Proverbs to live by

The Book of Proverbs Chapter 13
(Please read these wonderful verses yourself, I comment on a few with the aid of the NLT Bible notes)

Verse 3: Those who control their tongues will have a long life; a quick retort can ruin everything. (Words can cut and destroy. Stop and think before you react or speak. If you can control your tongue, you can control the rest of your body.)

Verse 6: Godliness helps people all through life; while the evil are destroyed by their wickedness. (Godly living safeguards your life. Every choice for good sets into motion opportunities for good. Obeying God's word will bring a sense of order to your life.)

Verse 10: Pride leads to arguments; those who take advice are wise.(It is difficult to admit you are wrong or to ask for help because it requires that you experience humility. Pride stirs up conflict, so guard against it. Let others help you and be willing to admit your mistakes.)

Verse 17: An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing. ( In Solomon's time, messengers were used to pass information; they needed to be reliable and truthful. If the message you get today is received incorrectly, whether in marriage or business, all relations can break down. So choose your words well and state clearly so everyone understands you.)

Verse 20: Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with fools will suffer harm. (Our friends and associates affect us so be careful whom you choose as friends. Spend time with people you want to be like and you and your friends will grow to resemble each other.)

Verse 24: If our refuse to discipline your children, it proves you don't love them; if you love them, you will be prompt to discipline them. (This is not easy for a loving parent to discipline a child, but it is necessary. The greatest responsibility God gives parents is the guidance of their children. Lack of discipline puts parents love in question because it shows a lack of concern for their children.)

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? I have chosen verse 24 regarding disciplining of children as it relates to parents today. Many of us have been to the mall or department store and see small children running rampant. Their parents seem afraid to discipline them. The children seem to have the upper hand. Teenagers today have added pressures on them such as drugs and sex. Many are pulled in by their peers.

Don't be afraid to discipline. It is an act of love. Discipline can avert long-range disaster, especially in teenagers. Without discipline, our children have no understanding of what is right or wrong. Discipline can't give them wisdom, but you can encourage them to seek God's wisdom above all else.

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.