From The Lord Comes The Proper Answer Of The Tongue

Proverbs 16:1-2,4 – To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord…The Lord works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster.

Genesis 50:20 – You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Proverbs 24:12 – If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?

Application:

• ·         God is sovereign in every life and in all of history. God displays His power even through the wicked, and all evil will be judged.
• ·         The act of Joseph’s brothers, was used by God to save life—the life of the Israelites, the Egyptians and all the nations that came to Egypt to buy food in the face of a famine that threatened the known world.
• ·         God knows even our thoughts and motives

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Humility Comes Before Honor

Proverbs 15:33 – Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Luke 14:11 – For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 18:14 – “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Application:

• ·         Fear of the Lord is a loving reverence for God that includes submission to his lordship and to the commands of His word.
• ·         “Those who humble themselves will be exalted” is a basic principle repeated often in the Bible.
• ·         God reckoned the tax collector to be righteous, i.e., his sins were forgiven and he was credited with righteousness—not his own but that which comes from God.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

One Who Hates Bribes Will Live

Proverbs 15:26-32 – The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but gracious words are pure in his sight. The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live. The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise. Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.

Proverbs 17:8 – A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn.

1 Peter 3:15-16 – But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Application:

• ·         “A bribe is seen as a charm” is a sad commentary on human behavior.
• ·         The Christian is always to be a gentleman or gentle woman, even when opposed by unbelievers. Our answer is always to be given with love, never in degrading terms.
• ·         “Fools” are those who “hate knowledge” and correction of any kind, who are “quick to quarrel” and “give full vent” to their anger, who are complacent and who trust in themselves rather than in God.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Sets The Widow's Boundary Stones In Place

Proverbs 15:20-25 – A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother. Folly brings joy to one who has no sense, but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course. Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word! The path of life leads upward for the prudent to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead. The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.

Isaiah 50:4 – The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

Proverbs 2:18,21-22 – Surely her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead…For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

Proverbs 23:10-11 – Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.

Application:

• ·         The servant assisted the weak. Unlike Israel, the servant was responsive to God.
• ·         A life of immorality leads to the destruction and death of all who are involved.
• ·         Oppressing the widow and the fatherless is strongly denounced.
• ·         God is a “father to the fatherless, a defender of widows”.
• ·         God warned that if the people refuse to obey him, they “will be uprooted from the land”.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Fear Of The Lord

Proverbs 15:12-19 – Mockers resent correction, so they avoid the wise. A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly. All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast. Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil. Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred. A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel. The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.

Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Ecclesiastes 4:6 – Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Application:

• ·         Fear of the Lord is a loving reverence for God that includes submission to his lordship and to the commands of His word.
• ·         “Fools” are those who “hate knowledge” and correction of any kind, who are “quick to quarrel” and “give full vent” to their anger, who are complacent and who trust in themselves rather than in God.
• ·         Be ever mindful of God and serve Him with a willing, faithful and obedient heart. He will remove the obstacles from your pathway and bring you to your appointed goal.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

The Path

Proverbs 15:9-11 – The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness. Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path; the one who hates correction will die. Death and Destruction lie open before the Lord—how much more do human hearts!

Proverbs 1:30-31 – Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

Proverbs 2:12-15 – Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who have left the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.

1 Samuel 16:7 – But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Application:

• ·         To refuse wisdom’s “advice” is to suffer the consequences of one’s own foolish “schemes”.
• ·         People love darkness instead of light.
• ·         The Lord is concerned with a person’s inner disposition and character.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Detests The Sacrifice Of The Wicked

Proverbs 15:5-8 – A fool spurns a parent’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence. The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin. The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but the hearts of fools are not upright. The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

Zechariah 8:12 – “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people.

Proverbs 3:9-10 – Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Psalm 51:17 – My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

Ecclesiastes 5:1 – Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

Jeremiah 6:20 – What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.”

