Augustine wrote, “Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure; where your treasure is, there is your heart; where your heart is, there is your happiness. Proverbs 13 shows how your attitude toward God’s word determines the way you handle money and the outcome of your lifestyle. A wise son accepts his father’s discipline but the scoffer…
The world needs men and women……. a.. who cannot be bought; b.. whose word is their bond; c.. who put character above wealth; d.. who possess opinions and a will; e.. who are larger than their vocations; f.. who do not hesitate to take chances; g.. who will not lose their individuality in a crowd;…
Martin Luther wrote that the three necessary conversions are of the heart, mind and the purse. In Proverbs 11, we examine four ingredients–humble integrity, positive speech, edifying ministry and abundant generosity– that lead to prosperous outcomes in a family, church, organization or city. Humble IntegrityThe foundation for success and positive outcomes is humility and integrity….
Noah Webster wrote, ‘The virtues of men are of more consequence to society than their abilities, and for this reason, the heart should be cultivated with more assiduity than the head.” Proverbs 10 shows how wisdom and character bless a person’s life while foolishness ruins them.Righteousness and WisdomRighteousness and wisdom bring joy to your father,…
J. Arthur Lewis wrote, “Do you ever sit down and wonder what is wrong with the world? Do you ever ask yourself why it is that Christians seem to have so little influence, why they seem to achieve so little, for all their numbers, in putting the world right? To each of those two questions…
The naïve are gullible and show no discernment. They accept anything and lack the ability to evaluate ideas and suggestions. The naïve don’t consider the moral consequences of their actions. In Proverbs 6-7, the naive will stumble in their finances, work, character and love life if they live without discernment. The Boy Scout motto, “Be…
We are bombarded by sexually explicit TV shows, movies, and ads every day. Casual sex and cohabitation is widely accepted. Abstinence is thought of as an impossibility. Marriage is becoming passé for many people. The family unit is under attack and single parent households are becoming the norm. Consider the difference between wisdom and moral impurity. What…
People search many places for life. It’s found in one place only, in Christ. Watchman Nee’s quote captures the truth well: “Outside of Christ, I am only a sinner, but in Christ, I am saved. Outside of Christ, I am empty; in Christ, I am full. Outside of Christ, I am weak; in Christ, I…
We give our greatest efforts to those things that are most valuable to us. Proverbs 2 says wisdom should be at the top of our list of things we should strive for. J.I. Packer wrote: “Wisdom is the power to see and the inclination to choose the best and highest goal, together with the surest…
Victor Hugo wrote that wisdom is sacred communion. Wisdom comes by disillusionment, according to George Santayana. Robert Fulghum wrote, “Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.” Concerning friends, Henri Nouwen wrote, “When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we…