#Proverbs 16:1-3

[bojackson54]

Freedom Is a Two-Edged Sword. It Cuts Both Ways

Here in the United States we talk a lot about freedom, and we live in a culture that certainly loves to celebrate it. People are free to do what they want, to exercise their rights, and to feel independent of control by others. Our Bill of Rights guarantees us certain freedoms, and we are passionate about maintaining and exercising them. Independence Has a Cost But, Freedom is a door that…

[trueconservativepundit]

Who Are You Committed To?

By Adrian Rogers “The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits. Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.”  Proverbs 16:1-3 Nehemiah was a man who committed his works to the Lord. Nehemiah 1:11 says, “O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be…

[aressida]

Feminists, I want to express how I feel when I see all of you (as someone who once held feminist views and disliked men a decade ago, but now that I have gained understanding): Enough with the sabotage!

Be the duty of a woman. -> Genesis 2:18

-> Galatians 3:28 -> 1 Timothy 2:9-15 -> 1 Corinthians 11:3 -> Titus 2:3-5 -> 1 Timothy 2:11-12 -> Ephesians 5:22-24 -> Proverbs 31:11–12 -> Genesis 3:16

[disneynerdpumpkin]

~ Scriptures about forgiveness ~

Matthew 6:15 "But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Colossians 3:13 "Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."

Daniel 9:9 "To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him."

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses."

Micah 7:18 "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love."

Mark 11:25 "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

Luke 17:3-4 "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."

Luke 6:37 "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:"

Matthew 6:14 "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:"

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Isaiah 1:8 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

[pastorhogg]

Today's Spiritual Disciplines

As the Day Begins: Seeking Strength in His PresenceIn this morning’s meditation on 1 Chronicles 16:11, we are called to begin each day by seeking the Lord’s strength and presence. In doing so, we root ourselves in His power rather than our own striving, setting the tone for a Spirit-led day. A Year in the Life of Jesus: When Seeing Still Isn’t BelievingOur reading in Matthew 12:38–42 reminds us…

[walkswithmyfather]

Proverbs 27:2. “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.” Proverbs 16:24 (NLT). “Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”

 “Handling Praise” By In Touch Ministries:

“Do you feel awkward when someone compliments you?”

“Think about a time when you received praise from a parent, a teacher, or an employer. How did you feel? Did it make you glad or uncomfortable? For many people, praise is nearly as difficult to handle as criticism. Because God’s Word instructs us to be humble (Matthew 18:4; Philippians 2:3), we may sometimes feel confused about how to receive compliments. Here are three ways to respond:

1. Acknowledge the comment by thanking the person. Don’t explain why you are unworthy of praise or try to deflect such kindness. The Lord is using that person to bless you!

2. Identify and acknowledge the character quality that led the other person to commend you. Perhaps he or she sees something you’ve missed (and that God wants you to be aware of). Remember, believers are called to “encourage one another and build one another up” in the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

3. Share what the encouragement means to you personally. Scripture says that “pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24). Tell the other person how much you’ve been blessed by his or her attention and care. After all, praise can go both ways.”

Matthew 18:4. “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Philippians 2:3. “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;”

[Unless otherwise stated, Bible verses are in the NASB translation.]

[biblequotesdaily]

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Matthew 7:1 & 2

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Philippians 2:12

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:33

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.

1 John 2:15

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Romans 12:2

And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts.

Galatians 5:24

The Lord detests all the proud of heart.

Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 16:5

And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

Luke 18:13

"We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Luke 23:41

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

Psalm 51:3

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.

Isaiah 48:10

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:18

[graceandpeacejoanne]

"What's In It for Me?"

The Bible also talks about being good stewards, being responsible as well as generous. You and I cannot spend what is not ours, what is supposed to cover our obligations.  But we can be responsible and generous, just as God is.

Published almost twenty years ago, “Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To” by Anthony DeStefano changed how I pray and how I experience God’s answers to my prayer. I’ll be spending the next few weeks talking about what I got from his book, and how applying the principles in this book to my own life changed me. The Floodgates of Heaven God will never be outdone in generosity.  In fact this is the…

[touchofgoddotworld]

The Power of Fasting and Prayer (Pt.1) (273) - November 23 2024

Choose your Podcast App to Play this episode This week we are talking about overcoming, through the power of doing the Lord’s fast and praying. We will discuss the benefits of fasting. The Lord’s FastIsaiah 58 verse 5 – Amplified Classic Version – 5 Is such a fast as yours what I have chosen, a day for a man to humble himself with sorrow in his soul? [Is true fasting merely mechanical?] Is it…

[dwuerch-blog]

Happy Almost Thanksgiving!

