A WISE PERSON WILL ALWAYS LISTEN TO ADVISE

Proclamation:

“The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.  Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult.”  Proverbs 12:15-16 (NIV)

Explanation:

This proverb was written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This twelfth proverb of Solomon continues the pattern which he started in the tenth proverb of presenting a series of seemingly unrelated sentences that compares and contrasts that which is good and righteous with that which is not.  This verse is a Biblical reference to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, who refused to listen to the wise counsel of the older men in the kingdom which resulted in his downfall.

Application:

Those who think too highly of themselves will condemn the ideas and advice of others.  They think that only their ways are right and everybody else is wrong.  When they are annoyed, they react and speak without thinking.  They fail to exercise any degree of self-control.  It is not wise to hastily express ones anger. (Ecclesiastes 7:9)  It is always better for us if we think, and pray, before we speak or act.  The prudent person will frequently keep their thoughts to themselves. (Proverbs 12:23)

HE THAT BLESSES OTHERS WILL HIMSELF BE BLESSED

Proclamation:

“One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.  A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”  Proverbs 11:24-25 (NIV)

Explanation:

This proverb, like all but the last two of the proverbs, was written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The eleventh proverb of Solomon continues the pattern of presenting a series of seemingly unrelated sentences that compares and contrasts that which is good and righteous with that which is not.  After stating and apparent contradiction, one who gives freely, gains even more, while one who holds onto his, loses it.  Then he states that the generous person who gives to help others will prosper.

Application:

This very Christian principle is that you gain by giving.  “He that watereth shall be watered also himself.”  (Proverb 11:25 KJV)  In both physical and spiritual things, he who blesses others will himself also be blessed.  “Give, and it shall be given unto you …” (Luke 6:38)  If you want more of something, try giving more of that to others.  “As you sow, so shall you also reap.” (2 Corinthians 9:6 and Galatians 6:7)

THAT WHICH WE DO FOR THE LORD WILL BE REMEMBERED

Proclamation:

“The memory of the just is blessed; but the name of the wicked shall rot.”  Proverbs 10:7 (KJV)

Explanation:

This proverb, like all but the last two of the proverbs, was written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this tenth proverb Solomon compares and contrasts the wise and righteous man with the wicked man with respect to their temperament, conduct, actions, and their resulting effects.  He begins by saying that the wise son brings joy to his parents while the foolish son brings grief. (Proverbs 10:1)  He ends by saying that out of the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom and it brings favor, whereas out of the mouth of the mouth of the wicked comes that which is perverse and he will soon be silenced. (Proverbs 10:31-32)

Application:

Within days after the funeral, most of the kind words are forgotten and the deceased person is rarely thought of except by loved ones.  However, those who accomplished something for the Lord God will be remembered by the people of God outside of their immediate family.  As the song says, “Only what you do for Christ will last.”  The righteous will be remembered forever. (Psalm 112:6)  Many worldly men, who do things in order to be remembered, will be forgotten. (Ecclesiastes 8:10)  In the case of the saints who have gone on before us, they may be gone, but they are not forgotten.  If we live for the glory of God, we will be remembered.  For there are three who keep a record in heaven of all that we do, God, The Father, God, The Son, and God, The Holy Spirit. (1 John 5:7)

THE FEAR OF THE LORD GOD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM

Proclamation:

“Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.  The fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of The Holy One is understanding.  For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.  If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.”  Proverbs 9:9-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

This proverb, like all but the last two of the proverbs, was written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This ninth proverb is also all about wisdom.  Solomon begins by saying that wisdom has built her house, prepared the meal, and invited the guest to join her. (Proverbs 9:1-6)  Teaching those who are wise will make them wiser.  Having wisdom, and applying it, can lengthen one’s life.  Having respect for The Lord God is the beginning of wisdom.  Wisdom is a gift from The Lord. (Proverbs 2:6)  He who has wisdom has something that is much more valuable that silver or gold. (Proverbs 8:10-11)

Application:

If you offer The Word of God to some people, they will hate you for it. (Proverbs 9:7-8)  Those who will not receive The Word of God are to be left alone. (Luke 9:5)  Shake the dust off of your shoes and keep on going.  Our job is to tell them and offer it to them, not to force them to accept it or believe it.  It is the job of The Holy Spirit of God to convict, convince, and convert them as He sees fit to do. 

