!!! I'm back on schedule! :grin:

3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness
and then are angry at the Lord.

I'm sad to say but I have been here several times. I went through a TERRIBLE break up a few years ago and during my healing process I blamed God for everything. I was so angry with God. I felt I didn't deserve any of the pain I was enduring. The anger just drove me further and further away from Him but I am so thankful that God is not afraid of our anger. He loved me despite some of the things I said and he never let me go. Once I made it to the other side of my journey, I realized that in my anger I felt like God had forsaken me when actually he was carrying me. When I look back on how down I was, there was now way that I was getting up and going to work every day on my own. There was no way that I was living, breathing, and functioning on my own. There was now way that I was fighting the devil's thoughts of suicide on my own. I'm so thankful that even when I gave up on myself, God never gave up on me.

Now that I've given everything to God and all the hurt has been replaced with joy, I now know that that relationship was not ordained by God. My own foolish decisions had led me to all that hurt and pain and then I had the nerves to blame God for it. :wallbash:

Thank you Lord for your mercy and for your forgiveness! Without it I would be lost forever.
 
Hi Ladies,

I'm still catching up. Here's my favorite verse from Chapter 16...

7 When people’s lives please the Lord,
even their enemies are at peace with them.

I have proven this over and over again in my career. I have faced so much adversity being a young black women in a decision-making position. My decisions and actions are often questioned by others and the enemy at times seems to take residence in my office. But over and over again I have overcome all adversity through prayer and seeking God. I keep a small new testament bible in my desk flipped open to Psalms 35 which asks God to fight against those who fight against me. I stay humble and respectful to my co-workers through it all and by the time God is done with them, all negative actions from them have ceased and their attitudes towards me are nothing but peaceful. I have watched God turn the most hostile environment for me into the most peaceful one. His Word is true! When you please God he will protect you and comfort you through everything.

I can truly relate. God is awesome!
 
Happy Friday!

Proverbs 19:20-21

20Hear counsel, receive instruction, and accept correction, that you may be wise in the time to come.

21Many plans are in a man's mind, but it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand.

When I operate out of the Will of God I struggle vigorously. My mind is not at ease but rather in a state of confusion. I easily succumb to the spirit of fear. It feels as though I cannot get ahead despite my efforts.

However, when I surrender :giveup:and seek the Lord for counsel, and do what He purposed in my heart, life becomes a lot easier. Although trials and tribulations may still come, I'm much more confident of the outcome. I have peace of mind knowing that if the Lord led me here then He will protect and make provision for me!
 
I'm sorry I did Psalms 19 this am instead of Proverbs 19.:blush: Mistake ....I think not. I'm going to post Psalms and I'll post Proverbs alittle later.



Psalms 19:12 (New Living Translation)
12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
Amazing! Gods knows everything. There is nothing hidden from him. Sometimes I don't know what is bothering me or why I feel or react or act a certain way to situations or things. But my Heavenly Father knows. He has placed his finger dead center on my issues many times. How is it that we don't know something about ourselves? The heart is more complicated than the mind, I think.I know whats on my mind, it's right there. But the heart, things can be hidden or push so far back.
Luke 18:18-23 (New International Version)
The Rich Ruler
18A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
19"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 20You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'[a]"

21"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
23When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
Do you think that this rich ruler even knew that was in his heart? I don't think so. He thought he was doing well (and so did I...at first) thats probably why he presented that question to our Lord.
Psalm 19:12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Hallelujah
 
I'm sorry I did Psalms 19 this am instead of Proverbs 19.:blush: Mistake ....I think not. I'm going to post Psalms and I'll post Proverbs alittle later.



Psalms 19:12 (New Living Translation)
12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
Amazing! Gods knows everything. There is nothing hidden from him. Sometimes I don't know what is bothering me or why I feel or react or act a certain way to situations or things. But my Heavenly Father knows. He has placed his finger dead center on my issues many times. How is it that we don't know something about ourselves? The heart is more complicated than the mind, I think.I know whats on my mind, it's right there. But the heart, things can be hidden or push so far back.
Luke 18:18-23 (New International Version)
The Rich Ruler
18A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
19"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 20You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'[a]"
21"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
23When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
Do you think that this rich ruler even knew that was in his heart? I don't think so. He thought he was doing well (and so did I...at first) thats probably why he presented that question to our Lord.
Psalm 19:12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Hallelujah

Ms.Mimi - thank you for sharing!