I saw this adorable little girl and the version of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, read it, took it to heart, and, whoa-la — my blog for today! Thanks, God, for the inspiration! I love it when I see and hear from Him. I’ve always said, my blogs are for me AND you! Clearly, this verse from 1 Thessalonians 5, speaks more about God’s will being in our actions than His actions. “Rejoice always, pray…

[annasanthology]

20 reasons to read your Bible:

To grow in Christ (2 Peter 3:18)

To learn wisdom (Proverbs 4:5)

To be equipped (2 Timothy 3:17)

To teach others (Colossians 3:16)

To know God's will (Romans 12:2)

To find comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3)

To give praise to God (Psalm 56:4)

To hope in His promises (Titus 1:2)

To walk in His ways (Psalm 119:105)

To be sanctified in truth (John 17:17)

To turn away from sin (Psalm 119:11)

To love all the more (Philippians 1:9)

To receive instruction (Romans 15:4)

To listen to correction (2 Timothy 4:2)

To pray more effectively (Matthew 6:9)

To remember the gospel (2 Timothy 2:8)

To remain disciplined (1 Corinthians 9:27)

To look forward to heaven (Colossians 3:1)

To have the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5)

To keep your eyes upon Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)

[bojackson54]

The Heart of the Matter is, Your. Heart. Matters.

What goes into your heart matters. What comes out of it matters, too. For people who didn’t have EKG’s, cardiologists, or heart hospitals, the ancient Hebrew people were pretty wise about matters of the heart. Solomon in particular seemed to have a deep understanding of the way the heart functions, and his Book of Proverbs is full of references to it. With all of our technology, do you think we…

[teaboot]

John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

1 Corinthians 15:3-5: For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.

Proverbs 25:17: Let your foot be seldom in your neighbour 's house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you

[aressida]

God is testing our hypocrisy, revealing the truth behind what we say and how we live. As it says in Matthew 15:8, 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.' We may hide from others, but not from God. He sees our hearts, like it says in 1 Samuel 16:7, 'People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.' We are called to live out our faith, not just speak it. James 1:22 reminds us to be 'doers of the word, not hearers only.' Through these trials, God refines us, testing our hearts like silver in the furnace (Proverbs 17:3).

[holygirlforjesus]

How to tame your tongue

For those of you who want to know, I’m mainly posting it because I needed those tips myself, but I thought I’d share.

1. Understand the power of words.

2. Start a swear jar

3. Fill your mind & time with holy things

4. Consider who you are hurting

5. Count to thirty

6. Pray for Holy Spirit to help you resist the temptation

7. Monitor what you watch and listen to

8. Make sure you have the right friends

9. Give up your right to be right

10. Memorize scripture about upright speech

11. Find out where your anger is coming from and resolve it

12. Only say what matters

13. Be wise and Patient

14. Don‘t gossip

Psalm 19:14

"Let the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."

Proverbs 10:11

"The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covers the mouth of the wicked."

Proverbs 15:1

"A soft answer turn away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."

Proverbs 16:24

"Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body."

Psalm 34:13

"Keep [my] tongue from evil and [my] lips from speaking deceit."

Psalm 141:3

"Set a watch, O lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips."

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Proverbs 31:26

[greater-than-the-sword]

Proverbs and the Internet

Here is my hand-picked selection of proverbs that I felt had special applicability to life on the internet, and their application. Under the cut.

Proverbs 12:16

New International Version

16 Fools show their annoyance at once,

    but the prudent overlook an insult.

Proverbs 15:18

English Standard Version

Proverbs 16:32

18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,

    but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

English Standard Version

Application: A lot of times if you simply don’t react, or don’t give people the dramatic reaction they are looking for, you can prevent a fight. Don’t be too easily goaded. You can end a lot of things by not being too easily goaded.

32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

___

Proverbs 3:30

New International Version

Proverbs 16:28 ESV

30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—

    when they have done you no harm.

A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.

Proverbs 20:19 ESV

Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.

Proverbs 14:25

English Standard Version

Application: Is your circle of the internet one where people go around starting “drama” by telling lies about others? Do you know someone who does this? Get away from them. Have you done this? Think before you accuse someone of something.

25 A truthful witness saves lives,

    but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.

___

Proverbs 15:1

English Standard Version

Application: By being calm you can prevent people from lashing back at you and escalating. You can even de-escalate if you keep calm.

15 A soft answer turns away wrath,

    but a harsh word stirs up anger.

___

Proverbs 18:12

English Standard Version

Proverbs 15:33

12 Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,

    but humility comes before honor.

English Standard Version

Application: “Humility comes before honor”- you don’t have to be right or appear to be right. That won’t help you before God. It’s pride if you have to win every argument, if you have to be right every time.

33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,

    and humility comes before honor.

___

Proverbs 13:20

English Standard Version

Proverbs 14:7

20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,

    but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

English Standard Version

Application: Just leave that toxic message board. Are you on a sector of the internet where they encourage you to hate other people in your life, and are dragging you into foolish mindsets, encouraging people to more and more extreme ideology, stirring up anxiety, etc? Get out of there.

7 Leave the presence of a fool,

    for there you do not meet words of knowledge.

___

Proverbs 14:15

English Standard Version

Application: It’s important to find sources and to check if things are true before you spread them! Don’t believe that something is true just because you read it on the internet.