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO KEEP HIS WAYS

Proclamation:

“Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.  Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it.  Blessed are those who listen to me … For those who find me find life and receive favor from The Lord.”  Proverbs 8:32-35 (NIV)

Explanation:

This proverb, like all but two of the proverbs, was written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This eighth proverb was written from the perspective of wisdom speaking as a person.  Wisdom calls out to mankind to hear her words. (Proverbs 8:1-6)  The words of wisdom are trustworthy, true, just, and right. (Proverbs 8:6-9)  The words of wisdom are worth more than silver, or gold, or precious rubies. (Proverbs 8:10-11)  With wisdom comes prudence, knowledge, and discretion, in addition to good advice, sound judgment, and insight. (Proverbs 8:12-14)  Those who seek wisdom will find her and those who love her will be blessed. (Proverbs 8:17-21)  Harken to the words of wisdom and be blessed, (Proverbs 8:32-35) those who don’t, won’t be. (Proverbs 8:36)

Application:

The Word of God calls out to us to read it, to hear it, to study it, and to seek to understand it and gain wisdom.  We will be blessed if we not only hear The Word of God but become doers of The Word. (Proverbs 8:32, Romans 2:13, and James 1:22)  Believing and having faith and having knowledge of The Lord God without doing anything with it is useless. (James 2:18 and 2:26)

KEEP THE WORD OF GOD INSIDE OF YOU AND LIVE BY IT

Proclamation:

“My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.  Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.”  Proverbs 7:1-2 (NIV)

Explanation:

This proverb, like all of the proverbs, was written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This seventh proverb encourages the men to adhere to the doctrines and principals of wisdom as presented in God’s Holy Word and taught to them by Solomon in order to avoid falling into the trap of the adulterous woman. (Proverbs 7:1-5)  Solomon mentions this in his second proverb (Proverb 2:16-19) and he focuses on sins of the flesh in the fifth and sixth proverb.  In this proverb Solomon tells the story of a young man that he witnessed get ensnared by such a woman. (Proverbs 7:6-23)  Then he warns them of the price they would pay for not heeding his warning. (Proverbs 7:24-27)

Application:

Unfortunately for us, temptations relating to sins of the flesh are prevalent in our society.  Many men and women, saved and unsaved, yield to these temptations of the flesh and participate in illicit and adulterous affairs. You will note that the woman in this story is a “religious” woman. (Proverbs 7:14)  Also, many ladies have been “turned out” and led astray by a smooth talking man.  This warning applies to both men and women.  Additionally, there are many more people who think about it but never get physically involved.  Thinking about it is also a sin (Matthew 5:28) for as a man thinks so is he. (Proverbs 23:7)  Everything in the Bible is important, but maybe we should pay much more attention to warnings like this which are repeated several times.  This is an area of weakness and we need to pray for His help and strength.  If we spent more time reading and meditating on His Holy Word, we would spend less time yielding to temptation and falling into sin.

SEVEN THINGS THAT THE LORD GOD DOES NOT LIKE

Proclamation:

“There are six things The Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”  Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV)

Explanation:

This proverb, like all of the other proverbs, was written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This sixth proverb addresses good business principles, (Proverbs 6:1-5) laziness, (Proverbs 6:6-11) troublemakers, (Proverbs 6:12-15) and it repeats the warning against adultery. (Proverbs 6:20-35)  It also list the seven things which The Lord God does not like. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Application:

There are a number of things which The Lord God hates.  He hates any idol or image which takes His place in our hearts. (Deuteronomy 16:22)  He also hates wickedness. (Psalm 45:7)  There are also things which are an abomination to The Lord including a forward heart, (Proverbs 11:20) lying lips, (Proverbs 12:22) the sacrifices of the wicked, (Proverbs 15:8) the thoughts of the wicked, (Proverbs 15:26) a proud heart, (Proverbs 16:5) and he that justifies the wicked and condemns the just. (Proverbs 17:15)  These are in addition to the seven things mentioned here: a proud look, a liar, killing innocent people, those who devise wicked schemes, those who enjoy evil, false witnesses, and those who sow discord among the people.  The Bible shows us our sinful ways, then it is up to us to confess our sin and ask to be forgiven.  If you cannot find your sin in this list, read Romans 1:18-32 which list the sins of the worldly man and Romans 2:1-29 which list the sins of the righteous.  These were presented not for us to find fault with others, but for us to identify the faults within ourselves.

THE LORD GOD KNOWS ALL THAT WE DO SAY AND THINK

Proclamation:

“For your ways are in full view of The Lord, and He examines all your paths.”  Proverbs 5:21 (NIV)

Explanation:

This proverb, like all of the other proverbs, was written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This fifth proverb also addresses wisdom, but it focuses on avoiding adultery and abstaining from the lust of the flesh.  The seventh of the Ten Commandments states that we should not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)  We are encouraged to flee from fornication because it is a sin. (1 Corinthians 6:18 and 1 Thessalonians 4:3)  Solomon warns them of the consequences of fornication, including the loss of honor and dignity, (Proverbs 5:8-10) and the effect on the body from contracting a sexually transmitted disease. (Proverbs 5:11)  He told them to stay with their own mates and enjoy their company instead of seeking the companionship of someone else’s mate. (Proverbs 5:15-20)  The Lord God sees all that we do, hears all that we say, and knows all that we think.

Application:

The Bible is full of good advice, we just often choose not to follow it.  We really should not turn away from the wisdom of the words of The Bible.  Even when we have the best of intentions, we often still do or say the wrong thing, or we think sinful thoughts which we do not act upon.  Adultery and fornication are not our only sins but in our society, we are bombarded with sexual innuendoes at almost every turn, on television, in songs, at the movies, in advertisements.  Temptation is all around us.  We need to pray for the strength to avoid sin and even to avoid the appearance of sinful behavior. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)  As the hymn says, “Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin.”  Remember, The Lord God sees all that we do.  Additionally, we should not judge others because their sin is different from our sin.  We all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and we all need His help to turn from our wicked ways. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

KEEP YOUR MOUTH FREE OF PERVERSITY AND CORRUPT TALK

Proclamation:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.  Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk from your lips.  Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.  Give careful thought to the paths of your feet and be steadfast in your ways.”  Proverbs 4:23-26 (NIV)

Explanation:

This proverb, like all of the other proverbs, was written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God to provide instruction and guidance to the people of God.  This fourth proverb also addresses wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.  Solomon begins this proverb by saying do not forget what he has taught them. (Proverbs 4:1-2)  He then goes on to say that these were the same words which were taught to him when he was young. (Proverbs 4:3-5)  He follows this with a discourse on what wisdom can do for those who embrace her. (Proverbs 4:6-9)  Then, as in the previous proverbs, he advises them not to walk in the paths of the wicked (Proverbs 4:14-19) and states the importance of heeding his words. (Proverbs 4:30-27)

Application:

All too often we say things that we should not say.  Blessings and cursing should not come out of the same mouth. (James 3:10-11)  Our words can hurt others, and can cut them like a sword. (Psalm 57:4 and Proverbs 12:18)  Unfortunately, the words which come out of our mouth reflect the issues of our heart. (Proverbs 4:23 and Luke 6:45)  That is why we need to guard our hearts, to keep them from doing hurt to others and from being hurt by others.  The words that we speak should reflect Christian conversation. (Colossians 4:6)  Our language should not be the same as those who do not know The Lord God.  Every word that we speak will be judged, even the idle insignificant words. (Matthew 12:36)  If we keep our eyes and our mind on Him, then our words and our walk will follow His way.

IN ALL YOUR WAYS SUBMIT TO THE LORD

Proclamation:

“Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear The Lord and shun evil.”  Proverbs 3:5-7 (NIV)

Explanation:

This proverb, like all of the other proverbs, was written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God to provide instruction and guidance to the people of God.  This third proverb also addresses wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.  He begins by saying do not forget what he has taught them. (Proverbs 3:1-4)  The he adds, do not despise The Lord’s discipline because He disciplines those that He loves. (Proverbs 3:11-12)  Blessed are those who get wisdom and gain understanding for wisdom is more valuable that silver and gold. (Proverbs 3:13-15)  With wisdom comes long life, prosperity, and peace. (Proverbs 3:16-18)  Solomon continues with a discussion of the importance and the value of wisdom. (Proverbs 3:19-26)  Then he discusses sharing with those in need, and advises against doing harm to your neighbors. (Proverbs 3:27-30)  He ends by saying do not envy or imitate the evil wicked people, The Lord will deal with them. (Proverbs 3:31-35)  

