Monthly Archives: November 2024

PROVERBS 21 THE HAUGHTY AND THE PROUD

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December 1

PROVERBS 21
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;
he turns it wherever he will.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the LORD weighs the heart.
3 To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
– Proverbs 21:1-5

PROVERBS 21 THE HAUGHTY AND THE PROUD
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Whenever the proud boasts of his own works
He exists for himself and disqualifies the existence of God
Every good and perfect gift comes from up above
But the haughty does not acknowledge that gifts come from God
The proud constantly manipulates situations to take credit for things
He is not interested in anything that does not bring attention to himself.

Pride is the root of all evil. In every conflict or trouble, we will find a haughty person in it. Our first parent’s original sin was rooted on wanting to know what God knows. They had no idea that the reason behind the enticement of the serpent had to do with being equal with God. Whenever we aim to make ourselves shine and become the center of attention, we open doors to the enemy to work on our hearts. The devil’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy the identity that God created. He twists the purpose of our being which is to bring glory to God. Instead, he makes us desire to give glory to ourselves.
When people have pride in their hearts, they have discrimination and partiality. To make themselves higher than others, they would put down others to get that desire met.

REFLECTION
• Cite some examples when the haughty spirit manifests in one’s life.

PROVERBS 20 GOD’S LIGHT PENETRATES HUMAN SPIRIT

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November 30

PROVERBS 20
26 A wise king winnows the wicked
and drives the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD,
searching all his innermost parts.
28 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean the innermost parts.
– Proverbs 20:26-30

PROVERBS 20 GOD’S LIGHT PENETRATES HUMAN SPIRIT
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
No one can truly know and see the human spirit
Sometimes, even the man himself is blind to it
But when the light of God shines through him
His spirit comes to know what is true and what is sin
No one can hide from the light if God shines it on you
Even your darkest side can be transformed and renewed.

In Psalm 139:7-12 David says “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.”
Solomon reiterates his father, David, on the light of God that penetrates the human soul in verse 27. We cannot hide from God because he made us and he constantly shines his light on the darkness especially the ones that are in our hearts, mind and soul.

REFLECTION
• If God sees the spirit, why do humans tend to hide from the light of the Lord?

PROVERBS 20 ALL OF MAN’S ACTIONS ARE FROM GOD

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November 29

PROVERBS 20
21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.
23 Unequal weights are an abomination to the LORD,
and false scales are not good.
24 A man’s steps are from the LORD;
how then can man understand his way?
25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and to reflect only after making vows.
– Proverbs 20:21-25

PROVERBS 20 ALL OF MAN’S ACTIONS ARE FROM GOD
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Every step a man take is not solely his own
It is allowed by God’s grace that he makes this decision
When a man thinks that he is completely separate from God
He is lying to himself because he doesn’t have the truth in him
We can never truly comprehend why God permits us to do things
It surely is for our own good so we can grow in the fear of Him.
________________________________________Have you ever wondered why we do what we do? Many of us think that we have control over our own minds and hearts. Many bible verses remind us that only God is in control Ephesians 1:11 says that “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” Jeremiah 29:11 also says that “I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. In Proverbs 16:9 it says that “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. We will never truly understand God’s ways but it is comforting to know that he knows everything and is in control of every decision and each step we make.

REFLECTION
• Why is it important to acknowledge that every choice, decision and step we make is governed by God even though we think we made it ourselves?

PROVERBS 20 PLANS ESTABLISHED BY COUNSEL

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November 28

PROVERBS 20
16 Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
18 Plans are established by counsel;
by wise guidance wage war.
19 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.
20 If one curses his father or his mother,
his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
– Proverbs 20:16-20

PROVERBS 20 PLANS ESTABLISHED BY COUNSEL
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When a man consults with good counsel
His plans are well thought of and will prosper
If a man does not seek the advice of wise people
His plans may fail because he won’t see the big picture
If a man goes ahead without consultation
He must be ready to expect the worst conditions.

