Helping the Poor
“If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you!” Proverbs 19:17 NLT God could choose to meet the needs of people any way that He would like to. He could have birds bring food (1 Kings 17:3), he could bring quail to be food (Numbers 11:31-33), he could have […]
The Comfort Illusion
“Lazy people sleep soundly, but idleness leaves them hungry.” Proverbs 19:15 NLT Comfort has consequences. That’s not a headline that you are likely to read anywhere else, and consequences certainly wouldn’t be a good marketing strategy for products. But comfort does seem to have a stronghold in product marketing. We have comfort shoes, comfort waistbands (of which […]
An Anger Management Tool
“Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.” Proverbs 19:11 NLT I have heard it said that anger comes from unmet expectations. Therefore controlling our temper wouldn’t come from controlling our actions, but rather controlling our expectations. One of those expectations that needs to be managed is that of expecting people to either […]
Don’t Be Hasty
“Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.” Proverbs 19:2 NLT The flashy ad comes on, this is going to make my life so much better! QVC has built a whole TV channel and financial empire on flashy ads and impulse buys. The reality is that those things quickly go from “As seen on TV” […]
A Different Kind of Poverty
“Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and a fool.” Proverbs 19:1 NLT It could be said that there are different kinds of poverty. In the Proverb this week we see two kinds of poverty. One that is external and one that is internal. The question of where your poverty lies is answered […]
Who Are You Becoming?
“The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin, But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 AMP Not all friends are the same. There are those that are casual and those that are close. It is important […]
Words Can Satisfy
“Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction.” Proverbs 18:20 NLT I think we can all identify with the satisfaction of a good meal. That feeling of contentment and comfort that we typically not only find in the food, but in the company of others. It is different and not quite as […]
Have you ever lost a friend?
“An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars.” Proverbs 18:19 NLT There are those fun ice breaker questions that start with a “have you ever” statement. But there are those that might cause a little more reflection and heartache. Have you ever lost a […]
What Will Listening Do For You?
“Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge.”Proverbs 18:15 NLT Recent national surveys report what was originally documented over 50 years ago. 65% of Americans believe they have above average intelligence. How can that be? By definition it cannot be scientifically accurate that most people are above average, yet somehow most […]
Purpose Against Pain
“The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?” Proverbs 18:14 NLT Purpose against pain. I am not speaking about the purpose of pain, but of purpose against pain. There are a few good resources that describe the purpose of pain. Paul Tripp‘s blood on Suffering is one of them. It […]
