Proverbs 19
Feb 25, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Decent | ITUNES: “St. Patrick’s Day” – John Mayer }
Proverbs 19
It is better to be poor and honest than to be a fool and dishonest.
Zeal without knowledge is not good; a person who moves too quickly may go the wrong way.
People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.
Wealth makes many “friends”; poverty drives them away.
A false witness will not go unpunished, nor will a liar escape.
Many beg favors from a prince; everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!
If the relatives of the poor despise them, how much more will their friends avoid them. The poor call after them, but they are gone.
To acquire wisdom is to love oneself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.
A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed.
It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury or for a slave to rule over princes!
People with good sense restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs.
The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
A foolish child is a calamity to a father; a nagging wife annoys like a constant dripping.
Parents can provide their sons with an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the LORD can give an understanding wife.
A lazy person sleeps soundly—and goes hungry.
Keep the commandments and keep your life; despising them leads to death.
If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD and he will repay you!
Discipline your children while there is hope. If you don’t, you will ruin their lives.
Short-tempered people must pay their own penalty. If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again.
Get all the advice and instruction you can, and be wise the rest of your life.
You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.
Loyalty makes a person attractive. And it is better to be poor than dishonest.
Fear of the LORD gives life, security, and protection from harm.
Some people are so lazy that they won’t even lift a finger to feed themselves.
If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you reprove the wise, they will be all the wiser.
Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother are a public disgrace and an embarrassment.
If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you have turned your back on knowledge.
A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice; the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.
Mockers will be punished, and the backs of fools will be beaten.
Noel’s thoughts on Proverbs 20
People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.
I have seen this many many times. Someone will do something foolish and then when the consequences set in, they think life is treating them unfairly. Even as Christians, we have to remember that our sins are forgiven, but that doesn’t automatically erase the consequences of our actions here on earth.
Discipline your children while there is hope. If you don’t, you will ruin their lives.
A lot of people think it is more important to be their child’s friend than parent. But if you do not discipline them and work on their character when they are young, you will ruin their lives. Yes, they have freewill; yes, there are are outside influences; but don’t neglect your piece of the puzzle. If you are a parent, it is your responsibility to discipline your children. Remember these verses from Hebrews:
Hebrews 12:7-10 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Whoever heard of a child who was never disciplined? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children after all. Since we respect our earthly fathers who disciplined us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to the discipline of our heavenly Father and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
I love that last line “there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” That counts in your relationship with your kids and God’s relationship with you.
Feb 24, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
I laugh every time i hear someone say “can i help who’s next?”
Feb 24, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
Is it dangerous to watch a movie playing in the van in front of me?
Criticism
Feb 24, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Critical | ITUNES: “Walking on Broken Glass” – Annie Lennox }
I just read this post from BeChurch:
“I have long prided myself as being a critical thinker. Through years of practice and perseverance I have developed a well-honed ability to spot weakness, problems, and things that suck in pretty much anything. The last few years of my Christian life have revolved around applying this nearly prodigious skill to understanding the church and helping it to become relevant. I am sad to say that I have become an expert at finding the bad in everything, and the worst part of it is that I am often proud of this fact.
Just this week I realized that there is nothing to be proud of in my critical nature. Yes I can spot weakness and brokenness a mile away, especially in the church, but what’s so hard about that. Brokenness, sin, and imperfection are everywhere. We live in a world where very few things work the way they should. Those of us who are master critics are really just stating the obvious and fooling ourselves into thinking that we are really clever. Think about it… how hard is it to go out and find something wrong with a church or a person? Any monkey can do that.
I have decided that the real bright people are the ones who have learned to find beauty in everything or to find God in everything. Now that’s a challenge. The last few days have been a challenge for me since I am really trying to live this out. I want to learn how to be someone who sees God in the world today instead of being someone who is always focused on the crap. I’m hoping to get to the place where I am no longer surprised or judgemental when I see brokenness or garbage, where I acknowledge the crap but get truly amazed and surprised by the way that God’s grace is there despite it.”
Proverbs 18
Feb 24, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Thoughtful | ITUNES: “Don’t Stop” – Lateef & The Chief }
Proverbs 18
A recluse is self-indulgent, snarling at every sound principle of conduct.
Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.
When the wicked arrive, contempt, shame, and disgrace are sure to follow.
A person’s words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook.
It is wrong for a judge to favor the guilty or condemn the innocent.
Fools get into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating.
The mouths of fools are their ruin; their lips get them into trouble.
What dainty morsels rumors are—but they sink deep into one’s heart.
A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things.
The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.
The rich think of their wealth as an impregnable defense; they imagine it is a high wall of safety.
Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.
What a shame, what folly, to give advice before listening to the facts!
The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear it if the spirit is crushed?
Intelligent people are always open to new ideas. In fact, they look for them.
Giving a gift works wonders; it may bring you before important people!
Any story sounds true until someone sets the record straight.
Casting lots can end arguments and settle disputes between powerful opponents.
It’s harder to make amends with an offended friend than to capture a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with iron bars.
Words satisfy the soul as food satisfies the stomach; the right words on a person’s lips bring satisfaction.
Those who love to talk will experience the consequences, for the tongue can kill or nourish life.
