[Linux4christians] Thursday - Proverbs 16

[dcolburn at bibleseven.com]

    Thursday


      Proverbs 16



16:1 The intentions of the heart belong to a man, but the answer of the 
tongue comes from the Lord.

16:2 All a person's ways seem right in his own opinion, but the Lord 
evaluates the motives.

16:3 Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

16:4 The Lord works everything for its own ends -- even the wicked for 
the day of disaster.

16:5 The Lord abhors every arrogant person; rest assured that they will 
not go unpunished.

16:6 Through loyal love and truth iniquity is appeased; through fearing 
the Lord one avoids evil.

16:7 When a person's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he even reconciles 
his enemies to himself.

16:8 Better to have a little with righteousness than to have abundant 
income without justice.

16:9 A person plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps.

16:10 The divine verdict is in the words of the king, his pronouncements 
must not act treacherously against justice.

16:11 Honest scales and balances are from the Lord; all the weights in 
the bag are his handiwork.

16:12 Doing wickedness is an abomination to kings, because a throne is 
established in righteousness.

16:13 The delight of kings is righteous counsel, and they love the one 
who speaks uprightly.

16:14 A king's wrath is like a messenger of death, but a wise person 
appeases it.

16:15 In the light of the king's face there is life, and his favor is 
like the clouds of the spring rain.

16:16 How much better it is to acquire wisdom than gold; to acquire 
understanding is more desirable than silver.

16:17 The highway of the upright is to turn away from evil; the one who 
guards his way safeguards his life.

16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

16:19 It is better to be lowly in spirit with the afflicted than to 
share the spoils with the proud.

16:20 The one who deals wisely in a matter will find success, and 
blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

16:21 The one who is wise in heart is called discerning, and kind speech 
increases persuasiveness.

16:22 Insight is like a life-giving fountain to the one who possesses 
it, but folly leads to the discipline of fools.

16:23 A wise person's heart makes his speech wise and it adds 
persuasiveness to his words.

16:24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing 
to the bones.

16:25 There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the 
way that leads to death.

16:26 A laborer's appetite works on his behalf, for his hunger urges him 
to work.

16:27 A wicked scoundrel digs up evil, and his slander is like a 
scorching fire.

16:28 A perverse person spreads dissension, and a gossip separates the 
closest friends.

16:29 A violent person entices his neighbor, and leads him down a path 
that is terrible.

16:30 The one who winks his eyes devises perverse things, and one who 
compresses his lips brings about evil.

16:31 Gray hair is like a crown of glory; it is attained in the path of 
righteousness.

16:32 Better to be slow to anger than to be a mighty warrior, and one 
who controls his temper is better than one who captures a city.

16:33 The dice are thrown into the lap, but their every decision is from 
the Lord.



      Prayer


Lord, You are in control, You are the standard for good and evil, right 
and wrong, wise and unwise, righteous and unrighteous. When I need 
answers may You always be the first place I go.



      Commentary


Solomon returned to his theme that a person apart from the Lord and His 
wisdom "All a person's ways seem right in his own opinion, but the Lord 
evaluates the motives." and that one must choose to "Commit your works 
to the Lord, and your plans will be established."

He observed that for the one who belongs to the Lord God "A person plans 
his course, but the Lord directs his steps."

Solomon declares the standard of earthly ethics and justice, and the 
certain justice of eternity, to be of the Lord "Honest scales and 
balances are from the Lord; all the weights in the bag are his handiwork."

He warns again that choices have consequences "Pride goes before 
destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.", a haughty spirit 
being arrogant and unteachable.

Solomon noted the linkage between the essential physical needs, not 
optional lusts, of the body and positive motivation "A laborer's 
appetite works on his behalf, for his hunger urges him to work."

He returned to his warning as to the influence of those with whom 
associates "A wicked scoundrel digs up evil, and his slander is like a 
scorching fire."

Solomon warned again of the trouble caused by gossip "A perverse person 
spreads dissension, and a gossip separates the closest friends. A 
violent person entices his neighbor, and leads him down a path that is 
terrible."

He observed that, among those who obey the Lord God, wisdom is gathered 
over time "Gray hair is like a crown of glory; it is attained in the 
path of righteousness."

Solomon returned to the outward expression of an inward peace "Better to 
be slow to anger than to be a mighty warrior, and one who controls his 
temper is better than one who captures a city."

And he concluded Chapter Sixteen with a return to the observation that 
the events of life for one who belongs to the Lord are not random "The 
dice are thrown into the lap, but their every decision is from the Lord."



      Interaction


        Consider

The life of one who truly belongs to the Lord is not random, unlike most 
of what happens in the life of the one who lives without the Lord.


        Discuss

Why would an emphasis on the Lord God's justice and His involvement in 
the life of a believer be so important to emphasize? Could it be part of 
his strategy to keep people from arrogance?



        Reflect

Solomon keeps warning about the bad consequences of bad company and 
living without the wise counsel of the Lord God.


        Share

When have you experienced or observed the destructive impact of gossip?



      Faith in Action


        Prayer:

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your walk where He has 
"guided your steps", of which you had not previously been aware.



        Action:

Today I will give thanks for the Lord God's loving care and His blessed 
intervention in my life when I needed it.


        Be Specific ______________________________________________________



    Friday's text will be:


      Proverbs 17



-- 

Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you,
Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day!
David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com
Bible Resources: http://bible.org
Teacher's Verse: John 7:16
Defend free speech or lose your freedom.
I don't google I SEARCH! Startpage.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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