It's not by accident that you studied Psalm 19 instead of Proverbs 19. You ministered to me :yep:. And I agree that the heart is deceitful and much can be hidden in there.

Every so often I have to read Psalm 51 and ask the Lord to create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51
1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

15O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

 
Proverbs 20:27

27The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Proverbs 21:2-3

2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

3To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

God is a spirit, and He connects with our spirit (inner man). In order for me to know what is really inside of me (inner man), I need to connect with God. He will then reveal those hidden and deep things that are embedded in my heart.

I do not know if I'm operating in the Will of God if I do not commune with Him, pray, and meditate on His word daily. Our culture and environment has a lot of influence on how we live, how we think, and what we perceive to be truth.

I may think what I'm doing is great because it's appeasing to the eyes of man. However, when I allow the Lord to examine my heart, He may see things differently. His ways are not my ways, nor the ways of this world. And His thoughts are not my thoughts, nor the thoughts of this world.

King Saul thought it was appropriate to do the job that only the priest should have done. Samuel had told Saul to wait seven days at Gilgal. At the end of seven days Samuel would come and offer sacrifices and give Saul further instructions. Well, Saul waited and Samuel still hasn't arrived.

Saul became nervous because the people started to scatter. Therefore, he took it upon himself to do the job of the priest, sacrificial burnt offering. Just as he finished with the burnt offering Samuel had arrived. Samuel let it be known that Saul had sinned. He was disobedient and his sacrifice was worthless in the eyes of God. Yet, Saul thought he was doing a good thing.
 
Hi Ladies,

Chapter 20...

24 The Lord directs our steps,
so why try to understand everything along the way?

I need to post this up somewhere in my apartment where I can see it everyday. Worrying is trying to understand God's plan and at times not believing that He has a plan. I used to be an intense worrier but thank God, he's been giving me the strength to just accept his will no matter how hard it may be to step out on faith. This scripture is my new motto. Why try to make sense of it all when we can just leave it all in God's hands? Love it!!! :grin:
 
Proverbs 22...

6 Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.

This is so true! I thank God for allowing me to be raised in a Christian home. His word was rooted in me from a young age and even when I faced trials as an adult and at times doubted God, I never gave up on him completely. Even when I felt lost, I still went to church.

I remember as a young child an older saint told me never ever stop going to church. Even if you've strayed from God and your feet will only carry you as far as the back bench then come and sit on that back bench. Even if your lips won't part to let you sing the hymns, then fine sit there and be silent but you MUST come and be in the presence of the Lord. God's love is so powerful that eventually something said, something sung or something done in service will knock you off your feet and you will come back to God humble as a baby seeking to start over.

Those are true words of wisdom spoken to me as a young child and they have stayed with me to this day.
 
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Good Morning!

Proverbs 22:5, 10, 24, and 25

5 In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares,
but he who guards his soul stays far from them.


10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended.


24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man,
do not associate with one easily angered,

25 or you may learn his ways
and get yourself ensnared.


Proverbs 23:6-7

6Eat not the bread of him who has a hard, grudging, and envious eye, neither desire his dainty foods;

7For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. As one who reckons, he says to you, eat and drink, yet his heart is not with you.

I truly appreciate these proverbs! It encourages me to only establish and welcome healthy and sensible relationships.

At times my compassion and empathy for others can get in the way, and deceive me into giving someone the benefit of the doubt. When in reality their heart is far from me.

I thought about the history between King Saul and David. King Saul was jealous of David. His jealousy turned into anger and hatred. I believe it started with the women of Israel singing “Saul has slain his thousands, but David his ten thousands….” From that day forward King Saul “eyed David.”

On several occasions King Saul tried to kill David directly. At this point, David had enough sense to leave the city. However, that was not enough for Saul. He had to hunt David down like a mad dog. In one incident, David had an opportunity to kill Saul but he spared him his life. Saul wept, and gave a phony repentance. He called David his “Son” and said “You are more righteous than I. You have done good and I have done evil….You deserve to be King.”

Not to long afterwards, King Saul was back to his old ways in an attempt to kill David again. I should not have been surprised because Saul’s heart was never with David. As the proverb states: he says to you, eat and drink, yet his heart is not with you.

David had forgiven Saul but he used wisdom, discernment, and discretion, to stay away from him.
 
