Pr. 13 [The Message]

Being correct has its own reward. Godly home training is the healthiest way to cultivate correctness in the heart of a child. When they are trained up in God’s Ways, they will love, appreciate and respect parents who took the time to bring correction when it was needed.

Being open to correction can have lifetime benefits. When others infer that you embrace and seek correction for the noble purpose of being correct, they will gain a new appreciation for you. Seeking to be correct is a characteristic of humility.

Christ’s blood sacrifice makes us correct.

And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [Phil. 2:8]

Pr. 11, 12 [The Mewsage]

A wise parent will cultivate the love of learning in their children. A profitable goal is to develop lifelong learners. Children learn by doing, reading, and observing. The earlier in life they engage in these disciplines the better. Parents have a chance to establish good learning habits when children are young.

My wife grew up on a farm. Her dad prided in some of the best looking fields in the county. Why? Because she and her siblings were required to walk out in the field and pull any blatantly obvious weeds before dinner was served. Guess what!? To this day, she HATES weeds. She learned a gardening skill early that established a good lifelong habit.

Mozart was required to practice his instrument VERY YOUNG. His sister practiced her violin over his cradle when he was an infant. It’s no wonder that he became one of the most prolific and famous musicians in history.

Abraham Lincoln was a devout reader. From an early age he overcame his humble, impoverished beginnings by the intense reading of the Bible and great works of literature. His writings and speeches are some of the most eloquent in our nation’s history. His impact was profound.

Pr. 10 [The Message]

Eugene Peterson pens so many appropriate terms in his paraphrase of God’s Word. To me, this is a big benefit of reading his work.

In vs. 9 he says, “Honesty lives confident and carefree.” Who can dispute that?

My mentor, Pastor Moses Vegh, (pronounced Vay) used to say, “Always tell the truth so you never have to remember what you said (if challenged on a lie or conflicting story.) That’s confident, carefree living. Bills all paid? That’s confident carefree living. Faithful to your wife. Paying the taxes you really owe. Refraining from spreading slander about your neighbor. And on and on …

Pr. 8, 9 [The Message]

Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God,
    insight into life from knowing a Holy God.
It’s through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens …

As we meander through our lives, can we consider the impact God’s wisdom has upon our daily activities? Consulting God’s Word and its remembrance in every moment lifts us to a whole new level of effectiveness and reward.

If we do everything well, we can live with little regret.

“So give to God all your days; it’s the only life that pays when your recall, you have but one life (here on earth).”

Pr. 8 [The Message]

How do you fear God You hate evil. [Pr. 8:13]

We don’t hate evil enough. We are not necessarily sanctioned to hate the evil in others, [Matt. 7:3] We are to be self-examiners, harder on ourselves than anyone else. Christ loved righteousness and hated evil but he LOVED THE SINNER. There’s a critical difference between the man and the sin. Christ died for sinners. God knew the horrible fate for those who love evil and will suffer eternal damnation if they don’t accept the cleansing of Christ’s blood.

We need to hate evil enough that we can’t bear the thought of souls suffering in the Lake of Fire for eternity. Then, we do something about it. We hate the sin, but love the sinner and preach the gospel to them.

Pr. 5-7 [The Message]

While on Facebook this evening, I was messaged by a misguided young female who is related to a Godly family I knew in Ohio. It was an attempt to draw me into some sort of morally impure discussion. If she only knew of the heartbreak, pain, and disgrace that accompany such behavior.

The Proverbs essentially warn strongly against taking ANY STEPS in an immoral direction. In doing so, one is opening up themselves to devastation.

I know that young lady’s aunt whom I messaged to expose the youngster’s FOOLISH behavior. Christians need to hold the line on living morally pure. God’s grace gives us strength to resist the flesh and its allures.

Pr. 4 [The Message]

Bill Gothard explained that wisdom is true insight into the nature of things (God’s Word) and understanding is the application of wisdom to life.

The Proverbs are a Christian on his feet navigating life. They help us apply God’s Ways to our daily living.

For instance, wisdom is knowing how to identify an immoral woman and understanding is learning how to avoid being defiled by her.

Pr. 3:27, 28 [The Message]

Never walk away from someone who deserves help;
    your hand is God’s hand for that person.
Don’t tell your neighbor “Maybe some other time”
    or “Try me tomorrow”
    when the money’s right there in your pocket.

Every needy person we meet provides a chance for us to be God’s Hand extended. If every Christian took up this challenge and opportunity, there would be much less poverty and indigent people on our streets.

Yes, there are people who are “pros” at wringing cash out of you, so it’s not wise to pour money down a bottomless pit. God’s Word gives further clarification saying, “If any would not work, neither should he eat.” [2 Thess. 3:10]

He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and that which he has given He will repay to him. [Pr. 19:17]

Ps. 149, 150; Proverbs 1-3 [The Message]

Eugene Peterson paraphrases that God’s voice is in everything you do. You might hear, “NEVER do that again,” or, “YES, this is the best path for your life.”

Life teaches us many lessons. The wise man is always trying to discern the truth or message in all of life’s activities. In that sense, your bad experiences can be teachers, preparing you for the future. It’s called the “Empirical method of learning.” Failure becomes your teacher.

Where do you get good judgement? From bad.

Ps. 147, 148 [The Message]

For the relatively little we give back to God, our praise is not too much to ask for. Yet, it is one of the few things He wants and is willing to dole out blessings when He gets it.

I have endeavored to live a life of praise. In my earlier years, I would sing through 5 Psalms and a Proverb every morning, often to the top of my lungs. I developed a strong voice that way. My praises are all bottled up in Heaven. Also, they are reverberating out in the universe somewhere. Sound never really stops. How will you respond to His request? Go ahead and get busy.

For all God gives us, it’s very little in return for us to devote our praise to Him.