Application:

• ·         Fertility and bounty are part of the covenant blessings for obedience promised.
• ·         For those who bring to the Lord His tithes and offerings, God promises to pour out more blessing than they have room for.
• ·         What pleases God more than sacrifices is a humble heart that looks to Him when troubles crush and penitently pleads for mercy when sin has been committed.
• ·         Think about what you ought to say and do.
• ·         The attitude of one’s heart and the manner of one’s life are far more important than the ritual of sacrifice.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Gentle Answer Turns Away Wrath

Proverbs 15:1-4 – A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

1 Kings 12:7 – They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”

Judges 8:3 – God gave Oreb and Zeeb, the Midianite leaders, into your hands. What was I able to do compared to you?” At this, their resentment against him subsided.

Psalm 5:9 – Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with malice. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they tell lies.

Application:

• ·         Authority in the kingdom of God is for service, not for personal power.
• ·         “A gentle answer turns away wrath”.
• ·         The most frequent weapon used against the psalmist is the tongue. The psalmist experienced that the tongue is as deadly as swords and arrows. Perhaps appeals to God against those who maliciously wield the tongue are frequent in the Psalms because only in God’s courtroom can a person experience redress for such attacks.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Sin Condemns Any People

Proverbs 14:33-35 – Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people. A king delights in a wise servant, but a shameful servant arouses his fury.

Deuteronomy 28:53,58-59 – Because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege, you will eat the fruit of the womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters the Lord your God has given you…If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the Lord your God—the Lord will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses.

Matthew 25:29 – For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

Application:

• ·         The repetition of the clause (“suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege”) emphasizes the distress that the Israelites would suffer if they refused to obey the Lord.
• ·         Israel was promised prosperity and prestige if she obeyed God’s laws. The Canaanites were eventually driven out because of their terrible sin, and Israel later fell under the same curse.
• ·         Being ready for Christ’s coming involves more than playing it safe and doing little or nothing. It demands the kind of service that produces results.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Even In Death The Righteous Seek Refuge In God

Proverbs 14:32 – When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.

Job 13:15 – Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.

Psalm 49:15 – But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.

Application:

• ·         The righteous faith in God gives them hope beyond the grave.
• ·         No matter what happened, Job intended to seek vindication from God and believed that he would receive it.
• ·         The Psalmist was confident that he would be conveyed into the presence of God in His heavenly temple.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Shows Contempt For Their Maker

Proverbs 14:21,30-31 – It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy…A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

James 2:1 – My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

Application:

• ·         Humans are the climax of God’s creative activity, and God has “crowned them with glory and honor” and made them rulers over the rest of His creation.
• ·         Sharing food, lending money and defending rights are ways one can show kindness. Such a person “honors God” and “will lack nothing”.
• ·         God does not show favoritism—nor should believers.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Hard Work Brings A Profit

Proverbs 14:23-29 – All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly. A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful. Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death. A large population is a king’s glory, but without subjects a prince is ruined. Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

Proverbs 10:4 – Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Ephesians 4:26-27 – “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Application:

• ·         Many proverbs praise diligence and the profit it brings, and they condemn laziness as a cause of hunger and poverty.
• ·         Fear of the Lord is a loving reverence for God that includes submission to his lordship and to the commands of His word.
• ·         Some anger is sinful, some is not. No anger is to outlast the day.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Find Love And Faithfulness

Proverbs 14:22 – Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.

Micah 2:1 – Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.

Proverbs 16:6 – Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.

Proverbs 20:28 – Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure.

Application:

• ·         The rich, oppressing classes continued to get rich at the expense of the poor because they controlled the power structures of their society.
• ·         The moral quality of conduct that God desires is sometimes summed up as “love and faithfulness”.
• ·         Benevolence and kindness endear a king to his people and encourage them to be loyal subjects.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Blessed Is The One Who Is Kind To The Needy

Proverbs 14:17-21 – A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated. The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends. It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.

Titus 1:7 – Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.

Proverbs 28:27 – Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

Application:

• ·         “Elder” indicates qualification, while “overseer” indicates responsibility.
• ·         Sharing food, lending money and defending rights are ways one can show kindness. Such a person “honors God” and “will lack nothing”.
• ·         Generosity is the path to blessing.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Knows Its Own Bitterness

Proverbs 14:7-16 – Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips. The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright. Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy. The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Even in laughter the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief. The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs. The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps. The wise fear the Lord and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure.

