1 Wine produces mockers; liquor leads to brawls. Whoever is led astray by drink cannot be wise.
2The king's fury is like a lion's roar; to rouse his anger is to risk your life.
3Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.
4If you are too lazy to plow in the right season, you will have no food at the harvest.
5Though good advice lies deep within a person's heart, the wise will draw it out.
6Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is really faithful?
7The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children after them.
8When a king judges, he carefully weighs all the evidence, distinguishing the bad from the good.
9Who can say, "I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin"?
10The LORD despises double standards of every kind.
11Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure and right.
12Ears to hear and eyes to see--both are gifts from the LORD.
13If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!
14The buyer haggles over the price, saying, "It's worthless," then brags about getting a bargain!
15Wise speech is rarer and more valuable than gold and rubies.
16Be sure to get collateral from anyone who guarantees the debt of a stranger. Get a deposit if someone guarantees the debt of a foreigner.[a]
17Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth.
18Plans succeed through good counsel; don't go to war without the advice of others.
19A gossip tells secrets, so don't hang around with someone who talks too much.
20If you curse your father or mother, the lamp of your life will be snuffed out.
21An inheritance obtained early in life is not a blessing in the end.
22Don't say, "I will get even for this wrong." Wait for the LORD to handle the matter.
23The LORD despises double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales.
24How can we understand the road we travel? It is the LORD who directs our steps.
25It is dangerous to make a rash promise to God before counting the cost.
26A wise king finds the wicked, lays them out like wheat, then runs the crushing wheel over them.
27The LORD's searchlight penetrates the human spirit,[b] exposing every hidden motive.
28Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love.
29The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.
30Physical punishment cleanses away evil;[c] such discipline purifies the heart.
Footnotes:
a. Proverbs 20:16 An alternate reading in the Hebrew text is the debt of an adulterous woman; compare 27:13.
b. Proverbs 20:27 Or The human spirit is the LORD's searchlight.
c. Proverbs 20:30 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
6 comments:
Morning fellas.
If you have not gone to the willow creek site to watch the Wed night sermon from last week, I suggest you give it a try. Pretty awesome speaker! Timmcd, he reminds me of your brother a little bit.
Here is the link again, scroll down tot he video archives and Choose the Aug 9th archive on called Standing Outside the Fire by Mike Breaux
http://www.willowcreek.org/nc/default.asp?StoryID=1951
I heard a lot of amazing talks this past Thur and Fri at the Leadership summit. I think everyone should mark there calendars for next year. Not kidding, I am starting to bug you now so get ready…..
Prov 20
27The LORD's searchlight penetrates the human spirit,[b] exposing every hidden motive.
Nuf said right. I guess our prayers should also include asking for God to change our motives. I certainly know that mine are not always the purest. I will say however, the ore I fell in tune with Christ, the more I can actually catch myself being proud or starting to go down a thought path that is selfish and stop it and start to pray that the Lord will change me.
Father God, thank you for this past week and disproving my doubts. Thank you for three new friends and the passion we share for You. I pray for all my brothers and their families. Keep us strong and give us the strength to stay committed to You and to read Your word and meditate on it day and night.
In Christ,
cas
Good morning, for the very first time. And thanks to cas for the encouragement to join this blog.
Echo on the Willow trip - awesome advice from great speakers, including Bono!
17Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth.
This one jumped out at me this morning, as my youngest son just learned this lesson yesterday. It seems he grabbed a piece of candy at the neighbors without asking, only to find out, after loosening a tooth, that it was 3 months old.
Father God, allow us to be satisfied with what we have, whatever that may be, and keep us mindful that everything we have is provided by Your hand. Amen.
Good afternoon, my first post as well. Thanks for having me as part of the Blog. I echo the previous comments on the Conference we attended - make a real impact on me.
I joked with cas, but the first line hit me pretty hard! I've gotten in the routine of after putting in a long day at work, having a couple glasses of wine. While not yet at the stage where I am "mocking others or starting fights"!, I think it does prevent me from having lots of energy and being in tune with my wife and kids as much as I would like. This is something I have been convicted with as of late in prayer, and the timing of this being my first blog verse surely is no coincidence!
Dave
Prov 20
welcome new faces:) It is nice to see it grow. (No disrespect to the old faces :))
I agree with Dave- the 1st verse hit me as well, and its certainly one of those things that I have been wondering/struggling with for a while. After a brutally long day at work, I find that the once every few day comments of "Man, I really need a beer tonight" have become more often. To be fair to myself, the days and stresses over the last few years have increased in frequency.
Father, thank You for the new additions and old friends. Let our interactions help each of us to grow closer to You and help us relate Your word to our daily lives. Keep all of us walking in the path You want us to. Watch over AAB, ELB, and AJB as they stay up in Chicago and let them have a safe travel back down. In Jesus' name,
Amen
crb
Guys, saw your comments and can defintely relate to the glass o something and wanting to unwind. I too would pray for that I will more consistently engage my wife and kids.
cas
Prov 20
28Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love.
How counterintutitive to our culture. "The strong survive" "Survival of the fittest" "Catch while catch can" "grab all you can get".
No - it is LOVE that make the throne of the almighty god secure.
Father - thank you for you infinite love and wisdom. Help me to love my family well, so that our home may be secure.
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