Proverbs 13:1-25 (NIV)
1 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.
2 From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the unfaithful have a craving for violence.
3 He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.
4 The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
5 The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.
6 Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.
7 One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
8 A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.
9 The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.
10 Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.
11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
15 Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard.
16 Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.
18 He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.
19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.
20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
21 Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
23 A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.
24 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.
25 The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

Let’s pick a proverb or two to talk about and meditate on today:
Proverbs 13:12 (NIV)
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

This verse is one that I always think about when things aren’t going well. It is such a perfect description of how we feel when something difficult takes place. Heart sick. The thing we always have to remember is that our ultimate hope is in Jesus, and that He is utterly faithful and reliable. He is the ultimate fulfillment of all our longings and we will never be disappointed in Him.

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Proverbs 7:1-27 (NIV)
1 My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman;
5 they will keep you from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words.
6 At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment.
8 He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house
9 at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.
10 Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)
13 She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:
14 “I have fellowship offerings at home; today I fulfilled my vows.
15 So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deep of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19 My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.”
21 With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22 All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose
23 till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.
24 Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.
26 Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.

Let’s pick a proverb or two to talk about and meditate on today:
Proverbs 7:1-3 (NIV)
1 My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. 2 Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. 3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

The Bible is filled with wisdom on how God wants us to live. The better we know the the Word, the better the opportunity we have to make the right choices and decisions in our life. There are times when we make bad choices because we don’t know what the truth is. We listen to the culture or society or well meaning friends, we do what seems or sounds right, but because we don’t know the Word we are often led astray. So store up God’s commands within you, guard them as the apple of your eye, bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart, do these things and you will live the life that God has created and purposed for you to live!

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Proverbs 6:1-35 (NIV)
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another,
2 if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest–
11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.
12 A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13 who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,
14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart– he always stirs up dissension.
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed–without remedy.
16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
20 My son, keep your father’s commands and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,
24 keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.
25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,
26 for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?
29 So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
32 But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away;
34 for jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is.

Let’s pick a proverb or two to talk about and meditate on today:
Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV)
16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

I remember the first time I read these verses. I thought the whole six/seven thing was very interesting. This numerical pattern is used in a few other places in the Bible. It is a way of saying that the last thing in the list is the culmination of the things that proceed it in the list. In this case “a man who stirs up dissension among brothers” is the culmination of the six things that proceed it on the list (haughty eyes, a lying tongue, etc.). That might be an AHA moment for some of you!

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Proverbs 4:1-27 (NIV)
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a boy in my father’s house, still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4 he taught me and said, “Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor.”
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
11 I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Let’s pick one section of the Proverb to talk about and meditate on today:
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

This Proverb reminds us that our hearts are the wellspring of life. We need to be ever vigilant about guarding our hearts. If our heart grow cold and hard we begin to justify our sin and rationalize (tell rational lies) doing things we shouldn’t do, which leads to our hearts growing colder and harder. If you feel a little cold hearted or hard hearted at the moment, ask God for a new heart. A heart like His! A heart filled with love and hope, peace and joy! Above all else, guard your hearts!

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