Proverbs to guide us

The Book of Proverbs Chapter 28
(Please read the entire chapter of lovely Proverbs yourself. I will comment on a few verses with the help of my NLT Bible notes.)

Verse 2: When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But with wise and knowledgeable leaders, there is stability. (For a government or a society to endure, it needs wise, informed leaders. But on the common person's level, we each need to not be selfish and obey God's commandments. Because when people live for themselves with little concern how their actions affect others, it results in moral rot and contaminates the entire nation.)

Verse 5: Evil people don't understand justice, but those who follow the Lord understand completely. (Justice is part of God's character and a person who follows God treats others justly. Justice begins with concern for what is happening to others. A Christian can't be indifferent to human suffering because God isn't. Be sure you are more concerned for justice than for the bottom line.)

Verse 9: The prayers of a person who ignores the law are despised. (God does not listen to our prayers if we intend to go back to sin as soon as we get off our knees. When we forsake sin and follow him, he willingly listens, no matter how bad our sin has been. What closes his ears is not the depth of our sin, but our secret intention to do it again.)

Verses 17 & 18: A murderer's tormented conscience will drive him into the grave. Don't protect him! The honest will be rescued from harm, but those who are crooked will be destroyed. (A sinner's conscience will drive him into either guilt resulting in repentance, or to death because of refusal to repent. The more guilt he feels, the more likely he is to turn to God and repent. If we interfere with the natural consequences of his act, we may make it easier for him to continue in sin.)

Verse 27: Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing. But a curse will come upon those who close their eyes to poverty. (God wants us to identify with the needy, not ignore them.)

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? This chapter talks of moral rot within a country. It talks of greed and falling into sin. Don't those things happen today in the world? Pray for our leaders and pray for yourself that you don't fall into selfishness and contaminate others. Pray that we get a leader in our country who will lead us according to the wishes of our God.

This chapter also talks about being self reliant and not letting God rule or guide our way. Many of us try to be a rugged individualists. But self-directed men and women are not to be admired because they neither give nor ask for advice. A truly self-reliant person is doomed to failure because a wise person relies on God.

This chapter talks about our attitude toward the needy.We MUST not ignore them. Those who open their eyes to the poor will be blessed. Paul promised that God will supply all our needs and he usually does this through other people. Ask yourself what you can do today to help God supply someone's need. It may not be material things. It can be spiritual assistance too.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH: Pray for Gabe.
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 and for her sister’s soul which went to heaven.
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 Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has 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.