Hi Everyone! Sorry- I fell off but I'm back...

Proverbs 23 is full of goodies- great topics for discussion (spanking, drinking). :)

Anyway, I really like verse 23:

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

To me that means these things are so valuable that once you have them, you should treasure them- they shouldn't be exchanged or compromised.
 
I'm behind! :blush:

Here's the verse that stood out to me from Ch 20:

22 Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!"
Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

Lord knows there's someone who has done me SO WRONG, but in this season I believe the Lord is showing me how to forgive him (even though this person doesn't even think he's done anything wrong) and watch HIM handle it. As my best friend told me right after the worst incident "let your Father handle it."

I am waiting on the Lord, and confident that vengeance is His, and He will execute it in His perfect timing. :grin: Oh, I guess I shouldn't be gloating. :look: In my defense I am praying for forgiveness every day.
 
I'm behind! :blush:

Here's the verse that stood out to me from Ch 20:

22 Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!"
Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

Lord knows there's someone who has done me SO WRONG, but in this season I believe the Lord is showing me how to forgive him (even though this person doesn't even think he's done anything wrong) and watch HIM handle it. As my best friend told me right after the worst incident "let your Father handle it."

I am waiting on the Lord, and confident that vengeance is His, and He will execute it in His perfect timing. :grin: Oh, I guess I shouldn't be gloating. :look: In my defense I am praying for forgiveness every day.

Amen Sis. I'm praying for you. I truly understand how you feel :yep:.

Remember what happened to Joseph!?! He was envied and sold into slavery by his own brothers, lied on by Potiphar's wife, and innocently sent to prison. Yet, the bible states after every incident "But the Lord was with him."

So I'm saying to you Butterfly08 "But the Lord is with you." Like Joseph, what the enemy meant for evil, the Lord will turn it around for your good!

Proverbs 3:5-7:Rose:
 
Morning!

Proverbs 24:3-5

3Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

4And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

5A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

For me I’m going to consider my house as my “soul.” The more I study God’s word and spend time with Him; I’m building up my house (soul). I’m allowing the Lord to establish my ways and to sustain me on solid foundation.

Indeed, the Lord is filling my spirit with His treasures. The wisdom, knowledge, and understanding that I’m receiving by the power of the Holy Spirit in this challenge are priceless. It humbly brings me joy.

His word has strengthened and humbled me. It taught me how to persevere when unexpected things occurred in my life a few weeks ago. The Lord’s grace has been sufficient for me. 2 Corinth 12:19

I was at one of my weakest points but felt strong. I realized then that it’s not I who lives but Christ who lives inside of me; that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, and above all that I can ever ask or think of :).

 
Proverbs 19:2
2Desire without knowledge is not good, and to be overhasty is to sin and miss the mark.

Brings to mind.....
Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel plans fail,but with many advisers they succeed.
Luke 14:31-32
31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away.

I have a relative going through some serious things right now and I just pray they use wisdom , cost counting and heeding the advice of wise counsel.
Proverbs 23:12 Give yourselves to disciplined instruction; open your ears to tested knowledge.
Discipline and tested ......these words really jumped out at me.

Discipline
-systematic instruction given to a disciple ( systematic 1. having, showing, or involving a system, method, or plan )
-training to act in accordance with rules
- to bring to a state of order and obedience by training and control. :yep:
I won't quote scripture on this because I think Jesus demostrated this 24/7/365! But I could go from Genesis to Revelations on this one.

tested
-the means by which the presence, quality, or genuineness of anything is determined
-to subject to a test of any kind
-a set of questions, problems, or the like, used as a means of evaluating the abilities, aptitudes, skills, or performance of an individual or group; examination
1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.
And I love the way the Lord encourages us to test Him and try Him in tithing.
Malachi 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!
 
Morning!

Proverbs 24:3-5

3Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
4And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

5A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

For me I’m going to consider my house as my “soul.” The more I study God’s word and spend time with Him; I’m building up my house (soul). I’m allowing the Lord to establish my ways and to sustain me on solid foundation.
I feel the same way! And its the building (upward construction) that is just so exciting! This Proverb reminds me so much of Proverbs 9:1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. It was the pillars I just had to research. I was so intrigued by them. With Proverbs 24:3 it's by understanding it is established:
established-to bring about
That reminds me no matter how excited I get about the house I must have a firm, solid understanding as my tool.
 
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