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PROVERBS 14 THE HEART KNOWS ITS BITTERNESS

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October 24

PROVERBS 14

8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
    but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9 Fools mock at the guilt offering,
    but the upright enjoy acceptance.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no stranger shares its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
    and the end of joy may be grief.
14 The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
    and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.

                                                                  – Proverbs 14:8-14

PROVERBS 14 THE HEART KNOWS ITS BITTERNESS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When we experience pain, the heart knows it well

It is better to address the pain so we don’t dwell on it

Be watchful that you don’t share bitterness with others

You may inflict and infect them towards one another

Instead, run to the Lord who knows your heart better

Let him guide you towards acceptance instead of being bitter.

Bitterness is the root of many sins. One does not get bitter instantly. It begins with discontent and can morph into envy and grumbling. It may also lead towards anger and disillusionment. Solomon talks about how the heart knows its bitterness. Sometimes, we don’t want to address our pains. When we do this, we allow bitterness and discontent to take root in our hearts. Before we know it, many other sins follow such as envy, anger, grumbling, prejudice, murder or slander, and many other sins.

REFLECTION

  • Why is it important for us to address bitter roots and be aware of them?

PROVERBS 14 WHEN THE WICKED SEEKS WISDOM

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October 23

PROVERBS 14

The wisest of women builds her house,
    but folly with her own hands tears it down.
2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
    but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
3 By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,
    but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
    but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie,
    but a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
    but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7 Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not meet words of knowledge.

                                                                  – Proverbs 14:1-7

PROVERBS 14 WHEN THE WICKED SEEKS WISDOM

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When evil people are in pursuit of knowledge

They do so because they want accolades

They are not concerned with true learning

But are only after prestige and boasting

When the wicked seeks wisdom, it is for his own gain

They pretend to be wise but they are truly insecure and vain.

We live in the information age where we are bombarded with so much facts and data as we get access to information like never before. Just in our fingertips lie the power of knowledge. But when we do not have the fear of the Lord, knowledge could be self-serving and evil. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.

REFLECTION

  • How can you know if one is truly wise or just intelligent?

PROVERBS 13 THE WICKED SUFFERS WANT

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October 22

PROVERBS 13

21 Disasterpursues sinners,
    but the righteous are rewarded with good.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
    but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
    but it is swept away through injustice.
24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
    but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
    but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

                                                          – Proverbs 13:21-25

PROVERBS 13 THE WICKED SUFFERS WANT

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Those who are wicked and evil have insatiable longings

They can never have enough and are always in pursuit of cravings

The righteous on the other hand count their blessings

They are content with whatever they have been given.

Solomon continues to lay down the benefits and disadvantages of seeking good versus pursuing wickedness. One of the symptoms of going the way of the wicked is that they are in constant want. They are never satisfied with what they have. They always want more and they will do anything to get that desire.

Have you ever seen television shows documenting the lives of hoarders? It is such a sorry sight to see how their greed has led them to isolate and live unhealthy lifestyles. Even though we know that it is a mental health condition that could have resulted from either a loss or a lifestyle of greed, it is likely that they do not know the Lord who can be their assurance. They somehow feel a sense of control when they gather more to replace the loss of something or someone. There is an insatiable longing to collect and hold on to things which traps them into such depravity. Solomon gives us a picture that such control and inability to let go of things is a result of the evil of greed and power.

REFLECTION

  • Share an experience manifesting how the wicked suffers want.

PROVERBS 13 THE WICKED SUFFERS WANT

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October 22

PROVERBS 13

21 Disasterpursues sinners,
    but the righteous are rewarded with good.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
    but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
    but it is swept away through injustice.
24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
    but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
    but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

                                                          – Proverbs 13:21-25

PROVERBS 13 THE WICKED SUFFERS WANT

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Those who are wicked and evil have insatiable longings

They can never have enough and are always in pursuit of cravings

The righteous on the other hand count their blessings

They are content with whatever they have been given.

