God's Truth In Love

Posts Tagged ‘Proverbs’

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 12:10 Animal Treatment

In Abuse, Animal Treatment, Behavior, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Cruelty, Decision Making, Decisions, Devotional, Godliness, Proverbs, Uncategorized on January 31, 2024 at 5:50 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

Animal Treatment

Wickedness has no concept for true compassion, mercy and love. Godliness understands the importance and need of all three for people and all living creatures.

Let us get the worst over with first by examining the word cruel.

“cruel” in the Hebrew is defined as:

394. אַכְזָרִי ˒akzârı̂y, ak-zaw-ree’; from 393; terrible:— cruel (one).

393. אַכְזָר ˒akzâr, ak-zawr’; from an unused root (appar. mean. to act harshly); violent; by impl. deadly; also (in a good sense) brave:— cruel, fierce.

The wicked, their ideas of ‘mercy are cruelty’ yet they know it not. They are often blinded by Satan. Wicked people often harm animals. One of the key traits, psychology claims, of a serial killer is that when they were young, they harmed or even killed animals. How horrid!

When you look at what it means to “regardeth” and animal you see where the need for care, love, mercy, and instruction come in.

“regardeth” in the Hebrew language is defined as:

3045. יָדַע yâda˓, yaw-dah’; a prim. root; to know (prop. to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, fig., lit., euphem. and infer. (incl. observation, care, recognition; and caus. instruction, designation, punishment, etc.) [as follow]:— acknowledge, acquaintance (-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, [un-] awares, can [-not], certainly, for a certainty, comprehend, consider, × could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be [ig-] norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to, let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have [knowledge], (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, × prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have [understanding], × will be, wist, wit, wot.

Godly people understand their responsibility to give “care, recognition, instruction, and punishment” where needed to the animals in their care. That dog or cat we love is a “familiar friend” to us, but one who must be corrected when they potty on the rug. In order to train an animal correctly we must have a “kinsman” type relationship with them meaning we “know” them, we “have knowledge of and have understanding” of their temperament, needs, strengths, and weaknesses. A farmer will tell you that all of this is very necessary to get the maximum amount of productivity from their animals.

All living creatures are created by God for a purpose. Let us both respect their purpose and their existence for the length of their life. ++end++

All content generated by a human being, 100%, no AI. 

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 12:9 Popularity or Prosperity

In Advice, Attitude, Behavior, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Change, Choices, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Decisions, Devotional, Godliness, Godly Counsel, Guidance, Honor, Humility, Lifestyle, Pride, Proverbs, Renewal, Righteous, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Uncategorized on January 8, 2024 at 4:19 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

9 He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.

Popularity or Prosperity

This is a very interesting verse that seems somewhat out of place, but we know with the Word of God there is no such thing.

First, it must be pointed out that in the Hebrew definition of the word “despised” there is an implied meaning and a figurative meaning. The word means both to be a person who is “light and in rapid motion” and also a person “held in contempt” who “seems vile” to other people. A godly person would fit both of those categories.

A godly person is going to be a “light” to the world around them. They are also going to be a person who is “in rapid motion” working to care for their family. They are not going to be lazy or a slacker. Being both a “light” in a dark world and a person “in rapid motion” to provide for your family will make you “despised” by a world growing more and more evil and distorted each day. However, it will also cause the blessings of God to rain down on you where you do not lack for the important things in life and may well also prosper to the point where having a “servant” is a part of your life.

This is a far better life than the “entitled person” who thinks life owes them, without their doing much of anything – the self-important person – those who “honoureth” themselves, usually because no one else does or should for that matter. These people lack for almost everything in life including “bread” or food to eat.

Haughtiness, pride, is a horrible sin that God absolutely hates. Many believe pride to be the very first sin, and it was in a way. Pride can typically be found at the root of every sin or every problem with other people in life. Test this theory and see if after you peel away all the various layers at the core of the issue if pride cannot be found.

Humility, God and godliness is the better choice in every circumstance over Haughtiness, Satan, and sin. Your life will be better the quicker you realize this in life.

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All content generated by a human being, 100%, no AI. 

