A study of Proverbs

In the following entries, I will be taking notes of what I have learned about Proverbs, learned about myself, and how I can change myself to be a better servant for God. I want to have a better reputation, to build good relationships with people and with God through the study of Proverbs.

Proverbs

Purpose: Teach people how to get wisdom and understanding so that they may have a prudent life doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord. In short, to apply wisdom to daily life and receive moral instruction.

Wisdom for young people
Wisdom for all people
Wisdom for leaders

The Proverbs are given in three parts as listed above, but does not mean that each part is directed at only the specific audience, but rather provide the best instruction for the specific audience. All people should read all of Proverbs.

Wisdom
The Lord wants all people to be wise. There are wise people and there are fools. fools are wicked and stubborn who hate wisdom & instruction and and thus will not accept it, ignoring God. The wise seek to know and love God.

Relationships
Proverbs is filled with instruction for developing relationships withpeople. Every relationship requires that we show love, dedication, and high moral standards.

Speech
Many proverbs mention that what we say shows who we are. It shows our real attitude and as we learn and change, speech is also a real test of how wise we become.

Work
Final outcome in all we do is controlled by God and we are accountable to carry out work out with diligence and discipline, not laziness.

Success
People work hard for fame and money, but God views success as having a good reputation, moral character, and the spiritual devotion to obey Him.

Just a note...

Just a little note here…

I just wanted to say that studying Proverbs has helped in my walk with Christ tremendously. I cannot believe the amount of wisdom packed into that book. Proverbs is like a sponge full of water. Only a few words make a proverb but the knowledge, understanding, and the good (godly) life one squeezes from those few words are in abundance. I have known this fact, but never experienced it for myself. I purchased a Bible this past year, the NLT (New Living Translation) Life Application Study Bible. I read it along with the KJV. Reading the two together has really helped me to understand what I’m reading.

I am feeling his presence a lot more than I have in the past. I have let God into my life more and He is a part of my daily living. It’s peaceful.

As for my last blog about blogging on Proverbs…keep in mind I’m a procrastinator. I have some notes but they just need to be expanded and I’ll work on it.

Will update soon...

I am planning on updating my blog soon. I started a study of Proverbs on January 1, 2010. One chapter per day. I have found one or several verse(s) in each chapter that I can directly apply to myself, that is, the negative. What I plan on doing is to mention what verses in each chapter and how I've applied them to myself and my life in general in order to become the positive. More detail on what I mean in the next blog. :)

Have a blessed day.

The sun...

I keep looking into the sun. I find it mesmerizing. At least it's safer than looking into the actual sun. A great ball of fire suspended on some clouds, like a pearl on the meat in an opened oyster. Beatuiful, but worth far less than the price Jesus paid for our sins.

A lone tree and a streetlight. My mind wanders to the scroll-scratching pen writings of Biblical authors of old. Paul, John, and Peter, for example, sitting by a candlelight in physcial loneliness, but in great companionship with the great Author, writing letters lovingly to the new Christians, encouraging them to live as Christ lived, never failing in faith in God and love for one another, edifying one another, so that they may, one sweet, glorious day, be together in Heaven worshipping the Holy One for eternity.

Mistakes in the past...

Here's something that helped me recently to let go of my mistakes I've made in the past and bad experiences. I've looked at my mistakes and reminded myself of them constantly, thinking that I couldn't get over them. But I've learned that I can and that I can apply them to the present and to the future. This is from a devtional that I recieve weekly from www.newlivingtranslation.com

OCEAN WIDE
by The Afters

It's so hard to admit, I know, we've made mistakes
I see through all the tears, but that's what got us here

Each of us have things in our life that have brought us joy and made us happy. Times that we felt successful. But we also have stuff that we regret. Decisions we wish we hadn't made. Experiences that were painful. But those things have made us into the people we are today.

Everything that has happened to us shaped who we are and how they can use us. Everything. God has promised to use all of our experiences, the good and the bad, for His good. Your experiences give you an unique perspective to reach out to others in similar circumstances.

Maybe you have experienced a divorce, either yours or your parent's--you can use that experience to comfort others in the midst of a failing marriage. Maybe you've had cancer. Cancer is a bad thing, but you can reach out to others struggling with disease to offer them joy and friendship while they go through an uncertain time. Maybe you were bullied as a kid. That's one of the most damaging things a child can experience, but you can use your experience of rejection and pain to reach out to other kids who are picked on. Don't allow the painful experiences of your life go to waste; use them for good.

