Some prayer to open us up…

Dear Lord, we ask in Jesus name for your spirit to rest upon all those reading this today. Please grant us your wisdom as we seek you and draw closer to your presence. Thank you God for saving us from our sins, and for all the wonderful promises in your Word.

Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 13

Pro 13:1 A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
Pro 13:2 From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.
Pro 13:3 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
Pro 13:4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
Pro 13:5 The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace.
Pro 13:6 Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but sin overthrows the wicked.
Pro 13:7 One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
Pro 13:8 The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth, but a poor man hears no threat.
Pro 13:9 The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
Pro 13:10 By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.
Pro 13:11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
Pro 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
Pro 13:13 Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.
Pro 13:14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.
Pro 13:15 Good sense wins favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.
Pro 13:16 In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.
Pro 13:17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful envoy brings healing.
Pro 13:18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored.
Pro 13:19 A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
Pro 13:20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Pro 13:21 Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good.
Pro 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
Pro 13:23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice.
Pro 13:24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
Pro 13:25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

Wisdom I have received from this chapter

2,3) God impresses upon us the power of words

Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Keeping a reign on our tongue until we can allow the words of God to flow from it is the key.

4) What is the difference between that one percent of mankind that achieves more of what God planned for us? Action. Everyone plans. The lazy man’s plans are called cravings, because they desire but do not do. The diligent person acts according to God’s leading and “is fully satisfied”.

7) We discussed this more in yesterday’s post. Pretending to be someone you are not only results in burning coals heaped on our heads.

Being poor has some benefit, contrary to popular opinion. While it is true the rich man can use his wealth to temporarily save his skin, the poor man does not have to save his skin.

9, 20) This is so true. Have you ever known someone that you can just tell that God is with them? Even before I was a Christian I could see this, although I didn’t identify it as God. There was just a light behind their faces, and things seemed brighter where they were.

If we walk with these people, we will learn from them. For example, I am still only a couple years from when I turned my life back over to the Lord. I still am learning how to speak words of faith. It may sound silly, but I sometimes do not know what to talk about. Negativity and perverse speech became so deeply ingrained in me that I am at a loss of what to say. Sometimes I say the wrong things, and sometimes I seem aloof or uncaring. This is not the case, I am just trying to keep my mouth shut until something good will come out.

I perceive this to be a bit of a problem for new believers, but the answer is simple. Find a good small group, and find a good church filled with people that are passionate about the Lord. Avoid those in the church who are gossips and critics (there are some in every church) and surround yourself with wise people (those with the “light behind their face” that we spoke of earlier). If they will put up with us for awhile, God will retrain us to speak his words of life.

10) This is what causes the bulk of disagreements between my wife and I. Each of us is so concerned about showing the other that we are right that we both end up looking like fools.

11) Another one for the people in business; build a strong product and grow “little by little”. Sometimes God throws in some great leaps, but if we try to make it happen ourselves we are susceptible to defeat. A great example is Chick-fil-A, a fast-food franchise in the USA. They are closed Sundays, wich costs them a significant amount of earnings (since many people are off work on that day). They also grew much slower than other restaurant chains. This was by choice, since they wanted to control quality and do things as God purposed for them. I encourage you to pick up a copy of Truett Cathy’s biography. It is a quick read and an excellent example for Christian Businessmen.

15) The way of the unfaithful sure is hard. Waiting for God allows us to enjoy his power and planning. It is against many western cultures (eastern, northern, and southern too!) to wait on God, but it makes life sooooo much easier.

22) I never really liked this verse before. When I think of an inheritance I think of families fighting over money. This applies to more than just money though. Both my wife and I were raised in homes where God was never spoken of. We were sent to church because that was the “right thing to do,” but we never knew anything much about the Lord. We have since drawn closer to God and are hopefully building a foundation for greater faith passed down to our future generations. Pretty exciting to think about.

The Pastor of Seacoast Church in Charleston, SC, Greg Surratt spoke of his family history. His grandfather was a horse thief, or something pretty bad, and barely escaped town with his life when someone came to get even. He found God, and the Lord cleaned up his life. The result of Greg’s grandfather going “all in” for the Lord reaped great rewards a few years later. His grandfather’s legacy has been passed down to all his relatives, most of whom are Pastors or ministers of the Gospel.

23) The Bible usually states that a poor man is solely to fault for their station in life. This verse tells us that there is an exception. The rich sometimes oppress their people. There are numerous examples in third-world nations where the people are abused by their leadership.

Learn more about the Lord through the Gospel of John, Chapter 13

Joh 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
Joh 13:2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,
Joh 13:3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,
Joh 13:4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.
Joh 13:5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Joh 13:6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
Joh 13:7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”
Joh 13:8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
Joh 13:9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”
Joh 13:10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”
Joh 13:11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
Joh 13:12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you?
Joh 13:13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.
Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
Joh 13:16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
Joh 13:17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Joh 13:18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’
Joh 13:19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.
Joh 13:20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
Joh 13:21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
Joh 13:22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.
Joh 13:23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table close to Jesus,
Joh 13:24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking.
Joh 13:25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?”
Joh 13:26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
Joh 13:27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”
Joh 13:28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him.
Joh 13:29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.
Joh 13:30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
Joh 13:31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
Joh 13:32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.
Joh 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’
Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Joh 13:36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”
Joh 13:37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
Joh 13:38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

Thanks for joining with us today – I pray that God does mighty works in your lives and gives you the wisdom which you seek.

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We’ll see you all tomorrow – have a blessed day!

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