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 12:4 Crown His Head or Rot His Bones

In Agape Love, Behavior, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Couples, Discernment, Discretion, Disunity, Divorce, Femininity, Feminism, Godliness, Honor, Husbands, Lifestyle, Love, Marriage, Proverbs, Renewal, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Truth, Wisdom, Wives, Women on September 14, 2023 at 1:32 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

Crown His Head or Rot His Bones

Okay ladies buckle up, as this is probably one of the toughest verses in Scripture for a woman, aside from ‘submit to your own husband as unto the Lord’ Ephesians 5:22 and Colossians 3:18.

Author Note:

You really have to connect the meaning of each of the words in the writing below to truly understand the impact of what this verse means. My recommendation would be to skip ahead and read the Hebrew meanings listed below then come back and read the piece in its entirety, including the word meanings a second time.

“virtuous” in the Hebrew language is defined as:

2428. חַיִל chayil, khah’-yil; from 2342; prob. a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength:— able, activity, (+) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great) forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong, substance, train, (+) valiant (-ly), valour, virtuous (-ly), war, worthy (-ily).

“virtue” the Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary first definition is as follows:

1 a : conformity to a standard of right : MORALITY b : a particular moral excellence

To be virtuous as a woman is to be a godly woman, and a godly woman follows the Standard set by God, seeking and following the Will, Ways, and Purposes of God. There is no way around the Truth of what it means to be a virtuous woman. She is “a force, a means or resource of strength” both for her husband and herself. She conducts her actions with “valor” for “good” using her “might, power, riches, strength, and substance” in the pursuit of what is “worthy” in God’s eyes. She has a “standard of right” and “morality” and she lives with “excellence” by that standard, God’s Standard. In so doing this she becomes a great asset in life to her husband.

“crown” is defined as the following in the Hebrew language: .

5850. עֲטָרָה ˓ăṭârâh, at-aw-raw’; from 5849; a crown:— crown.

5849. עָטַר ˓âṭar, aw-tar’; a prim. root; to encircle (for attack or protection); espec. to crown (lit. or fig.):— compass, crown

That asset that she becomes to her husband is a “crown” that they both wear. It is what brings the respect of his peers and business associates to him. A woman’s virtue is an actual “figurative crown” that “encircles” her husband, which gives him the strength when needed “for attack” from their enemies, and at other times provides “protection” from attack, disgrace, shame, embarrassment, trouble, etc.

An unvirtuous woman is the exact opposite, She brings trouble, stress, embarrassment, disgrace, attack, shame, hardship, etc. on her husband.

“ashamed” in the Hebrew is defined as:

954. בּוּשׁ bûwsh, boosh; a prim. root; prop. to pale, i.e. by impl. to be ashamed; also (by impl.) to be disappointed, or delayed:— (be, make, bring to, cause, put to, with, a-) shamed (-d), be (put to) confounded (-fusion), become dry, delay, be long.

Her unvirtuous conduct causes him “to pale”(lose respect) in the sight of his peers. She will cause her husband “to be ashamed” of her, himself, and even the fact that he married her. She will cause him “to be disappointed” in her and having married her. She may well be the cause of why his career or advancement in life has been “delayed” or halted altogether. A woman’s sinful behavior causes her husband to become “confounded” and brings “confusion” on so many levels for her husband. A woman’s conduct greatly effects and affects the life, health, and wellbeing of her husband.

Thus, she becomes a “rottenness” to his life (bones).

“rottenness” in the Hebrew language is defined as:

7538. רָקָב râqâb, raw-kawb’; from 7537; decay (by caries):— rottenness (thing).

7537. רָקַב râqab, raw-kab’; a prim. root; to decay (as by worm-eating):— rot.

“caries” means cavities of decay.

This “rottenness” will eat away at every aspect of a man’s life like “worm-eating” until its “decay” has ruined him in almost every conceivable way; mentally, vocationally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Men put up a very strong front but a wife has such a substantial impact on her husband whether he allows it to show or not.

“bones” is defined in the Hebrew as:

6106. עֶצֶם ˓etsem, eh’tsem; from 6105; a bone (as strong); by extens. the body; fig. the substance, i.e. (as pron.) selfsame:— body, bone, × life, (self-) same, strength, × very.

6105. עָצַם ˓âtsam, aw-tsam’; a prim. root; to bind fast, i.e. close (the eyes); intr. to be (caus. make) powerful or numerous; denom. (from 6106) to crunch the bones:— break the bones, close, be great, be increased, be (wax) mighty (-ier), be more, shut, be (-come, make) strong (-er).