2 Corinthians 1:4-6

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with His comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer.

Hope this will help/encourage you.

God bless.

It's been a while...but what can I say? I hate to write.

But I like to think. So, more thoughts here. Rather simple.

I think summer has been too cool. As is my spritiual fire. I've let it go down to embers recently. I've got to stoke the fire; bring the flames back up. Fresh logs, twigs, and anything I want to burn to quench the evil that keeps creeping back in my soul. I usually don't notice it at first, but evil slowly comes back in, and surely; if I don't watch out, it takes over. I can't let it take over.

I bring out the Bible. I like to read the New Living Translation. That helps to stoke the fire and it starts to burn more brightly and the evil (trash) starts to burn. I like that. I like to watch things burn in the fire; I am mesmerized by the flames licking the logs, twigs, and the paper plates and cups that people throw in after they are done eating hot dogs and hamburgers. They disappear; evil disappears. My soul is clean. Refreshed. I'm at peace. Nothing better than that feeling. Read An Unexpected Hope, by Roger C. Palms.

Point is, don't let evil take over. Keep the fire stoked and burning brightly with the holiness of God. He wants to be a part of your life. Let Him.

I hope to update my blog more often, but with shorter messages.

There is never a time I stop thinking...

There is never a time I stop thinking about my TLC (Touching Lives for Christ) trip to Lesotho and South Africa. I go back over my pictures from the mission trip, reminisce, and just wish I can do more. I really miss working with the Gaults and the people of the village of Matukeng. The three weeks I spent there was a great time of fellowship and working for the Lord. I have a longing to go back. Maybe, if the Lord willing, I can someday. I must tell Jesus my desires, I must ask Him, I must pray. Anything I ask in His Father's name, He will grant to me. In His time; perfect time.

Although I am thankful for all the things we can enjoy for the glory of God, I usually come to the realization that we don't need the modern materialism we have here in America. In my opinion, it has gotten out of hand. We must be careful. Upon returning from the simple life in Africa, I came to realize that I depended on material things to keep myself satisfied, to keep me going. Always gaining, always desiring, always never happy enough with it. BUT...when I place my trust in the Lord, as Brent Vernon's 'I Place My Trust' quotes, I hold onto Jesus' name and there is nothing else I would want to hold onto.

Know Jesus, know peace. No Jesus, no peace.

When you know Jesus and you've lost everything, YOU'VE LOST NOTHING. When you don't know Jesus and you've lost everything, YOU'VE LOST EVERYTHING.

I was taught right from wrong when I grew up. I had loving parents who loved me very much and cared that I grew up knowing the Lord and writing upon my heart everything that I learned. I'm deaf, you know, and there are many, many things that I may have missed in the sermons or seminars that I've attended all my life. Knowing this, I should put every effort to find someone who may help me understand what the sermons were about or finding spritual books and studying these along with the Bible. Unfortunately, I have not put enough effort into this in my lifetime. So, I grew up knowing only what I know and what I do know very well are the holiness standards. These are what I have lived on and I have followed these for many years until I came to the realization that these are not what makes a Christian fully satisfied in the Lord. These are merely guidelines that greatly help differentiate the true Christians from the world and we should stick to them, but they should not become the 'good works' for attaining salvation. Now, I never tried to attain salvation through 'good works' for I know better than this, but I came not to depend on these standards so much that I only felt hypocritical. My greatest desires today, since turning myself completely over to the Lord, is to show what is in my heart. The salvation and love of God in my heart should flow to the outside and this is what the world sees. This is what they look for and this is what differentiates us from the world. Then, as the Lord directs my life and molds me, I shall dress and act as He wants me to. I must listen and be very careful not to confuse the whisperings of the devil and those of God's. Overall, it is in humbleness in all things I do that is very important; pride should NOT overtake me. I should not be proud of anything I do, but be humble and always ready to be corrected by God should I move outside the appropriateness of Christian living.

Wow, I must have been thinking way more than I thought. For anyone who reads this, I would greatly appreciate any comments. I have put my thoughts here and would love correction if needed or more understanding. I have been in trouble for twisting the facts when I did not mean to. It is my fault for not studying as I should and for asking the Lord for a clear understanding of what I am learning when studying. It is my desire to do what is right and live a clean life before Jesus. If I'm wrong here somewhere, comment.

Adeiu.