May 24: Proverbs Chapter 24

Hello and welcome to today's study.

Let's dive right into the good stuff...

Read the chapter here: Proverbs 24.

The Big Three: Wisdom. Knowledge. Understanding.

• Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. This is some deep stuff, and its meaning goes beyond just building a house and filling it with good stuff.
  
  
• A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. Strength here also implies more than just physical strength - there's strength of character (integrity) and conviction (for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God)...again he mentions about the mastermind.
  
  
• My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off. The knowledge of wisdom is sweet to the soul. Not only that, it comes with a reward. Listen, it's okay for you to seek wisdom just for the reward - if God didn't want you to use the reward as an incentive He wouldn't talk about it.
  It's just better when you seek it because you want to because you realise the value in doing so, not cos you get rewarded for doing so.
  
  I love it when he says 'your expectation shall not be cut off.'- you get what you expect, when you're walking in wisdom.

I Fall Down...But I Get Up!

• For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. That right there oughta encourage somebody. When you are on God's team, no matter how many times you mess up, are hurt or discouraged, you can get right up and rise to the top. Don't get into the habit of messing up though. Don't abuse God's grace...

When Your Enemy Has It Bad...

• Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. Don't ever rejoice when things go wrong for someone who's hurt you. I understand the urge to think 'serves them right', but don't gloat over it. Your attitude to your 'enemy' is to 'love, not hate, bless, not curse; feed if hungry; give drink if thirsty'. That elevates you to a whole nother level of functioning...

Don't Envy The Evil Man...

• Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. Sometimes you want to hang out with or be like, someone who's ways are clearly contrary to the ways of God. You may see someone who appears successful, rich and beautiful, and who's gotten that way by doing things that are not in line with God's Word. You wish you could be like them. DON'T do that: you don't know their motives, their heart though you can suss it out when you listen to the things they say...

• Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked: For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Assess Fairly...Call a Spade a Spade. Tell It Like It Is

• It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them. Don't be afraid to speak up against evil when you're involved in a situation. Don't condone sinful behaviour, no matter who is doing it.

First Things First

• Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house. Secure a source of income then you can start a home (get married, start family, etc). Good advice for men AND women. A lot of grief in relationships is related to finances or the lack thereof. Here's how to avoid it: each person should be financially stable before y'all come together. And ladies, don't go making excuses about why you can't wait for that to happen, why your man is meant to take care of you and stuff. If you're a lady who thinks like that and wants to wait and depend on a man to take care of her - wake up and smell the coffee. Sure there are men who can and do take care of their women, but financial independence is more than about just being able to take care of yourself (the Proverbs 31 woman is financially independent, just so you know...) - it's also about what it does to your psyche to know you can provide for yourself if push comes to shove.

Telling Lies...

• Is one of the things God hates. Don't do it. Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

Tit For Tat...

• Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work. Treat people the way you'd like to be treated, regardless of how they treat you. Leave payback to God.

Laziness and Procrastination: A Sure Fire Way To Attract Poverty and Lack

• I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
  
  Is your environment cluttered? This is a symptom of laziness. It is a symptom of Procrastination, the opposite of Discipline and Diligence. It shows a habit of leaving things undone...and attracts poverty in a hurry. Therefore, as is the pattern in the book of Proverbs, the opposite of this verse is true: be diligent and disciplined with everything, even the small things. Declutter your life.
  
  Then will you attract wealth in a hurry...

Have a fantastic day!


Blessings to ya.


Kem