1 Kings 8:37-40 – “When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands toward this temple—then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know every human heart), so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.

Proverbs 1:30-31 – Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

Exodus 20:20 – Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 27:23-24 – Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.

Application:

• ·         “Aware of the afflictions of their own hearts” means conscious of their guilt before God, with an attitude of repentance and the desire for God’s forgiveness and grace.
• ·         To refuse wisdom’s “advice” is to suffer the consequences of one’s own foolish “schemes”.
• ·         Do not think that God’s display of His majesty is intended simply to fill you with abject fear. He has come to enter into covenant with you as your heavenly King.
• ·         Fear of the Lord is a loving reverence for God that includes submission to his lordship and to the commands of His word.
• ·         Even kings may lose their wealth and power.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Wise Woman Builds Her House

Proverbs 13:25-14:6 – The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry. The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways. A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them. Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests. An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies. The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

Proverbs 31:31 – Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Psalm 1:1-2 – Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

Application:

• ·         Honor comes through “humility” and “the fear of the Lord”.
• ·         Fear of the Lord is a loving reverence for God that includes submission to his lordship and to the commands of His word.
• ·         “Mockers” are those who ridicule God and defiantly reject His law.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Injustice Sweeps It Away

Proverbs 13:21-24 – Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things. A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. An unplowed field produces food for the poor, but injustice sweeps it away. Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

Ezekiel 18:4 – For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.

Amos 2:7 – They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name.

2 Samuel 7:14 – I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands.

Ephesians 6:4 – Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Hebrews 12:7 – Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

Application:

• ·         Ezekiel spoke out against a false use the people were making of a doctrine of inherited guilt.
• ·         To care for the poor and oppressed and to protect the poor and oppressed from injustice were clearly commanded by Israel’s law; also, throughout the ancient Near East, kings were supposed to defend such people.
• ·         Parents are encouraged to apply the rod of punishment to drive out folly so that the child will not follow a path of destruction. The rod and a reprimand “impart wisdom” and promote a healthy and happy family life.
• ·         Discipline is rooted in love.
• ·         Fathers must surrender any right they may feel they have to act unreasonably toward their children.
• ·         God’s discipline is evidence that we are His children. Far from being a reason for despair, discipline is a basis for encouragement and perseverance

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Companion Of Fools Suffers Harms

Proverbs 13:19-20 – A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil. Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.

Proverbs 22:24-25 – Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.

1 Corinthians 15:33 – Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

Application:

• ·         Choose your friends with care.
• ·         “Bad company corrupts good character”.
• ·         The application of the quotation “Bad company corrupts good character” was that those who were teaching that there is no resurrection were the “bad company” and that they were corrupting the “good character” of those who hold to the correct doctrine.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Whoever Scorns Instruction Will Pay For It

Proverbs 13:12-18 – Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death. Good judgment wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction. All who are prudent act with knowledge, but fools expose their folly. A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing. Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.

Proverbs 1:7,30-31 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction…Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

Proverbs 3:1-2 – My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.

Application:

• ·         To refuse wisdom’s “advice” is to suffer the consequences of one’s own foolish “schemes”.
• ·         When Solomon prayed for wisdom, God promised him riches as well as long life if he obeyed God’s commands.
• ·         “Fools” are those who “hate knowledge” and correction of any kind, who are “quick to quarrel” and “give full vent” to their anger, who are complacent and who trust in themselves rather than in God.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Shines Brightly

Proverbs 13:9-11 – The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out. Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Proverbs 4:18 – The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

Psalm 62:10 – Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

Proverbs 10:4 – Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Application:

• ·         The godly have all the guidance and protection they need and are able to lead others to righteousness.
• ·         Those who trust in their own devices to get what they want rather than trusting in God to sustain them are warned.
• ·         Many proverbs praise diligence and the profit it brings, and they condemn laziness as a cause of hunger and poverty.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV