2020 May 04-May 05 Proverbs 13, Fourth (Sabbath) of the Ten, TWGA, CTC Corner!
2020 May 04-May 05 Proverbs 13, Fourth (Sabbath) of the Ten, TWGA, CTC Corner!
UPDATE: 05/05-1805 "CTC Corner, add'l par. mod." Welcome, may you find God's blessing on your efforts this day, while maintaining caution and safety! Let's continue in Proverbs 13, this time verses 22-25, then consider another of the Ten Commandments, today's TWGA, and finally CTC Corner!
“22 The good person leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren, But the sinner’s wealth will be stored up for the righteous one. 23 The plowed field of the poor yields much food, But it may be swept away by injustice. 24 Whoever holds back his rod hates his son, But the one who loves him disciplines him diligently. 25 The righteous one eats and satisfies his appetite, But the stomach of the wicked is empty.”
Prove 13:22 The apostle Paul confirms this expectation for his day, saying at 2Corinthians 12:14 “14...the children are not expected to save up for their parents, but the parents for their children.” Of course, situations do vary, but how fine when parents can look out for the future welfare of their children, and even their grandchildren! Recall that in the illustration of the Prodigal Son, the father allowed one of his sons to receive his inheritance early, which he unwisely wasted. (Luke 15:13,14). Clearly, while an inheritance might in certain circumstances be given sooner than normal, care should be taken that wise use be made of such provisions. Still, these days understanding should be shown by younger ones, if failing health or other factors limit what parents can give those they still love. Loving their children, and helping them on the path of eternal life, may be an even more rewarding inheritance to leave them! Sinners who stubbornly remain so and refuse to turn around, would be giving up their own eternal life, possibly even leading their family members down the same path. Is that the kind of inheritance they really want to leave their offspring? Often such ones are misunderstanding God’s love for them, or are not experiencing the deep-seated happiness that comes from serving God in harmony with His standards. May they repent of error and return to a loving Heavenly Father who “will forgive in a large way.” And may the rest remain on the path of righteousness leading to eternal life alongside a loyal marriage partner, and help our children receive a similar inheritance!
"23 The
plowed field of the poor yields much food, But it may be swept away by
injustice."
Prove 13:23 Clearly, God’s blessing may be on the land of a poor one who puts full trust in Jehovah to provide his needs as he seeks to live God’s way. Still, living under the current system of things, injustice has not yet been fully eliminated. Psalm 107:39 mentions other factors causing affliction, as “oppression, calamity, and grief.” May we still look to God for support through such circumstances, maintaining a hopeful outlook for enduring and perhaps overcoming such difficulties and finding “an abundance of peace” under God’s coming Kingdom. (Psalm 37:11).
"24 Whoever holds back his rod hates his son, But the one who loves him disciplines him diligently."
Prove 13:24 Again it is clear that discipline is associated with genuine love, but how so? We must remember that the word does not simply mean “punishment,” but rather comes from the same root as “disciple.” Still, some may have wondered about the teaching here. Looking at this more carefully scripturally, there is evidence that the term "discipline" should be associated with "loving correction." This proverb and Hebrews 12:5-11 share this view of discipline, saying in Hebrews 12:5-6, "“My son, do not belittle the discipline from Jehovah, nor give up when you are corrected by him; 6 for those whom Jehovah loves he disciplines, in fact, he scourges everyone whom he receives as a son.” While it is true that Jesus did not go around punishing his disciples all day long, but lovingly taught, trained, and corrected them, there is another term that deals more with the loving teaching and training of parents and teachers. Ephesians 6:4 says "And fathers, do not be irritating your children, but go on bringing them up in the discipline and admonition of Jehovah." The term "admonition" here has reference to loving "instruction, guidance." Therefore, Jesus' disciples were not merely disciplined after they had done something wrong, but admonished throughout the day by receiving loving instruction and guidance to serve God properly. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 shows Jehovah commanded the parents to have God’s words on their own hearts, and then to “7...inculcate them in your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up"(thus, not only when receiving “time-out” for doing something wrong). Parents, please make sure you make time for your young ones to lovingly answer their questions according to their age and development, and to assist in teaching them what they need to know, helping develop their powers of discernment and understanding (Prove 2:1-6). Proverbs 10:1 says “A wise son makes his father rejoice...” So help them develop godly wisdom to be able to make good, right decisions each day, and reap many blessings for time well spent!
