Proverbs to live by

The Book of Proverbs Chapter 11

Verse 4: Riches won't help on the day of judgment, but right living is a safeguard against death. (On judgment day, each of us will stand alone and be accountable for our deeds. Riches will not buy reconciliation with God. Only our love for God and obedience to him will count)

Verses 7 & 8:When the wicked die, their hopes all perish, for they rely on their own feeble strength. God rescues the godly from danger, but he lets the wicked fall into trouble.(These verses contrast two paths in life, but do not necessarily apply universally to all people in all circumstances. God's people are not excluded from problems. But if we follow God's wisdom, he can rescue us from trouble. And even if good people suffer, they an be ultimately rescued from eternal death.)

Verse 9: evil words destroy one's friends; wise discernment rescues the godly.(The mouth can be a weapon or a tool, hurting relationships or building them up. Your words make a difference.)

Verse 14: Without wise leadership, a nation falls; with many counselors, there is safety.(One person's perspective and understanding can be severely limited. To be a wise leader at home or work, seek the counsel of others and be open to their advice. Consider all the facts before making a decision.)


Verse 19: Godly people find life; evil people find death. (Godly people find life because they live life more fully each day. They do not fear death because it brings eternal life. In contrast, evil people find eternal death and miss out on real life on earth.)

Verse 22: A woman who is beautiful but lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig's snout. (Physical attractiveness without discretion soon wears thin. We need character strength to help us make wise decisions. Not everyone who looks good is pleasant to live or work with. We all need to develop our ability to think and made wise decisions.)

Verse 24, 25: It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything. The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. (These two verses are a paradox. We become richer by being generous. The world says to hold on to as much as possible, but God blesses those who give freely of their possessions, time and energy. When we give, God supplies us with more, so that we can give more. He helps give us a right perspective on our possessions. By giving, we gain freedom from our possessions and experience the joy of helping others.)

Verse 29: Those who bring trouble on their families inherit only the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise. ( God gives us a great resource - our family. Our family gives us encouragement and guidance and counsel. To bring trouble on your family is foolish because you cut yourself off from all they provide.)

Verse 30, 31: The godly are like trees that bear life-giving fruit, and those who save lives are wise. If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, how much more true that the wicked and the sinner will get what they deserve! (A godly person is a model of a meaningful life. Like a tree attracts people to its shade, a godly person's purpose attracts other who want to know how they can too, find meaning. Gain wisdom, then lead others. No one sins and gets away with it. The righteous are rewarded for their faith. The wicked are punished for their sins.)

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? How many truly beautiful people do you know today? Isn't it true that they can be beautiful inside as well as on the outside? Some of the best most loving people I know are not beautiful on the outside, but their faith and godly lives make them beautiful. Their beauty shines like a beacon.

Verse 9 talks about the mouth as a weapon. OH, SO, TRUE.We often hurt relationships with our speech instead of building them up. I have a hurtful mouth and destructive wit at times. I pray that God will help me learn to curb my comments and be less critical and more constructive.

Verse 14 talks about without a wise leader, a nation can fall. I can't think of a time more appropriate than today to pray that our nation can be delivered into the hands of wise leader and one who has many dutiful and wise people to surround and counsel his office. Please God, help our nation and guide us through turbulent waters into a leadership filled with your love.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH:
Update on my niece Suzanne, she is out of rehab after many months for a crushed leg and doing well and being cared for by her ex. Pray for Gabe and Wanda. Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother-in-law is being taken to Oklahoma to live with an aunt who will care for her.
Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.
Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and for the doctors who have difficulty diagnosing his other symptoms.
Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.
Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.