Solomon continues to lay down the benefits and disadvantages of seeking good versus pursuing wickedness. One of the symptoms of going the way of the wicked is that they are in constant want. They are never satisfied with what they have. They always want more and they will do anything to get that desire.

Have you ever seen television shows documenting the lives of hoarders? It is such a sorry sight to see how their greed has led them to isolate and live unhealthy lifestyles. Even though we know that it is a mental health condition that could have resulted from either a loss or a lifestyle of greed, it is likely that they do not know the Lord who can be their assurance. They somehow feel a sense of control when they gather more to replace the loss of something or someone. There is an insatiable longing to collect and hold on to things which traps them into such depravity. Solomon gives us a picture that such control and inability to let go of things is a result of the evil of greed and power.

REFLECTION

  • Share an experience manifesting how the wicked suffers want.

PROVERBS 13 GUARD YOUR MOUTH TO PRESERVE LIFE

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October 19

PROVERBS 13

A wise son hears his father’s instruction,
    but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good,
    but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.
3 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
    he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
    while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
5 The righteous hates falsehood,
    but the wicked brings shame and disgrace.
6 Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless,
    but sin overthrows the wicked.
7 One pretends to be rich,yet has nothing;
    another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

                                                                   – Proverbs 13:1-7

PROVERBS 13 GUARD YOUR MOUTH TO PRESERVE LIFE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Watch what comes out of your mouth so only good comes out of it

Those who are reckless in their speech will only cause conflict and ruin

Speak only what is true, honorable, lovely and of good report

Refrain from harsh words, indecent speech and things that are untrue

When you guard your mouth, you will build up and encourage others

When you don’t watch out what you say, you may only cause trouble.

It is interesting why many people do not guard their mouths. When one does not know the truth, it will be very hard for them to watch what they say. Philippians 4:8 says think only whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. If one follows this boundary that God has given us to think about, we would surely guard our mouths and preserve life. What would a world without such boundaries of thinking look like? It would be full of chaos and conflict, wouldn’t it?

REFLECTION

  • Why is it important for us to align our thoughts with God’s truth?

PROVERBS 12 THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

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October 18

PROVERBS 12

22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
    but those who act faithfully are his delight.
23 A prudent man conceals knowledge,
    but the heart of fools proclaims folly.
24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
    while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
    but a good word makes him glad.
26 One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27 Whoever is slothful will not roast his game,
    but the diligent man will get precious wealth.
28 In the path of righteousness is life,
    and in its pathway there is no death.

                                                                     – Proverbs 12:22-28

PROVERBS 12 THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The way of the righteous always leads to life

There is no darkness or evil but only light

Those who choose to walk on this upright path

They will always be protected by the hand of God

The righteous one will be a guide to his neighbor

He will lead them to the way that is precious

Because this path of righteousness leads to the Almighty

Let us all take this route towards everlasting eternity.

Solomon tells us in these following verses the path of righteousness. He laid down the difference between the way of the wicked and the way of the righteous. He highlights the benefits of taking the road to uprightness where there is no death but only life. Many people take the easy way which is the one that takes them to death.

REFLECTION

  • Why are there many who do not take the path of righteousness?

PROVERBS 12 RESULTS OF WORKING HARD

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October 16

PROVERBS 12

8 A man is commended according to his good sense,
    but one of twisted mind is despised.
9 Better to be lowly and have a servant
    than to play the great man and lack bread.
10 Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,
    but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
11 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
    but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
12 Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
13 An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
    but the righteous escapes from trouble.
14 From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good,
    and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.

                                                                – Proverbs 12:8-14

PROVERBS 12 RESULTS OF WORKING HARD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When a man is patiently diligent at working hard

He will have a bounty of blessings and plenty of bread

He will not be discouraged by any trouble that comes his way

For he has good sense to know that it will build his character

The lazy on the other hand will have nothing to reap

For he has not worked hard and cannot expect results from it.