15 The simple believes everything,

    but the prudent gives thought to his steps.

___

Proverbs 10:23

English Standard Version

Proverbs 15:21

23 Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool,

    but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

English Standard Version

Proverbs 26:18-19

21 Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,

    but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.

English Standard Version

Application: It is neither safe nor wise to hang out with the type of people on the internet who think that trolling, provoking other people, and stirring up trouble is fun. Whether it’s going to a different website to provoke and cause chaos to the people there, or posting flame bait, or leading people on with various forms of deception for entertainment, God hates this kind of behavior.

18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death

19 is the man who deceives his neighbor

    and says, “I am only joking!”

___

Proverbs 29:9

English Standard Version

Application: DON’T FEED THE TROLLS

9 If a wise man has an argument with a fool,

    the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.

___

Proverbs 9:7-9

New International Version

Proverbs 23:9

7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;

    whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.

8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;

    rebuke the wise and they will love you.

9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;

    teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

English Standard Version

Application: Call the papers, somebody on the internet is wrong!

9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,

    for he will despise the good sense of your words.

Seriously, don’t feed the trolls.  You don’t need to write an essay to explain to every wrong person why they are wrong. Unless they are sincerely interested in listening to you, it will fall on deaf ears. Ask yourself if this person seems like they would actually benefit from being corrected.

___

Proverbs 12:15

New International Version

Proverbs 13:10

15 The way of fools seems right to them,

    but the wise listen to advice.

New International Version

Proverbs 15:32

10 Where there is strife, there is pride,

    but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

English Standard Version

Application: Are you listening when other people tell you that you are out of line?

32 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,

    but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.

___

Proverbs 15:28

English Standard Version

Application: Notice how the righteous “ponders”, but the wicked simply “pours out”. Think before you type something!

28 The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,

    but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

___

Proverbs 10:19

English Standard Version

Proverbs 17:27-28

19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking,

    but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

English Standard Version

Application: Don’t post too much, don’t be easily angered. The more you type the more likely you are to say something wrong. Don’t be easily provoked. Even if you don’t have anything intelligent to say, if you withhold comment, you can even have a reputation for being smart.

27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,

    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;

    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

___

Proverbs 11:12

New International Version

Application: Don’t name-call people on the internet.

12 Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,

    but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.

___

Proverbs 21:24

English Standard Version

Proverbs 22:10

24 “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man

    who acts with arrogant pride.

English Standard Version

Proverbs 26:20-21

10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out,

    and quarreling and abuse will cease.

English Standard Version

20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,

    and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,

    so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

___

Application:

Just ban that guy from the server.

Is there one person who seems to be constantly causing issues? Is it because they’re too full of themselves and can’t stop making trouble? Just kick him out, seriously.

Proverbs 21:11

English Standard Version

Application: So you had to ban that guy from the server. If his misdeed was public, it can benefit others to explain why he got blocked and what happened so that other people don’t do the same thing. When troublemakers don’t just get away with things, other people can benefit from the negative example.

11 When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;

    when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.

___

Proverbs 16:21

English Standard Version

Application: Or: “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”.

21 The wise of heart is called discerning,

    and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.

___

Proverbs 18:2

English Standard Version

Application: I feel like this one doesn’t even need any comment.

2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,

    but only in expressing his opinion.

___

Proverbs 18:13

English Standard Version

Application: Read! Don’t just tl;dr something and then react. Don’t just react to what you thought someone said.

13 If one gives an answer before he hears,

    it is his folly and shame.

___

Proverbs 18:17

English Standard Version

Application: Don’t just believe some one-sided callout post on face value. You should always listen to the other side of the story before you decide who is right and who is wrong.

17 The one who states his case first seems right,

    until the other comes and examines him.

___

Proverbs 29:11

English Standard Version

Application: Don’t overshare on the internet. Some things you need to keep to yourself. Don't just say every thought that runs through your head.

11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit,

    but a wise man quietly holds it back.

___

Proverbs 20:3

English Standard Version

Proverbs 26:17

3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,

    but every fool will be quarreling.

English Standard Version

Application: Fools be quarreling. When you happen to see two people fighting, don’t get involved! It’s like jumping into a dogfight. Why would you do that? You literally have no dog in this fight.

17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own

    is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.

___

Proverbs 25:11-12

English Standard Version

Application: None of this is to say you should never say anything on the internet. There are many times it is quite wise and beneficial to say something or even correct people.

11 A word fitly spoken

    is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

12 Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold

    is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

___

Proverbs 26:4-5

English Standard Version

Application: These two proverbs contrast each other to make a point. Sometimes someone is being so stupid that to answer them is to stoop to their level. You simply shouldn’t even dignify that kind of garbage with a response.

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,

    lest you be like him yourself.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,

    lest he be wise in his own eyes.

On the other hand, sometimes someone is being so foolish that you just have to reply to them, otherwise they will get away with it.

You should always be asking yourself “is it worth it to actually engage with this? Is it degrading to me? Will anyone benefit if I do?”