Her unvirtuous conduct eats away at the very ‘strength of his bones’ while at the same time eating away at “the substance of his self (selfsame)” and his “strength” in every area. Left unchecked it destroys his “life” and sense of “self” it is an incredibly “powerful” force.

Women, you have incredible power. Will you use it for good or evil where your husband is concerned? Will you be virtuous and bring life to both of you or will you be unvirtuous and bring death to both of you?

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All content generated by a human being, 100%, no AI. 

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Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 12:3 Roots Only Grow In One Soil

In Behavior, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Decisions, Disobedience, Evil, Proverbs, Repentance, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Sanctification, Spiritual Change, Spiritual Fruit, Truth, Uncategorized, Wickedness, Wisdom on September 6, 2023 at 3:10 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

3 A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

Roots Only Grow In One Soil

When we think of trying to secure ourselves, our life, our reputation, etc., we are thinking about something that in the long run of life only God can do. Security that we produce is only an illusion, then one day it is gone. Security God produces holds. We do however play a part in allowing God to secure our life for us, and that part is what we will explore here.

“established” in the Hebrew language is defined as:

3559. כּוּן kûwn, koon; a prim. root; prop. to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence, (caus.) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether lit. (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or fig. (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous):— certain (-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness, fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet, ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self), provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright, fast, forth), be stable , (e-) stablish, stand, tarry, × very deed.

Wow, right! What incredible and in-depth meaning there is to the word established. It literally covers every aspect of human life. It is no wonder man cannot do it himself/herself but instead it requires an act of God in concert with an individual.

No form of wickedness will ever help a person truly reach a point of this type of security, as found in what it means to be “established” by God’s standard. We have seen this played out in society time and time again. A person is riding high by the world’s standards, has fame, plenty of fortune, then one day it is all gone, seemingly overnight. In almost all of these cases there is one common thread, the fame and fortune was almost always acquired through ungodly means, wickedness.

“wickedness” in the Hebrew is defined as:

7562. רֶשַׁע resha˓, reh’-shah; from 7561; a wrong (espec. moral):— iniquity, wicked (-ness).

7561. רָשַׁע râsha˓, raw-shah’; a prim. root; to be (caus. do or declare) wrong; by impl. to disturb, violate:— condemn, make trouble, vex, be (commit, deal, depart, do) wicked (-ly, -ness).

Wickedness is only temporary security, at best. God will never allow it to be anything else. Righteousness on the other hand is another thing.

“righteousness” is defined in the Hebrew language as:

6662. צַדִּיק tsaddı̂yq, tsad-deek’; from 6663; just:— just, lawful, righteous (man).

צִדֹנִי° Tsı̂dônı̂y. See 6722.

6663. צָדַק tsâdaq, tsaw-dak’; a prim. root; to be (caus. make) right (in a moral or forensic sense):— cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just (-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be, turn to) righteous (-ness).

Jesus is the only one who can do that initial “cleanse” of our souls and spirit that is required. He does that through our willingness to humble ourselves to our sinfulness, believe and trust in His sacrificial death on our behalf, our seeking of forgiveness from Him, and our invitation to Him to come into our life, every area of our life, and make us what He wants us to be, what He created us to be. He makes us “morally right” with God the Father.

Jesus “clears us of self” and instead as we allow His Holy Spirit to work in us, He provides the strength needed to live in the “righteousness” He has called each and every one of his children to live in. His strength must be sought before we can “turn to righteousness” in a way that will be successful and long-lasting. What far too many Christians miss is that it is His strength through us, which equals us calling on Him to empower or strengthen us to live as He wants, coupled with us choosing what God deems morally right or “righteous” in each situation.

Jesus’ strength + our choice = righteousness.

That kind of living is a life that is rooted in a way that cannot be uprooted, “moved”, or toppled.

“moved” in the Hebrew language is defined as:

4131. מוֹט môwṭ, mote; a prim. root; to waver; by impl. to slip, shake, fall:— be carried, cast, be out of course, be fallen in decay, × exceedingly, fall (-ing down), be (re-) moved, be ready, shake, slide, slip.

Unlike the life “established by wickedness” those lives whose “root of righteousness’ is Christ, and following God’s Way to live, is a life that will not “be out of course” with God’s Will or one found to “be fallen in decay exceedingly” at any point.

To truly be “established” in life, rooted in a way that cannot be toppled, God must do the establishing and you must choose righteousness, His Way over your own. Who will “establish” you in life, God (righteousness) or self (wickedness)?

Again, Jesus’ strength + our choice = righteousness. ++end++

All content generated by a human being, 100%, no AI. 

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 12:2 In or Out of Favor?

In Actions, Attitude, Behavior, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Condemnation, Decision Making, Discernment, Favor, God's Favor, God’s Condemnation, Proverbs, Renewal, Repentance, Responsibility, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Wisdom on August 21, 2023 at 9:06 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

2 A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

In or Out of Favor?

To be in the favour of God is one of the greatest blessings in life. However, to be out of favour with God in the manner addressed in this verse is the worst, it is a form of condemnation.

Good people obtain favor with God. People who practice evil live with the condemnation of God. So let us look at what both the “good” and the “wicked” person looks like.

“good” in the Hebrew is defined as:

2896. טוֹב ṭôwb, tobe; from 2895; good (as an adj.) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masc. and the fem., the sing. and the plur. (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adv. (well):— beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, × fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, × most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ([-favoured]).

2895. טוֹב ṭowb, tobe; a prim. root, to be (tran. do or make) good (or well) in the widest sense:— be (do) better, cheer, be (do, seem) good, (make) goodly, × please, (be, do, go, play) well.

There are many characteristics to be seen in this definition to help you assess what a “good” person should look like. The main ones to keep in mind is that a good person is “kind” and” loving” toward people. They are “at ease” with themselves and others because they know their heart and life is pure, they are “good” inside and out. Some of the definitions in the Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary include “virtuous” and “of the highest worth and reliability” – yes, a person considered good in God’s eyes would be of great worth and would have to be godly as well as faithful.

“favour” in the Hebrew language is defined as:

7522. רָצוֹן râtsôwn, raw-tsone’; or

רָצֹן râtsôn, raw-tsone’; from 7521; delight (espec. as shown):— (be) acceptable (-ance, -ed), delight, desire, favour, (good) pleasure, (own, self, voluntary) will, as … (what) would.

7521. רָצָה râtsâh, raw-tsaw’; a prim. root; to be pleased with; spec. to satisfy a debt:— (be) accept (-able), accomplish, set affection, approve, consent with, delight (self), enjoy, (be, have a) favour (-able), like, observe, pardon, (be, have, take) please (-ure), reconcile self.

The idea of the favor of God is a wonderful thing. It holds so much, much of which is beyond description. God has “delight” and finds the good person “acceptable” in His sight, taking “good pleasure” in having them as part of His family. He is “pleased with” that person because they have chosen goodness, godliness, in return or to pay Him back for the great sacrifice Jesus made on their behalf; they are in their small way trying “to satisfy a debt” they owe to Jesus by living for Jesus in a godly manner. Favor brings the ability to “accomplish” in life because God now “approves” of you, and He “delights” himself in you and allows you to “delight” within yourself. The favor of God is the greatest “pardon” in life, and it brings about the ability for God to “reconcile self”- meaning reconcile you to what you were created to be.

Again, to be condemned by God is the worst thing that could happen to a person in this life. Though to the wicked it is their lot, because by their choice, they choose to be a wicked person.

“wicked” in the Hebrew is defined as:

4209. מְזִמָּה mezimmâh, mez-im-maw’; from 2161; a plan, usually evil (machination), sometimes good (sagacity):— (wicked) device, discretion, intent, witty invention, lewdness, mischievous (device), thought, wickedly.

2161. זָמַם zâmam, zaw-mam’; a prim. root; to plan, usually in a bad sense:— consider, devise, imagine, plot, purpose, think (evil).

“machination” means to be a plotting, scheming, or maneuvering person.

For many Christians, myself included, we do things that are wrong, we even know they are wrong when we do them, but to have a mind and heart that sets out to do “wicked, mischievous, lewd” things, to actually “plan out evil” is a bit beyond my full grasp of understanding, yet I know it to be true of some people. My spouse use to say to me, ‘Why are you so surprised, so hurt, when people with an evil heart, do evil things that hurt you?’ I have never come to a place in life where it was what I expected from a person. However, for those who practice such evil, they live in the reality of God’s condemnation.

A look at what that condemnation looks like and how it might manifest in a person’s life.

“condemn” in the Hebrew language is defined as:

7561. רָשַׁע râsha˓, raw-shah’; a prim. root; to be (caus. do or declare) wrong; by impl. to disturb, violate:— condemn, make trouble, vex, be (commit, deal, depart, do) wicked (-ly, -ness).

God will have no part with a wicked person; His method of dealing with them is to “depart” from them in any positive or good sense. He does however bring “trouble” into their lives “to disturb” and “violate” their existence. God will “vex” their life, which is a very serious thing. To have one’s life vexed is a rough road – to vex means to bring “worry” to a person. It also means “to bring trouble, distress, or agitation, to bring physical distress, to irritate or annoy by petty provocations, or to shake or toss about” according to the Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, none of which sounds like a way any person would want to live. God is judge however, and God has “cause to declare wrong” the actions of an evil person and deal with those actions as He deems best.

Each person has a choice to live as a “good” person or an “evil” person in accordance with the Standard for good and evil that God has set. What will your choice be?

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All content generated by human being 100%, no AI. 

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 12:1 Correctable?

In Advice, Attitude, Biblical Principles, Choices, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Correction, Decision Making, Decisions, Knowledge, Proverbs, Wisdom on August 15, 2023 at 12:27 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.

Correctable?

It is really tough to allow yourself to be a correctable person. Yet, if we are not teachable, we do not grow. What happens to things once they cease to grow? That’s right, they begin to die.

That stated, it is also extremely important to understand who can teach us, who we can teach, and the difference between them both. At different seasons of your Christian Life you will need different types of teachers. Just as at different seasons of our Journey with Christ we will be different types of teachers; thus, our passions and/or His instruction for our focus of teaching will vary. Nevertheless, it is important to want to continue to grow, and in order for that to happen we need to maintain a teachable spirit.

Part of having a teachable spirit is having a willingness to receive instruction.

“instruction” in the Hebrew language is defined as follows:

4148. מוּסָר mûwçâr, moo-sawr’; from 3256; prop. chastisement; fig. reproof, warning or instruction; also restraint:— bond, chastening ([-eth]), chastisement, check, correction, discipline, doctrine, instruction, rebuke.

3256. יָסַר yâçar, yaw-sar’; a prim. root; to chastise, lit. (with blows) or fig. (with words); hence, to instruct:— bind, chasten, chastise, correct, instruct, punish, reform, reprove, sore, teach.

People do not like “chastisement” but we cannot just sit by and watch our brother or sister in Christ fall further and further away from all that God means for them to be. We must give them a “warning” when needed, a word of “instruction” if the situation requires. We must call upon them to show “restraint” through a word of “rebuke” if that is what is required. “Correction” and putting a “check” on “doctrine” that is out of line is one of the greatest ways we can “reproof” our brother or sister when they have veered from the narrow path. Without “reproof” and “instruction” how can they “reform” their actions, behavior, or beliefs.

I realize that no person who is sincerely following Christ enjoys chastising or correcting their brothers and sisters. They see their own failures and think, ‘Who am I to say anything.’ However I set to you this, if we are waiting to be perfect before we open our mouths to help another, or if we will only listen to those we view as without sin, there is going to be so many wandering Christians in direr need of help – and sadly, there are.

I will tread lightly on the aspect of the definition that deals with “to chastise literally with blows” and to “punish” as this is such a serious issue in our society today. I will just say there are far too many children out there who have grown into adults who could have used a spanking or two, and a little more punishment.

“knowledge” in the Hebrew is defined as:

1847. דַּעַת da˓ath, dah’-ath; from 3045; knowledge:— cunning, [ig-]norantly, know (-ledge), [un-] awares (wittingly

3045. יָדַע yâda˓, yaw-dah’; a prim. root; to know (prop. to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, fig., lit., euphem. and infer. (incl. observation, care, recognition; and caus. instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)

It is through this very “instruction” that we come to the “observation” or the “care” for and “recognition” of the “knowledge” we so desperately need to navigate each season of life. We must be wise, knowledgeable, and yes “cunning” in a good way in order to have the full “awareness” and “wit” needed to manage life well.

If you are someone who despises correction aka reproof, then Scripture’s view on you is that you are brutish.