Application:

It is the responsibility of every believer to learn, remember, and live by The Word of God.  We are to seek Him and live by His ways, and not our own.  The knowledge of His Holy Word is more valuable to us than wealth.  Those who are blessed to get wisdom and understanding by seeking Him first will also be blessed with all of the other things. (Matthew 6:33)

WISDOM KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING ARE GIFTS FROM THE LORD GOD

Proclamation:

“For The Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds success in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones.”  Proverbs 2:6-8 (NIV)

Explanation:

This proverb, like all of the proverbs, was written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God to provide instruction and guidance to the people of God.  This second proverb also addresses wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.  It begins by encouraging the People of God to accept The Word of God and to keep His commandments on their mind and in their heart. (Proverb 2:1)  Those who listen to The Word of God and apply it, will receive the insight and understanding they seek. (Proverbs 2:2-5)  Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding are all gifts for God. (Proverbs 2:6)   He also determines who He will allow to succeed and who He will protect. (Proverbs 2:7-8)  He allows us to understand that which is right and just.  With wisdom in our heart, knowledge will be pleasant to our soul, and discretion will protect us. (Proverbs 2:9-11)  They will keep us from the ways of the wicked who delight in doing wrong (Proverbs 2:12-15) and from the adulterous woman whose ways lead to death. (Proverbs 2:16-19)  Only those who walk in the ways of the good, who keep on the path of the righteous, and who are upright and blameless will live. (Proverbs 2:20-22)

Application:

Those of us who earnestly seek heavenly wisdom will find it. (Matthew 7:7-8)  Wisdom is a gift from The Lord God. (Proverbs 2:6)  All we can do is pray and ask for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in addition to discretion and discernment.  We should also pray for His guidance and direction so that we choose the right path and the right way. (Psalm 31:3, Psalm 112:5, and Luke 1:79)

LET THE WISE LISTEN AND ADD TO THEIR LEARNING

Proclamation:

“Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let discerning get guidance; for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.  The fear of The Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Proverbs 1:5-7 (NIV)

Explanation:

These proverbs are the words of King Solomon, son of King David, the king of Israel.  They were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God to provide instruction and guidance to the people of God.  This first proverb begins by discussing wisdom, instruction and knowledge. (Proverbs 1:1-6)  “Fear of The Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” (Proverbs 1:7)  Then it warns them not to hang out with evil men who plan to harm and take advantage of the innocent. (Proverbs 1:10-19)  The remainder of this proverb describes the consequences which they would receive for not following this advice. (Proverbs 1:20-33)

Application:

It has been said that maybe God gave us two ears and one mouth because He wanted us to spend twice as much time listening as we did talking.  All too often we listen just so that we can respond to what was said.  It is good to listen in order to gain knowledge and understanding.  However, we do not understand everything that we hear or read.  Some things must be explained to us, and some things only The Holy Spirit of God can reveal to us.  Reading The Bible is good, but much more insight and knowledge can be gained from prayerful Bible study.  “Study to show yourself approved unto God.” (2 Timothy 2:15)  Only the fool does not want to learn or get any wiser.  To learn is to grow, and only dead things don’t grow.  Don’t be a dead soul, pray and ask The Lord God to increase your wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of His Holy Word then apply what you learn.

LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH PRAISE THE LORD

Proclamation:

“Praise The Lord … Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness … Let everything that has breath praise The Lord.  Praise The Lord.”  Psalm 150:1-6 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm are also thought to have been written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  This psalm is the “grand finale” of the “Hallelujah” psalms and the final psalm.  The focus of this psalm is praise.  The word praise is mentioned three times in the first verse and twice in each of the remaining five verses.  The Lord God is the object of our praise and everything that has breath should praise Him.

Application:

We should praise the Lord God more often than we do.  It does not matter how often we praise Him, we could never praise Him enough.  Even if His praise was continually in our mouth, we would never give Him too much praise.  When we think of who He is, and all that He has done, and all of His goodness that He has shown to us, we should shout praises to His name.  To God be the glory!  Hallelujah!  Praise The Lord!