The man who finds a wife finds a treasure and receives favor from the LORD.
The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults.
There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
Noel’s thoughts on Proverbs 18
A recluse is self-indulgent, snarling at every sound principle of conduct. Now, the ESV translates this verse: Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. That strikes me. I was just talking with Steve about a few situations this morning that could have been stopped if people had not isolated themselves.
In one situation, a man has fallen in love with someone other than his spouse. And now, everyone has found out and things are going to get difficult. Now, I don’t know the entire situation, but I have to imagine that in the process of “falling in love” with someone, there would have been points where he could have seen the danger coming. If he had immediately talked with someone he trusted instead of isolating himself, he would probably have had more sound judgement. Now, of course there is still hope in this situation, but this guys seems to have gone pretty far down that road.
Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.
This made me think of the verse in James that says “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
What a shame, what folly, to give advice before listening to the facts!
This one really hit me. I am often ready to give advice, when I have only heard half the story. In fact, it occurs to me that in the situation I mentioned earlier, I have only heard one side. Maybe before I run my mouth (or my keyboard), I should gather all the facts.
It’s harder to make amends with an offended friend than to capture a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with iron bars.
I have seen this over and over and over again during the last year.
Korn
Feb 23, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Swell | ITUNES: “Run Fay Run” – KB2 }
Thanks to Joel for this article about Korn. According to the article:
Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch has parted ways with the hard rock act, citing a recent religious awakening.
Welch broke the news Sunday on Bakersfield, California, station KRAB-FM.
“I had it in my heart to come here and explain to you,” Welch said. “I’m good friends with Korn. I love those guys, and they love me, and they’re very happy for me.”
Addressing the aggressive tone of the music he made with Korn, Welch said, “Anger is a good thing, and if kids want to listen to Korn, good, but there’s happiness after the anger. I’m going to show it through my actions how much I love my fans.”
I bolded my favorite line.
Accountability
Feb 23, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Accountable | ITUNES: “Can’t Help Falling In Love” – Dave Matthews }
I just walked into Beaners to get some work done. The guy behind the counter took the order and then said, “So, do you have this worked into your budget?”
Another stealth accountability attack from a Riverview attender.
I just can’t hide.
Proverbs 17
Feb 23, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Awake | NOISE: None }
Proverbs 17
A dry crust eaten in peace is better than a great feast with strife.
A wise slave will rule over the master’s shameful sons and will share their inheritance.
Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
Wrongdoers listen to wicked talk; liars pay attention to destructive words.
Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.
Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.
Eloquent speech is not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler.
A bribe seems to work like magic for those who give it; they succeed in all they do.
Disregarding another person’s faults preserves love; telling about them separates close friends.
A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.
Evil people seek rebellion, but they will be severely punished.
It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a fool caught in folly.
If you repay evil for good, evil will never leave your house.
Beginning a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
The LORD despises those who acquit the guilty and condemn the innocent.
It is senseless to pay tuition to educate a fool who has no heart for wisdom.
A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.
It is poor judgment to co-sign a friend’s note, to become responsible for a neighbor’s debts.
Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who speaks boastfully invites disaster.
The crooked heart will not prosper; the twisted tongue tumbles into trouble.
It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
The wicked accept secret bribes to pervert justice.
Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
A foolish child brings grief to a father and bitterness to a mother.
It is wrong to fine the godly for being good or to punish nobles for being honest!
A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.
Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
Noel’s thoughts on Proverbs 17
This verse is an example of a complement in Proverbs. Like I mentioned in the message on Wisdom, the New Living Translation eliminates some of the literary devices that help us with these verse. Here is the NLT:
Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.
Here is the ESV of the same verse:
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.
Basically, the big difference is the word “and,” which in a complement shows how two independent things work together.
Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged. – A true statement on it’s own. You know how grandparents go crazy for their grandkids.
Parents are the pride of their children. – This one is interesting. Are parents often the pride of their children? Not always. For wise children they are. How do you get wise children? Through their parents.
Now, we look for the complement. When grandchildren are the crowning glory of their grandparents, it should work to help the children look upon their parents with pride. Grandparents should help make that happen so that the same way they view their grandkids, their grandkids view their parents.
Interesting.
Personality Test
Feb 22, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Mellow | TIVO: Celebrity Fit Club }
People often tell me how I score on different personality test. But because of my personality, I often forget what they tell me. I have never taken this one (that Ochuck recommended) before, so here are the results:
Your personality is SanguineCholeric.
Overall:
Melancholy:1
Phlegmatic:3
Sanguine:20
Choleric:16
Strengths:
Melancholy:0
Phlegmatic:1
Sanguine:11
Choleric:8
Weakneses:
Melancholy:1
Phlegmatic:2
Sanguine:9
Choleric:8
Cool, But Expensive
Feb 22, 2005 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
{ MOOD: Pretty Swell | TIVO: Scrubs }
I just read on ChurchMarketingSucks.com that a pastor in Oklahoma gave his congregation $14,000 in cash and asked them to invest it and bring it back in seven weeks to give to missions. It was an illustration on the parable of the talents. He gave each adult $100 and each kid $50.
If we did that, it would cost $145,000. It’s a tempting idea, but I have a feeling Eddie would kill me.