“reproof” is defined in the Hebrew as:

8433. תּוֹכֵחָה tôwkêchâh, to-kay-khaw’; and

תּוֹכַחַת tôwkachath, to-kakh’-ath; from 3198; chastisement; fig. (by words) correction, refutation, proof (even in defence):— argument, × chastened, correction, reasoning, rebuke, reproof, × be (often) reproved.

3198. יָכַח yâkach, yaw-kahh’; a prim. root; to be right (i.e. correct); recip. to argue; caus. to decide, justify or convict:— appoint, argue, chasten, convince, correct (-ion), daysman, dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke, reprove (-r), surely, in any wise.

FYI – Daysman in archaic means “an arbiter, referee, mediator”

We have explored much of how correction or reproof presents, but from this definition of “reproof” I would like to point out that correction also comes in the form of one trying to be “mediator” between what is right and God verses what is evil and Satan. Often correction comes only in the form of attempting to “convince” and individual of what is the correct path, even at the point of to “plead” with that person. However, the “brutish” individual is not going to listen, to the point of their own detriment.

“brutish” is defined in the Hebrew as:

1198. בַּעַר ba˓ar, bah’-ar; from 1197; prop. food (as consumed); i.e. (by exten.) of cattle brutishness; (concr.) stupid:— brutish (person), foolish.

1197. בָּעַר bâ˓ar, baw-ar’; a prim. root; to kindle, i.e. consume (by fire or by eating); also (as denom. from 1198) to be (-come) brutish:— be brutish, bring (put, take) away, burn, (cause to) eat (up), feed, heat, kindle, set ([on fire]), waste.

According to this verse of Scripture, to be unwilling to be corrected is to be “stupid” and a “foolish” person who will ultimately consume their life with nothing but “waste” in the end.

It is a choice to be a person who loves knowledge and thus embraces instruction. It is also a choice to be a person who hates reproof and instead chooses to live as a brutish, stupid, foolish person. Which type of person will you choose to be?

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++end++

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 11:30-31 – Who Ends The Game With More

In Actions, Behavior, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Decisions, Divine Protection, Evil, Godliness, Lifestyle, Proverbs, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Uncategorized, Wisdom on July 18, 2023 at 4:21 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

31 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

Who Ends The Game With More

Far too many people look at life as a competition for who can have more, but more of what? For each person having “more” depends on what their heart tells them is important. For some it is simple, like my spouse used to say, ‘If I wake up in the morning it is a blessing from God, anything more I get is extra.’ If everyone could be so grateful to God for life.

As we have explored previously there are many people who obtain what they have through evil, wicked, and ungodly means only to have it all stripped away in an instant.

Righteousness, godliness produces fruit, righteous fruit. That fruit produces a “tree” or as the Hebrew definition includes “a stalk” of life, meaning the evidence or reward manifest in our daily lives (v.30). Let us take a moment to explore this “tree of life” and what “life” includes.

“life” in the Hebrew Language is defined as:

2416. חַי chay, khah’-ee; from 2421; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, espec. in the fem. sing. and masc. plur.) life (or living thing), whether lit. or fig.:— + age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life (-time), live (-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.

2421. חָיָה châyâh, khaw-yaw’; a prim. root [comp. 2331, 2421]; to live, whether lit. or fig.; caus. to revive:— keep (leave, make) alive, × certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, (× God) save (alive, life, lives), × surely, be whole.

Before I start down the path of writing about what it means to reap the rewards of righteousness through life, let me make this perfectly clear. I do not ascribe to the idea that some “religious, overly charismatic, legalistic people” have that if a person dies young, in middle age, dies some horrible death or due to some horrific illness that there was something wrong in their lives. That is legalistic nonsense that stinks in the nostrils of God. That said, there is biblical foundation for righteousness or righteous living providing people forms of protection and/or rewards. With that stated let us explore the implication of the definition for the word “life” in verse thirty.

