Monthly Archives: May 2017

Proverbs

Proverbs 21 :19-20

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Proverbs 21:19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
 
Verse 19 tells us that it is better to live in the wilderness than to live in the house with someone who is all the time nagging and complaining about everything. This says a woman that is ill tempered but it could also mean a man. Verse 20 tells us that a wise man is careful how he uses and saves his money so he has what he needs on a rainy day. A foolish person spends everything he gets as soon as he gets it or even before he gets and borrows so he is always having to pay back what he got. This could apply in a spiritual way, a wise persons treasure is eternal life that he works for every day, a foolish person says he wait for a more convenient time and winds up missing his opportunity to be saved. Lets us be careful in who we choose to be around so we do not wind up in the wilderness and always be wise in how keep those things that are important to us.
A Note from Hope

Mom is Sad: A Note from Hope

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Mom was gone a long time yesterday, and when she got home, she cried.  She snuggled Scout and me up in her lap and told us that she was sad because a friend of hers and Dad’s died yesterday.

They didn’t get to see him very often, but they sure did like him a lot. He used to ride motorcycles with them.

Mom says they’re not sad for him, because he loved Jesus and Jesus loved him, so he got to go to Heaven. That sounds good to me! But Mom says she’s sad for his family and friends – they won’t get to see him for a long time, and that is sad.

I kissed Mom and reminded her what she always tells us – that Jesus loves us too, and He is sad for us too,  when we miss our friends and family. But He promised us a long time ago that we could go be with Him if we wanted to.

So when Dad and Mom pray for his family and the rest of his friends, they’re gonna remember to ask Jesus to make sure He wraps His arms around them and comfort them. I know He will, because He keeps His promises.

The LORD is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

Proverbs

Proverbs 21 : 17-18

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Proverbs 21:17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
 
In this first verse we see that wine and oil are associated with unbridled luxury in feasting and that many people in our society today have expensive pleasures like golf, ball games, movies, etc. If people indulge in these things on a regular basis and they will never have anything in life or death.The thing I see in this last verse is that God has always had a sharp separation between the wicked and the righteous. It seems that the transgressor has a price to pay for his wickedness and God will not have the upright to pay. Their debt is paid in full through Jesus. The wicked shall be cut off to preserve he righteous. Again let us strive to do our best to follow the path that God lays out for us
Proverbs

Proverbs 21 : 16

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Proverbs 21:16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

Verse 16 talks about someone who has know the how to walk in the righteousness of God and turned away from it . If this person never finds his way back he is condemned to eternal life in hell. It would have been better for this person if he had never known the ways of God than to have known the ways of God and tuned from them. It is faith that keeps us on the right path and when we doubt God that is when we begin to drift away. We need to continue to fellowship with with other Christians, and stay in God’s Word, to help us to stay strong in the Lord.

Proverbs

Proverbs 21:13-15

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Proverbs21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.
15 It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
 
This first verse is the opposite of what we have seen in scripture when it says “give and it shall be given to you”. Those who refuse to listen when they should will also not be heard when they need someone to listen. When you do give gifts it should not be to gain recognition but in secret to possibly prevent someone from getting angry thinking it may be bride. Then when it is a gift from the heart it will stop all anger and hurt and wrath. Last we see it is joy to the righteous that treat people fairly because they know they are pleasing God. But the workers of iniquity are afraid someone is going to find out just how bad they really are while all the time headed for death and destruction. Let us gain from these verse that we do not need to overlook the poor and in giving do it humbly and from the heart and last treat people with respect and that is what you will receive.
Proverbs

Proverbs 21:10-12

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Proverbs 21:10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.
11 When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthrowe
 
These verses we see differences in kinds of people the wicked have no mercy for anyone not even their neighbor.This person seeks to do evil so strongly that he will not even spare his neighbor if he gets in their way. The next verse shows us three kinds of people . First we have the scorner who when punished still does not change his evil ways. Then we have the simple who sees what happens if he does evil and learns to do right. Then you have the wise who are eager to learn and through accumulated learning he gains knowledge .Finally we righteous man who sees and knows what the wicked has done and also knows that in the end this person will be overthrown by God and cast into hell. Again we see in the teaching of Proverbs that we should strive to gain as much knowledge of God and try to live a righteous life in His eyes so we can enjoy that heavenly home that God has promised us.
Proverbs

Proverbs 21:9

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Proverbs 21:9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.
 
Our homes need to be a place of refuge and rest from the problems of this world. If the place is a battle ground it does not matter how small or big the house is it will be in constant turmoil. It does not matter how small the the house is if there is love in the home, but you cannot get a house big enough if there is constant fighting. The house tops in the days this was written were open spaces on patios, with a small arbor or enclose in the corner, which was a very inconvenient place to live. This verse kind of shows us why the Bible tells us not to be unequally yoked. It is setting the stage for a bad relationship if a Christian and a non Christian are married but if this happens it does not mean the lost one cannot come to Jesus. It will just take a lot of praying an forgiving to keep the house at peace til this happens.
Proverbs

Proverbs 21:5-8

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Proverbs 21:5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.
8 The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.
 
This first verse deals with the difference between someone who works hard for what they have and someone who who wants all he can get in short amount of time with out having to do much and end up still wanting.The second verse tells of the one who lies to get what he has and we know God does not like lying but coupled with deceiving people for gain just adds to the punishment that will dealt them. Verse 7 talks again of the ones who rob people to get what they have not realizing they are only robbing themselves of eternal life with Jesus. Lastly we see that that the way of man without God is crooked and perverse and is a stranger to God, while the pure in heart that desire to follow will do what is right in the sight of God In these verses we see more ways man can lose sight of salvation so attend a church today of your choosing and let God fill you with His Holy Spirit.
Proverbs

Proverbs 21: 4

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Proverbs 21:4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
 
This verse deals with three common sins that are present in the lives of to many people that feel they are walking in the righteousness of God. The first being someone who believes they are just a little better than everyone else and really has no time time for anyone but themselves.The next one is one that is hard for a lot of people to overcome and that is pride. Pride keeps people from sharing the love God the way He wants us to. If we cannot share the love of God we are sinning against God by not doing His will. The last part of this verse sums up the first two parts because it refers to what these two two things can cause. If a person is stuck on themselves and prideful they will be sowing their wicked ways in everything they do. A saying that I have heard many times says ” Sin will take you farther than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay, and keep you longer than you want to stay.” These three things in this verse can carry you down that path.
Proverbs

Proverbs 21 : 1-3

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Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
 
Most leaders believe they are always in total control but God controls even the hearts and minds of kings. God gave the children of Israel kings because they ask for them but He controlled them. A good kings heart can be pliable with God to mold as He will, just as irrigation channels are controlled by the gardener. As verse two goes on we see even man thinks most of his ways are right in his own mind. This is a false security for man because God determines whether are motives are good or bad. Man needs to keep uppermost in mind that God looks at he heart to see if it wicked or good. Lastly how we look we look at people is important to God because He wants us to treat everyone fairly. He wants us to be just and judge people righteously if we love Him like we should. If we love people like we should it is better than sacrifice because the greatest sacrifice was Jesus dying on the cross for those that will accept Him.