"25 The righteous one eats and satisfies his appetite, But the stomach of the wicked is empty.”
Prove 13:25 The righteous one, wanting to act in harmony with God’s standards, feeds himself, not only literal food, but as Jesus declared, as stated at Matthew 4:4, that “...It is written: ‘Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every word that comes from Jehovah’s mouth.” Thus he or she reasonably considers things such as found at Philippians 4:8, including “whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well-spoken-of, whatever things are virtuous, and whatever things are praiseworthy.” Paul adds, “continue considering these things.” Again, we need reasonableness when we consider these guidelines for what we learn from and are entertained by. Whatever things are “true,” for instance, doesn’t mean we can’t watch a creative made-up story. This list is evidently meant for topics to be considered at congregation meetings for Bible study. But how fine when the lessons from such a story have real meaning in harmony with what is truly right and good! When we take care of what we feed our minds and hearts, especially spiritual things based on God’s reliable word, we ‘satisfy our appetite.’ Those not caring about such things often go hungry. At Isaiah 55:2 God says: “ 2 Why do you keep paying out money for what is not bread, And why spend your earnings for what brings no satisfaction? Listen intently to me, and eat what is good, And you will find great delight in what is truly rich.”
_______HOW DO AMERICANS PERCEIVE SATISFYING NUTRITIONAL NEEDS?
(NewsUSA) – Although consumers say they are at least somewhat knowledgeable about nutrition, new research from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) shows several wide gaps between American’s perception of their nutrient intakes and reality..
“While there is some disparity between perceived nutrient adequacy and actual nutrient intake, it is notable that consumers recognize the benefits their food can offer,” says Sarah Romotsky, registered dietitian and associate director of health and wellness at the IFIC Foundation. “Indeed, health-promoting foods and food components, like blueberries, yogurt, fish, milk and fortified breads and breakfast cereals, play an important role in meeting nutrient needs and improving overall health.”
According to the 2013 IFIC Functional Foods Consumer survey, however, the majority of respondents (almost 70 percent) believe they fall short of meeting “all or nearly all” of their nutritional needs.
What’s more, a comparison of the survey’s findings and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data shows gaps between how many believe their intakes are adequate versus recommended daily intakes or nutrient intake recommendations (Dietary Reference Intakes from the Institute of Medicine). For nutrients such as vitamin D (68 percent perception vs. 32 percent consumption), potassium (61 percent vs. less than 3 percent) and fiber (67 percent vs. 5 percent), the discrepancy between perception and reality is glaring.
The high percentage of consumers who are meeting their needs for B vitamins may be a testament to how fortification can help consumers meet their nutrient needs.
“Breads, rice and cereals, which are often fortified with B Vitamins, may be helping consumers meet their B vitamin needs, without the consumer realizing the added value,” says Romotsky.
However, there are still gaps in knowledge and consumption of a variety of other beneficial components, such as omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, flavonoids and zeaxanthin.
The good news, though, according to the survey, is that consumer interest in learning more about foods with benefits beyond basic nutrition remains high. Almost nine in 10 Americans say they are interested in learning more about foods that have health benefits beyond basic nutrition, but cited barriers such as price.
For more information, you might investigate websites such as foodinsight.org, or search for others.