In our world today, entitlement is prevalent. We have become so used to getting things the easy way. When someone is given everything to him on a silver platter, there is no reason for that person to work hard. He just waits for others to give it to him and do not understand the importance of work. Paul talks in 2 Thessalonians 3 that if anyone is not willing to work, let him not ea. They were commanded and encouraged in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. Imagine a world of no work.

REFLECTION

  • Why is working hard a very important valuable concept in life?

PROVERBS 12 ON LOVING DISCIPLINE

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October 15

PROVERBS 12

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, 

  but he who hates reproof is stupid.
2 A good man obtains favor from the Lord,

   but a man of evil devices he condemns.
3 No one is established by wickedness,

   but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
    but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
5 The thoughts of the righteous are just;

   the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,

    but the mouth of the upright delivers them.
7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more,

   but the house of the righteous will stand. – Proverbs 12:1-7

PROVERBS 12 ON LOVING DISCIPLINE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord disciplines whom those he loves

Those who live for themselves hate being reproved

Those who love the Lord their God heed to guidance

But the wicked resort to hatred and avoidance

The children of the Lord accept correction

They love to be given advice and instructions

Because of their faithfulness to God’s commands

They live peaceful lives and are full of wisdom.

Does anyone love discipline while they are receiving it? Our human nature hates being corrected or told what to do but Solomon gives us a good reminder that those who love the Lord will always welcome being guided and instructed. The fools and the wicked on the other hand are very insecure and self-centered people who would not entertain any thought on what others think. It is wise for God’s people to heed God’s guidance.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think discipline is an essential part of a believer’s life?

PROVERBS 11 THE BENEFIT OF SEEKING GOD

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October 14

PROVERBS 11

25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
    and one who waters will himself be watered.
26 The people curse him who holds back grain,
    but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.
27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,
    but evil comes to him who searches for it.
28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
    but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
29 Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,

    and whoever captures souls is wise.
31 If the righteous is repaid on earth,
    how much more the wicked and the sinner!

                                                 – Proverbs 11:25-31

PROVERBS 11 THE BENEFIT OF SEEKING GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When a person serves the Lord, they seek good

They do not make a habit of doing wrong

They faithfully obey the laws of the Lord

Which results in overcoming the ways of the world

They prioritize to please the God they serve

Which results in an outpouring of blessings.

Solomon continues to enumerate some of the aftermath or benefits of seeking God in the last verses of this chapter in the book of Proverbs. One of the results of seeking righteousness is the outpouring of blessings. Those who seek God flourish like a green leaf as verse 28 describes. They are like a tree planted by the riverbank where their leaf never withers or gets dried up because they are nourished by the water. Christ is the living water that keeps us fed and constantly alive.

REFLECTION

  • What benefits have you reaped after you committed to serving God?

PROVERBS 11 A CROOKED HEART IS AN ABOMINATION TO GOD

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October 13

PROVERBS 11

19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die.
20 Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord,
    but those of blameless ways are his delight.
21 Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished,
    but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good, the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;
    another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

                                                          – Proverbs 11:19-24

PROVERBS 11 A CROOKED HEART IS AN ABOMINATION TO GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord hates those who do evil, it is a disgrace to him

Those who continue to live in sin will not go unpunished

But those who are devoted to righteousness will be blessed

Their children will receive blessings and be delivered

All those who generously give and extend help to others will prosper

While those who withhold what they have to others will surely suffer.

Many people think they can go on doing wicked things without any consequences, but eventually, they will not go unpunished. Solomon describes how God hates evil in these following verses. It is an abomination to the Lord. Solomon talks about the things that the Lord hates in Proverbs 6:16-18: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren. Here in verse 20, he sums up all these things God hates as done by people who have a crooked heart.

So, how can one avoid this crooked heart that we all by nature have? Solomon gives us an answer in these following verses. Those who are blameless, pure and seek to pursue righteousness will surely be receiving many blessings and also have deliverance from sin.

REFLECTION

  • Can someone who does not know God go against his sinful nature? Why or why not?