Words of Wisdom from the Lord - Proverbs, Chapter 19

Pro 19:1 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
Pro 19:2 Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.
Pro 19:3 When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD.
Pro 19:4 Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
Pro 19:5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
Pro 19:6 Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
Pro 19:7 All a poor man’s brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them.
Pro 19:8 Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good.
Pro 19:9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.
Pro 19:10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes.
Pro 19:11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
Pro 19:12 A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
Pro 19:13 A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
Pro 19:14 House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.
Pro 19:15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.
Pro 19:16 Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die.
Pro 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.
Pro 19:18 Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.
Pro 19:19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty, for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
Pro 19:20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.
Pro 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.
Pro 19:22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar.
Pro 19:23 The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.
Pro 19:24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
Pro 19:25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
Pro 19:26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach.
Pro 19:27 Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
Pro 19:28 A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
Pro 19:29 Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and beating for the backs of fools.

Notes about Wisdom from Proverbs, Chapter 19

2) I am no medical expert, but I grew up with the most difficult time paying attention. I could sit still for hours on one task, but not for two seconds on others. My mind ran a mile a minute (and it still does). Nowadays they would call it Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or some other acronym and give me some pills to cure this flaw in my genes.

I’m not so sure God intended it this way. Like I mentioned earlier I had a substantial drinking problem in my 20’s. Modern medicine calls this a disease, like I would catch it on a crowded bus. “Aachoo” - oh sorry for not covering my mouth, I don’t want you to get my alcoholism. Perhaps most of the cases of this are children who blessed by God with boundless energy and ideas, but do not have the wisdom and discipline to control it.

Of course this in a generalization, but if we truly believe God’s word and actually read the pages within the covers, we can not fall prey to the myth perpetuated by the medical community who always has an expensive treatment or a pill that we take for the rest of our lives to fix what is an emotional or spiritual problem.

4, 6, 7) Friendship and even love from family are often dependent on material wealth and wellness. God tells us this as a warning, lest we gain our security from friendships formend when times are good - thinking we earned this from our own goodness. God also says this to comfort us in tough times. We should not think badly of our worth. God left his flock of sheep to find us and bring us back. He loves us and will always be with us.

3) How many people shake their fist at God when it was their own fault? We think he doesn’t care, or is punishing us.

11) The closer we get to God, the more able we are to overlook other’s faults. This comes from both becoming to comprehend what Jesus did for us on a personal level, and receiving wisdom about what is really important in life.

17) This is an awesome perspective on kindness and charity to the poor.

Mat 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Mat 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
Mat 25:36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
Mat 25:37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
Mat 25:38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
Mat 25:39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
Mat 25:40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

The next time we think, “That person is just going to spend the money on drugs and alcohol,” remember that we are lending to God. That money or act of kindness may have an impact we could never even imagine.

18) “Do not be a willing party to his death.” If we really love our kids, we will teach them life lessons in the safe environment of the home instead of allowing them to learn the lessons under the harsh rod of the world.

We run across parents who say that they “just can’t bear to do punish their kids.” Some people strangely like the attention of having bratty kids. Others may have been neglected by their parents. Some parents may be codependant and have made their child their God, seeking friendship from their children. Others yet are simply lazy. This seems to be the lion’s share, at least in the United States.

Not only are we placing an enormous burden on our children, but we will have to answer to God for what we do wrong. It is just like being a boss of a company. In that case we will have to answer for the welfare of our 30 employees we see for 8 hours a day. With our child, we are boss 24 hours a day - significantly more responsibility.

20, 21) Another for the business people. We often get a great idea and immediately start thinking of how this will be better than sliced bread - the next “Google”. God gave us this ability to dream “impossible” things. He also wants us to wait for him though. God has all the other tools that we are lacking. He gave us great ideas to help others. If we are willing to do it his way, we will benefit in the process, but we have to be patient.

Learning about the Character of God - John, Chapter 19

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Joh 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
Joh 1:7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
Joh 1:8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
Joh 1:9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
Joh 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.
Joh 1:11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
Joh 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
Joh 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Joh 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Joh 1:15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)
Joh 1:16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
Joh 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Joh 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Joh 1:19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
Joh 1:20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
Joh 1:21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
Joh 1:22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
Joh 1:23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
Joh 1:24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)
Joh 1:25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
Joh 1:26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,
Joh 1:27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”
Joh 1:28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Joh 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Joh 1:30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’
Joh 1:31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
Joh 1:32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.
Joh 1:33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
Joh 1:34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
Joh 1:35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples,
Joh 1:36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
Joh 1:37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
Joh 1:38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
Joh 1:39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
Joh 1:40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
Joh 1:41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).
Joh 1:42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
Joh 1:43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
Joh 1:44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
Joh 1:45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
Joh 1:46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Joh 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”
Joh 1:48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Joh 1:49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
Joh 1:50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”
Joh 1:51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

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