2019 Jan 19 Proverbs 19, Psalms, Philippians 3
2019 Jan 19 Proverbs 19, Psalms, Philippians 3
Hello, and a hearty welcome! Let's continue in Proverbs 19, this time verses 18-23.
"18 Discipline your son while there is hope, And do not become responsible for his death. 19 The hot-tempered man will pay the penalty; If you try to spare him, you will have to do it again and again. 20 Listen to counsel and accept discipline, In order to become wise in your future. 21 Many are the plans in a man’s heart, But the counsel of Jehovah is what will prevail. 22 The desirable thing in a man is his loyal love; And it is better to be poor than to be a liar. 23 The fear of Jehovah leads to life; The one who has it will have a pleasant rest, free from harm."
Prove 19:18 Thus parents should do all they reasonably can to raise their children in the path leading to life. Proverbs 22:6 says "Train a boy in the way he should go; Even when he grows old he will not depart from it." Yes it is possible, especially with reliance upon God, to train our children in the right way. They need godly wisdom, and if possible they should begin receiving it at a young age. The Proverbs were written, not just to educate adults, but "to impart shrewdness to the inexperienced; to give a young man knowledge and thinking ability." Of course, Jesus' teachings and example, especially in the Sermon on the Mount of Matthew 5-7, is a treasure store of lessons that children can benefit from. Publications exist that help young ones benefit from Christ's model in an accurate way, or you may narrate the stories directly from God's word, and let family members alternately read the words of Jesus and other characters. Help them visualize the accounts, putting themselves there, while offering perhaps some background details so they can understand more clearly what took place back then. For example, when bread was being discussed, Jesus told his disciples to "watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." (Matth 16:6). You might explain how a little leaven spreads through bread dough the way sin can corrupt a large body of people. (Galat 5:9). Then you might research examples where Jesus exposed the sinful ideas, teachings, and practices of both the Pharisees (going to extremes, for example, in their teaching of the Sabbath law) and Sadducees, popular religious groups in his day, finding a few key examples to share and add to the knowledge of the family.
Prove 19:19 God is "slow to anger," or very patient, and wants us to be so as well. God's word encourages a "mildness of temper," a gentleness of spirit based on love, that treats others kindly. Try not to go past the level of irritation before thinking through the solution to a problem or how to cope with it. The quality of insight, recently discussed in this blog, 'certainly slows down one's anger,' as it promotes a compassionate understanding of what contributed to offensive conduct. (Prove 19:11). There are consequences to losing control of one's anger, letting it go beyond irritation to using hurtful speech or in other ways causing harm that may demand penalty. If such a person has not learned self-control, then this may happen "again and again." Pray for God's spirit and its fruitage including self-control, which is vital for true Christians, especially upon learning God's laws, that they may be equipped to keep them, choosing not to violate Christian guidelines.
Prove 19:20 How vital to listen to counsel and discipline. Those refusing to do so become foolish in their speech and practices. (Prove 1:7). Help especially the young to see such as given in love, offering helpful guidance to them in their way of life. Thus they may happily grow in true wisdom, becoming equipped for a successful future and family life.
Prove 19:21 We should look to God's word first and foremost to understand God's will now and in the future, so that our plans can be in harmony with God. Take your plans to Jehovah in prayer, that they may be more firmly established. Since "the counsel of Jehovah" finds success, many plans not in harmony with it will ultimately fail, so how much better to be among those "hearing the word of God and keeping it!" (Luke 11:28).
Prove 19:22 God's word reveals that if God were identified by a single quality, that quality would be love, as 1John 4:8 says "God is love." Thus, was not man made in the "image of God?" Thus a man should set an example before others in genuine love, as encouraged and described in Christian teachings (Matth 22:37-39; 1Cor 13:4-8). In Revelation, four "living creatures" were depicted as each having an outstanding attribute represented by four creature symbols. The bull, for example, depicted one's power. One of these creatures "had a face like a man's." This verse shows clearly that the virtue depicted by the man is "loyal love." Also, a poor man should make sure he is trusting in God for his needs, refusing to lie, cheat, or steal for his needs or those of his family. There are right ways to find what's needed--pray for God's help to see how to obtain necessities in a proper way, and experience God's blessing on your efforts. Thus you will continue or come to see how Jehovah can lift us out of dire circumstances and enable us to be satisfied with good. The Scripture encourage all to set aside a little to be able to compassionately but judiciously help someone in true need (1John 3:17,18).
Prove 19:23 The respectful, reverential "fear of Jehovah" is also the "beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 111:10). Trusting God fully, as our spiritual "refuge," enables us to find real peace of mind and heart. Appreciating God's love, we are thus determined to respect Him, refusing to do anything to displease, or hurt Him in any way. "The fear of Jehovah means the hating of bad." Thus we come to hate the things Jehovah hates, knowing they result in trouble and unhappiness.
Psalm 89 (Book 3, 17th psalm) continues with verses 9-11, regarding God: "9 You rule over the raging of the sea; When its waves surge, you calm them. 10 You have crushed Raʹhab like one who is slain. With your strong arm you have scattered your enemies. 11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; The productive land and what fills it—you have founded them."
Yes, God can calm the raging sea of restless humanity, hoping for all to come to experience genuine peace by turning to God and His righteousness. "Rahab" here refers, not to the woman who turned faithful to Jehovah, but rather to a name previously applied to Egypt and her Pharaoh who opposed Moses and Israel. Jehovah indeed crushed and scattered his enemies with his "strong arm." May we appreciate that the heavens and the earth ultimately belong to Jehovah as their and our Grand Creator (Eccle 12:1). Thus He alone deserves our exclusive worship and devotion, while realizing He wants us to enjoy life as well, which we do the greatest when we put God first in our life, acknowledging His standards and Christian guidelines.
Philippians 3:1 opens with Paul being willing to "write the same things" to them. Such may be considered among Jehovah's "reminders," which we should not resent, as if we don't need to hear them again, but rather should cherish, as we realize all of us will need them on occasion, and just because we've gained knowledge of something in the past, doesn't automatically mean we are living in harmony with it completely. We should be reviewing what we learn about God and how to live acceptably, to make sure we are applying godly counsel still, and all the more so. Verse 1 reads: "Finally, my brothers, continue rejoicing in the Lord. It is not troublesome for me to write the same things to you, and it is for your safety." Psalm 19:7 also says: "The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring strength.The reminder of Jehovah is trustworthy, making the inexperienced one wise."


2025 5C/8C (7Hul-8Lsg2) Find Life and See (7-9) Proverbs B (8) CTC Corner and WGA-B (9) Godlove Home