Why do kings, presidents and other leaders almost always have a pool of counsel or advisers? Why can’t they just make all the decisions themselves regarding making policies and executing laws and other decisions regarding the nations they rule over? Because they do not see the whole perspective of something, they need the viewpoint of other wise people so that they can make better decisions for the good of the nation or country they lead.
Solomon mentions the importance of wise counsel in verse 18 of this Proverbs. The success of a plan is established by good counsel. Even going to war can be beneficial if there are wise heads put together to plan the best strategic action.

REFLECTION
• What does a leader manifest when he listens to good advice from his counsel?

PROVERBS 20 A CHILD’S ACT EXPOSES HIS CONDUCT

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November 27

PROVERBS 20
11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made them both.
13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of costly stones,
but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
– Proverbs 20:11-15

PROVERBS 20 A CHILD’S ACT EXPOSES HIS CONDUCT
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Even if a child is very young, his actions speak of his conduct
At an early age, we can already gauge his nature
It is the responsibility of parents to discipline their children
If they do not train them in righteousness, they will stray
If they give in to every whim and will of their child
They will pave the way to the path to wickedness
But if they teach them the laws of the Lord
They will not be selfish; they’ll overcome this world.

How many times have we witnessed individuals who were left on their own, without the guidance of an adult? Most of them end up juvenile delinquents, have a mental disorder or just lost and messed up. But if the Lord has chosen them, they will eventually be led to find the right path to life which the Lord also provides to those whom he loves. Many parents who haven’t healed from their wounds as children perpetuate the same wounds that have been inflicted on them by their parents or early caregivers. Until their sins are exposed in the light, they continue to propagate the sins that they have inherited from their parents to the next generations after them. Solomon speaks about this in verse 11. He says that at an early age, we can already detect which way they will go. If parents do not direct them in the right path, they will definitely choose the path to wickedness.

REFLECTION
• What makes parents fail to raise their children in the fear of the Lord?

PROVERBS 20 ON BOASTING OF PURITY FROM SIN

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November 26

PROVERBS 20
6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?
10 Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
– Proverbs 20:6-10

PROVERBS 20 ON BOASTING OF PURITY FROM SIN
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Who can claim that one has cleansed himself of sinfulness?
Can any human being completely detach itself from wickedness?
When we boast that we can totally be without evil
We are actually lying to ourselves since we are limited beings
Only God can purify and cleanse us from our nature
If we confess and repent, we will be washed from it
There is no point in boasting that we have anything to do with it
It is only the Spirit of the Lord who is able to purify our hearts.

In 1 John 1:8 it says that “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” No human being living on earth can truly say he is sinless. The bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:20 that 20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Morgan comments that “This is the eternal challenge which has but one answer. When a man recognizes this, he begins to inquire for a Savior.”
Bridges also comments that “Only vain people can boast that they have pure hearts. But the boast, far from showing their goodness, demonstrates their blindness. Man is so depraved that he cannot understand his own depravity.”
Many false religions claim that they can cleanse themselves from rituals and works of the flesh, but only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ can purify us from sins since he is the only one who is sinless. No human can do it without believing in him.

REFLECTION
• What is in our hearts when we boast that we are sinless?

PROVERBS 20 PEACEMAKERS VERSUS TROUBLEMAKERS

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November 25

PROVERBS 20
Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.
4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
– Proverbs 20:1-5

PROVERBS 20 PEACEMAKERS VERSUS TROUBLEMAKERS
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When a man does not engage in conflicts
He must have wisdom and understanding
Someone who pursues peace is a man of honor
He isn’t quick to speak, instead he is a good listener.
The man who keeps on talking without listening
They are foolish and only care about their cravings
Troublemakers seek attention and are full of pride
They love to quarrel and aim to always be right.

Solomon gives us a picture of honorable man and the fools in this Proverbs. The man of honor stays away from conflicts. They seek peace and unity. 1 Peter 3:10-11 says that whoever desires to love life and see good days must keep his tongue and his lips from speaking deceit and he must turn away from evil and do good but most of all, he must seek peace and pursue it. A wicked man on the other hand isn’t interested in learning, but only in quarreling to prove that he is right. He has no desire to listen to others.