POTASSIUM-SODIUM BALANCE. One of the nutrients mentioned here was potassium. Research shows our cells function properly within a certain balance between potassium and sodium. Potassium is actually a cellular salt, while sodium is an intra-cellular salt. Enough potassium is needed in the diet, with reasonable sodium intake, to allow cells to receive water/hydration and be properly cleansed. If you're constantly passing urine often throughout the day, this is a likely indication of low cellular hydration, despite adequate water intake! Drinking good refreshingly cold water is important, at least a few times a day. Be aware that some drinks, such as black tea, can be diuretic, meaning they promote urine excretion. Several other herbal teas, for instance, may not be diuretic, and may contain less or no caffeine, but still may enhance energy or body balance in other ways. Still, with over-consumption of salt, and inadequate potassium intake, the excessive urine-passing may continue. To beat the problem, educate yourself on good potassium sources, such as most fruits and vegetables, including bananas, kiwis, and potatoes. Many vegetables have a potassium-sodium ratio of 10:1 or more! Of course, potatoes are often accompanied with salt, but eating ORGANIC sodium may help with this issue--CELERY has the proper kind of sodium that may assist with the sodium balance issue--organic sodium versus inorganic salt. Finding delicious low-salt foods/dips/etc to accompany a portion of celery with a salty meal may prove beneficial. Also finding other spice alternatives to using added salt can also make a big difference. There are several spice mixes on the market to flavor foods with instead of salt. Also, Celery Seed (Not celery salt), although it has a strong flavor, can also help assimilate a salt-laden food, sprinkling or mixing it into a dressing, etc., as it also contains the organic sodium helpful for salt metabolism. Just being mindful of the comparison of potassium and sodium in processed foods may help you limit your intake of excessive salt, and find delicious alternatives that promote more potassium intake. Be aware that, while a potassium salt is available, it is associated with increased risks of troublesome health conditons--it is INORGANIC POTASSIUM, as opposed to the ORGANIC potassium found in foods. Putting some of this knowledge to work, you may finally make headway on that excessive urine condition that has seemed for many to be a lost cause, and actually promote true body hydration and likely better health!
P.S. Our bodies utilize ORGANIC minerals and nutrients primarily. INORGANIC minerals are found in soil, for instance. Plants can take up the inorganic nutrients and convert them into the ORGANIC nutrients that benefit our bodies, promoting good health!
BE CAUTIOUS WITH SUGAR SUBSTITUTES! I'm not endorsing any food/nutrition-based websites at this time. There are some substances being used in the market that I believe are dangerous to the public's health, including some common sugar substitutes, that are often being touted as harmless. Please do careful research before assuming that unnatural chemicals are somehow completely safe for the body! God gave us sugar, although it has been processed to remove certain essential minerals that support sugar metabolism. Keeping sugar within reasonable limits is in most cases the best answer until the missing minerals start to be added back in with the sugar. Also, you might make use of other, more natural and complete sugar substitutes. (Proverbs 24:13)
ISSUE AFTER ISSUE ADDRESSED BY GOD’S KINGDOM: LEGAL BUSINESS CONTRACTS, ETC.
Psalms “15 O Jehovah, who may be a guest in your tent? Who may reside in your holy mountain? 2 The one who is walking faultlessly, Practicing what is right And speaking the truth in his heart.”
Proverbs 12:19-20 “Truthful lips will endure forever, But a lying tongue will last for only a moment. 20 Deceit is in the heart of those who plot mischief, But those who promote peace have joy.”
A HOBBY? Are you one who loves to pour over legal documents as a hobby, eager to see what nuance you may find differing from a similar one you read six months prior from a similar company? Granted, the reading of such documents has become a necessary part of life today for most, and to some extent, they serve an important purpose, in making possible agreed upon terms and business obligations. Does it seem, however, that the companies promoting integrity, honesty and straightforwardness are hard to spot, based on the legal documents they put forward to do business with you? While wanting or needing services from a business entity, large or small, many find it a difficult challenge to weed through a mass of words and ensure there is not some hidden trap waiting to ensnare them unsuspectingly.
HONESTY. At the same time, there are companies eager to have your business, who are willing to be honest and straightforward in their terms of service, or in what they offer in their product lines. They are willing to tell you up front what your financial obligations are, and what they will provide accordingly. If it was possible, they would be willing to tell you in plain simple language what you are getting and what they are asking for from you.
LEGALESE. Could you see this as an issue worth addressing? Have you at times, for instance, hesitated to sign up with a company, perhaps on the internet, because it will require that you read through an exhaustive Privacy Policy and Terms of Service? Or are you one who is so put off by such legalese that you have considered clicking a box stating you have read and agree to the terms, even though you barely skimmed through it, just to have the product, services or information you desired? What may be done, in the spirit of God’s incoming Kingdom, to address such concerns as these?
STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS. What if the major companies in an industry, willing to show a spirit of cooperation, put their heads together and considered the terms they hold in common with one another, and what they might be willing to agree to in the way of fair business practices, and honest dealings with customers? Could such groups come up with an Industry-specific GENERAL TERMS, that relate what those specific companies hold in common or what they are willing to hold in common? Then, each individual company might have a few specific terms, that it could detail in another document, some sort of SPECIFIC TERMS document. Any person who has read the GENERAL TERMS document already, agreeing to it, may then need only read the SPECIFIC TERMS in order to comprehend all that the company is providing and requiring. Also, what if ALL of the FINANCIAL ISSUES affecting the customer were addressed at the very top of each of these documents, so there was no confusion or hidden tricks aiming to take advantage of someone? This may reveal an honest spirit of integrity for those companies willing to uphold such in the public eye. ANY COMPANY in the industry who can generally meet the standards set forth in the GENERAL TERMS document might declare their support, and develop their own SPECIFIC TERMS document making known any additions, modifications, or clarifications. This would save much unnecessary reading on the part of customers.
UPDATING. ALSO, if a GENERAL TERMS document needs to be modified or updated at all, let an UPDATE document be released, that shows just the changes made to the document, or all the changes made that calendar year, for any who have already read the ORIGINAL. They need only read and comprehend the changes. Perhaps the latest entire GENERAL TERMS document may be posted each January 1, so that anyone can read it or be reminded of it’s contents.
LAYMAN’S TERMS (LT) VERSION. What if, also, such a GENERAL TERMS document could be put into an additional LAYMAN’S TERMS VERSION, or LT VERSION, that would be no longer than 1/3 the original legal document length, and would spell out, honestly and openly, the primary concerns of the customer and company, in clear and simple language, apart from the legal terminology so common in those documents? Reading the LAYMAN’S TERMS document would give the average person a much faster read, and way to comprehend more readily what the legal document sets forth. Agreeing to the LT document may be a preliminary way of indicating a willingness to cooperate or enter agreement—they are willing to go further in pursuing the product or service. As long as the legal document contains nothing important intentionally hidden or missing from the LT document, the customer is then likely willing to do business, and the reading of the legal documents becomes more of a formality, while still, however, making it more official.
A STANDARD PRIVACY POLICY. Also, what if certain companies known for their integrity, security and privacy support, such as Apple, Inc., and I believe, Microsoft Corp. now also, similarly put forward a GENERAL PRIVACY POLICY document, that once again several other business or internet groups may officially support or adhere to, with perhaps just a few changes or additions? Having read this Privacy Policy, or it’s latest update, you need only read any PRIVACY POLICY SPECIFICS by the company of interest, to know where it stands on this crucial issue.
CONCLUSION
WHAT A GIFT! What a gift for such an arrangement to come about by such companies, perhaps in cooperation with honest legal teams, willing to cooperate and uphold God’s standards of fairness, justice, reasonableness, and good business practices! Many companies in the same industry usually have their own specific niche or specific rewards and benefits associated with using their products or services, attracting certain types of customers, such that companies do not need to have an overly competitive or dog-eat-dog spirit. God Himself can bless the efforts of each company willing to do things His way, well motivated to provide good products or services to fellow humans. Granted, some businesses may still come and go—such is the nature of a free market system, one enabling people to explore possibilities and look for solutions to real problems. But God’s Kingdom is bringing a spirit of unity and harmony among those honoring Him the likes of which have been rare in human history. The relatively free market system that was somewhat present in the days of Israel and that has in many ways blessed the United States, while allowing for market creativity with a desire to achieve financial success, is capable of operating more on integrity to good standards and loyal love for fellow humans than on selfish greed. Proverbs 11 says, for instance: “3 The integrity of the upright is what guides them, But the deviousness of the treacherous will destroy them.” May many good things come about by such an arrangement, blessed by God, as He and His Son lead us toward a time of genuine peace, prosperity, and happiness, even endlessly!


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