THE LORD GOD DELIGHTS IS HIS PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“For The Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with victory.  Let His faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.  May the praise of God be in their mouths …”  Psalm 149:4-6 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm are also thought to have been written by King David and it is clear they were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This psalm is another one of the “Hallelujah” psalms.  This psalm is about the “new song” which the people of God will sing regarding Jesus, The Christ, as our redeemer. (Psalm 149:1)  The people of Zion will be glad and celebrate with singing, dancing, and making music. (Psalm 149:2-3)  This will be pleasing to The Lord God.

Application:

There will come a time when all of God’s people will celebrate with joy.  We will enjoy the victory over sin, death, and this world.  We will be singing songs of praise and jumping for joy.  We can rejoice now, in the midst of our trials and tribulations here on earth because we know that in the end we will get the victory.  The humble down here will be glorified in heaven with unspeakable joy. (1 Peter 1:8)  Praise The Lord.

FOR HIS NAME ALONE IS TO BE EXALTED

Proclamation:

“Praise The Lord from the earth, you … young men and women, old men and children.  Let them praise the name of The Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens.”  Psalm 148:7-13 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm are also thought to have been written by King David.  Regardless of who the human author is, it is clear that it was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This psalm is another one of the “Hallelujah” psalms.  It encourages all things heavenly (Psalm 148:1-6) and earthly (Psalm 148:7-12) to praise The Lord.  This will be the ultimate hallelujah chorus when all of His creations sing praises unto Him. 

Application:

One day, everything that The Lord God created will praise His name for He is worthy of all praise.  His name is to be exalted high above every name. (Philippians 2:9)  Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. (Romans 14:11)  His glory is great. (Psalm 21:5)  His glory is above the heavens. (Psalm 113:4 and 148:13)  He is worthy to be praised. (Psalm 18:3 and Revelation 5:12)  Praise The Lord.

THE LORD GOD DELIGHTS IN THOSE WHO FEAR HIM

Proclamation:

“Praise The Lord … He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds … The Lord sustains the humble … The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.”  Psalm 147:1-11 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm are also thought to have been written by King David.  Regardless of who the human author is, it is clear that it was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This psalm is another one of the “Hallelujah” psalms and this one celebrates God’s goodness towards earth and to Jerusalem.  He builds up Jerusalem and gathers the exiles of Israel. (Psalm 147:2)  He strengthens the gates of the city and blesses the people within them. (Psalm 147:13)  He has done things for Israel which He has not done for any other nation. (Psalm 147:20)  The psalmist also talks about God’s knowledge of the stars in the sky (Psalm 147:4) and His control of the weather. (Psalm 147:8 and 16-18)  Scattered throughout this psalm are examples of the things which He does for His people.

Application:

We need to praise and thank The Lord God much more than we do.  He has done so much for us.  He heals us physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  He protects us, preserves us, and sustains us while providing for our needs.  He not only protects and provides for us but He also provides for all of the animals of the world. (Psalm 147:9)  Everything is under His control including the weather, which people refer to as “Mother Nature” instead of acknowledging that it is the work of The Lord God.  All power is in His hands.  To God be the glory!!!  Blessed are those who put their trust in The Lord God. (Jeremiah 17:7)  Hopefully, we would do something each day in which The Lord God would find delight.

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD GOD

Proclamation:

“Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.  When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.  Blessed are those whose help is The God of Jacob, whose hope is in The Lord their God.”  Psalm 146:3-5 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm are thought to have been written by King David.  Whoever the human author, it is clear that it was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This psalm is one of the “Hallelujah” psalms.  These last five psalms all begin and end with the phrase, “Praise The Lord.”  There are no prayers for help or deliverance, and no mention of persecution or suffering.  This is all about giving God praise.  Do not put your trust in a human being, put your trust in The Lord God, our creator and our savior. (Psalm 118:8-9 and 146:3-5) 

Application:

This psalm is all about praise and here we are encouraged to praise The Lord.  The second half of this psalm offers us reasons for trusting in The Lord God. (Psalm 146:5-10)  This psalm by no means is an exhaustive list of such reasons.  In fact, the more personal we make the list of reasons, the longer it becomes.  We have more reasons for trusting Him than we can count.  He has blessed us with blessing after blessing, one right after another, and more blessings than we can count.  Each heartbeat, each breath, and every properly functioning part of our body are all blessings.  Our very existence, all that we have, our family and friends, and all that is around us are blessings from God.  Why would or should we trust in man when he can do nothing for us, whereas The Lord God can do, and has done, everything for us.