REFLECTION
• Share some insights or experiences you had with quarrelsome people and also with peacemakers.

PROVERBS 19 WHEN YOU CEASE TO HEAR INSTRUCTIONS

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November 24

PROVERBS 19
26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
is a son who brings shame and reproach.
27 Cease to hear instruction, my son,
and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
29 Condemnation is ready for scoffers,
and beating for the backs of fools.
– Proverbs 19:26-29

PROVERBS 19 WHEN YOU CEASE TO HEAR INSTRUCTIONS
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Those who do not want instructions avoid knowledge
When you try to direct the wicked, you’ll do it all again
The one who walks in the way of the wicked
They will stray and fall into the pit of darkness
Pride and a hardened heart is at the core of all rebels
They are compelled to do what is selfish and evil.

One of the characters of a true believer is obedience. The first sin of Adam and Eve has to do with their defiance to obedience. Because of their desire to know more than what they were already given, our first parents fell into sin. The original sin impacted every human being. It led every person with an inclination to hate God and to love sin. No wonder it is so easy for us to do what is evil and very hard to do what is right. The apostle Paul explains it in Romans 7:19-25 this nature of ours that we inherited from Adam and Eve. He says that “Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.”
In verse 27, Solomon gives us the consequence of not obeying or following instructions. It leads us away from wisdom and makes us stray from what is righteous. It leads to sin.

REFLECTION
• What are other consequences of not heeding God’s instructions?

PROVERBS 19 WHAT THE FEAR OF THE LORD BRINGS

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November 23

PROVERBS 19
21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the LORD leads to life,
and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.
24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;
reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
– Proverbs 19:21-25

PROVERBS 19 WHAT THE FEAR OF THE LORD BRINGS
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When the fear of the Lord is in a man’s heart
He will be content and prosper in life
He will not be harmed because God protects him
The world will not ruin his heart and mind
Because he reveres his Maker and Lord
He will have wisdom as he navigates this world.

What does it mean to fear the Lord? The word fear in this context is not a worldly fear but it is to honor and revere the Lord who is your Master and Maker. It means to live your life in accordance to his will and in obedience to all the laws he gave you. Why is it important to have the fear of the Lord? Proverbs 1:7 says that it is the beginning of knowledge. We can therefore clearly see that those who don’t have the fear of the Lord lack knowledge. How can they have wisdom if they do not revere God? Proverbs 8:13 also says that to fear the Lord is to hate evil. Those who love the Lord are humble and do not follow the way of the wicked. Job 28:28 spells out the benefit of fearing the Lord. It brings wisdom and gives the person the ability to turn away from evil. When he does this, he begins to have understanding.

REFLECTION
• Why do you think some Christians don’t have the fear of the Lord?

PROVERBS 19 OBEYING GOD BRINGS LIFE

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November 22

PROVERBS 19
16 Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life;
he who despises his ways will die.
17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD,
and he will repay him for his deed.
18 Discipline your son, for there is hope;
do not set your heart on putting him to death.
19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom in the future.
– Proverbs 19:16-20

PROVERBS 19 OBEYING GOD BRINGS LIFE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Anyone who listens to God’s commandments and follow him
They will find wisdom and life will be good if they obey it
When one listens to advice and accept instruction
That person will gain understanding and have a vision
As soon as we take God’s covenant promise seriously
We will have the benefit of his bounty, grace and mercy.

Many people suffer in their lives because they have no clue that our main purpose in life is to obey and live in the will of our Creator. When someone has not heard and accepted the gospel that Jesus was given to humanity so we can be free from the bondage of sin, it is difficult to grasp the meaning of life. Once a person does not know the character of God and the salvation history of mankind, he will continue to live a life against what God designed it to be. He cannot overcome sin. He will live hating God and his laws and do what is against it.
Solomon gives us the benefit of obedience to God in verses 16 and 20. Following his law and his word bring us life and protect us from spiritual death. It saves our soul and spirit.

REFLECTION
• Why would it be hard for someone to obey God’s commands?