Solomon wrote 3,000 proverbs. Herein lies great wisdom.
Excerpts from Chapters 6-10:
6/1-3 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself,
You may say, But I gave my word.
Herod gave his word. And because of that he kept his word and killed John the Baptist.
For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.
And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
It would have been far better for Herod to have gone back on his word.
When we have given our word, and come to regret doing this, we must free ourselves.
We can pray, asking God to help us, to give us wisdom, to get us free from that word we have foolishly given to another person.
"You can go down but I won't go with you."
"You can go down but I won't go with you."
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6/6-8 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
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6/12-15 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
froward: stubbornly unruly, contrary
froward: stubbornly unruly, contrary
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6/16-19 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Our own flesh and devils work to lead us in these ways that are hated by God. Things come to our minds which are not true. They seem true. But often we are a little troubled. That is the time to stop, pray, and depend on God to sort through the issue and to bring us HIS truth. Sometimes we can establish truth by facts.
Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Our own flesh and devils work to lead us in these ways that are hated by God. Things come to our minds which are not true. They seem true. But often we are a little troubled. That is the time to stop, pray, and depend on God to sort through the issue and to bring us HIS truth. Sometimes we can establish truth by facts.
Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
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6/20-24 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
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6/27-29 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
I Corinthians 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, (none of these) shall inherit the kingdom of God.
I Corinthians 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, (none of these) shall inherit the kingdom of God.
reviler: to speak in an abusive, hostile way against another; to express bitterness and vehemence against; revilers are verbal abusers expressing that which is in their heart; they fail to forgive those they consider to be trespassers against themselves and they often strike out after hiding and waiting for their opportunity; they go in an opposite way to that which is instructed in Bible by God for the NT church.
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6/32-33 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
To commit adultery, is to sin against many. It is even a sin against one's own soul. It is described by the apostle Paul as follows:
I Corinthians 6:18 Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
To commit adultery, is to sin against many. It is even a sin against one's own soul. It is described by the apostle Paul as follows:
I Corinthians 6:18 Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
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7/1-23 My son, keep MY words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep MY commandments, and live; and MY law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
If your child is the apple of your eye, then you can't keep your eyes off that child. You sneak a look whenever possible. If the word of God is the apple of your eyes, it is the same way. You are always thinking about that Word or looking at that Word. It is where your heart is.
Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
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7/24-27 Hearken unto ME now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of MY mouth. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
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8/5-11 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
There is nothing like wisdom that is from God.
There is nothing like wisdom that is from God.
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James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
friend: one who gives support to your actions
To support this world is to be an enemy of God for God clearly shows that HE hates the evil ways of this world. You cannot be a friend to this world and a friend to God for these are contrary one to another. If you are going to be a friend to this world, you become an enemy to God.
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
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Wisdom says:
8/27-31 When HE prepared the heavens, I was there: when HE set a compass upon the face of the depth: When HE established the clouds above: when HE strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When HE gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass HIS commandment: when HE appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of HIS earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
It is amazing that God commands the tides at the beach and they are only permitted to come up on the beach to a fixed point. God commands the solar system that the stars stay in position and can only move at God's command.
The wisdom to make the objects fixed in position in the sky and to make the entire heavens and earth to abide where they are told to abide is beyond human imagination though we witness it year after year until the end at which time the powers of heaven will be shaken.
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8/32-36 Now therefore hearken unto ME, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep MY ways.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth ME, watching daily at MY gates, waiting at the posts of MY doors. For whoso findeth ME findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord. But he that sinneth against ME wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate ME love death
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9/1-6 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
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9/9-10 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
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10/2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.
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10/4-5 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
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10/7-9 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
When we think of a just person, we smile! We want to dawdle for awhile on that memory for it is good to us. Then we make ourselves go forward for that is the way of God. We have seen a very precious jewel when we have witnessed a just person in action.
When we think of a just person, we smile! We want to dawdle for awhile on that memory for it is good to us. Then we make ourselves go forward for that is the way of God. We have seen a very precious jewel when we have witnessed a just person in action.
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10/11-12 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
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10/19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
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10/22 The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and HE addeth no sorrow with it.
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10/24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
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10/29 The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
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