There is little doubt that righteous living overall produces a “strong” individual spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. There is longevity of life that often goes with righteous living, as righteous living produces better health and a greater resolve to live. It also produces an “appetite” for life and the “company” or companionship, “congregation” to go along with and fulfill that zest for life. Righteous living is the greatest form of “maintenance” for the body, mind, soul, and emotions, there is absolutely no diet, vitamin, workout routine, etc. that can do a better job. Righteousness creates a “merry” spirit that is filled with joy and hope. A righteous lifestyle is our greatest chance at being “old, quick, and running” in our old age with a ‘spring in our step’ and as a true ‘trooper’ for the Kingdom of God. Righteousness will “preserve, recover, repair, restore, and revive’ us as individuals, our relationships, almost anything in life we encounter. Righteousness makes us to “surely be whole” this side of heaven and in the life to come, as the righteousness of Jesus imputed to us gives us a way “to live, whether literally or figuratively” in this life and will “cause us to revive” in the next life.

Who would not want people to have the type of life that was just described. Our hearts should burst at the opportunity to ‘win souls for Christ’ whenever possible. It is certainly a fruit of righteousness and an incredibly “wise” thing to do (v.30).

Righteous people have a reward not only in heaven, but they also have “recompense” right here and now while they are alive on the earth (v.31), as “earth” and world mean the same thing in this verse. World is part of the Hebrew definition for earth. Therefore, let us explore further what the righteous have to look forward to in the here and now.

“recompensed” in the Hebrew Language means the following:

7999. שָׁלַם shâlam, shaw-lam’; a prim. root; to be safe (in mind, body or estate); fig. to be (caus. make) completed; by impl. to be friendly; by extens. to reciprocate (in various applications):— make amends, (make an) end, finish, full, give again, make good, (re-) pay (again), (make) (to) (be at) peace (-able), that is perfect, perform, (make) prosper (-ous), recompense, render, requite, make restitution, restore, reward, × surely.

They can expect “to be safe” in their “mind, body, and estate” – estate being belongings, possessions, etc. They are “completed” in the spiritual realm and that completeness permeates their inner being, their spirit, their heart, and their soul. They tend “to be friendly” and that is “reciprocated” by others in various ways as they find favor with God and people. Other people long to, and righteous people long to keep relationships in good repair, thus making “amends” when needed or to “make good” on anything due someone, they seek to “be at peace” with people and live a “peaceable” life. Righteous people can expect to be made “prosperous” yet, as my late spouse pointed out prosperity does not always come in the form of money only, as far too many people mistakenly think. Prosperity can come in the form of family, relationships, work, health, too many ways to name, which yes, does also include financial prosperity. Righteous people experience “recompense” in this world, they are “rendered” reward(s) for that righteousness, God will “restore” their losses as He did with Job, “requite” is on their side as God avenges the wrongs done to them – “the righteous” see their “reward” in this life as well as the next.

The second have of verse thirty-one can be confusing for many people. If you look it up in various translations of the Bible you find the meaning varies widely, too widely for them all to be right as they contradict one another. I will make my explanation simple.

Just as the righteous get their reward on earth and in the afterlife in heaven, the wicked get their reward on earth and in the afterlife as well (v.31). Who are the wicked? Here is how they are defined based on the definition of the word “wicked” from verse thirty-one.

“wicked” has the definition of the following the Hebrew:

7563. רָשָׁע râshâ˓, raw-shaw’; from 7561; morally wrong; concr. an (actively) bad person:— + condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong.

7561. רָשַׁע râsha˓, raw-shah’; a prim. root; to be (caus. do or declare) wrong; by impl. to disturb, violate:— condemn, make trouble, vex, be (commit, deal, depart, do) wicked (-ly, -ness).

I believe the “wicked” person is pretty obvious when you meet and talk with them.

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You can sign up to have each blog posting sent directly to your email. Just find the “follow” button on the bottom of the main page, then enter your email address. All email information remains confidential and is never shared in any manner.

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 11:29 – Wisdom or Enslavement

In Anger, Attitude, Behavior, Biblical Principles, Change, Choices, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Decision Making, Enslavement, Fool, Money-management, Proverbs, Responsibility, Spiritual Change, Wisdom on June 7, 2023 at 10:10 am

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

29…and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

Wisdom or Enslavement

These above mentioned individuals could fall into the category of what people might view and the Bible might refer to as a fool. A fool always ends up in subjection to the wise in some manner, which is what it means to be a servant to the wise, which is mentioned in the second half of verse twenty-nine.

“servant” in the Hebrew is defined as:

5650. עֶבֶד ˓ebed, eh’-bed; from 5647; a servant:— × bondage, bondman, [bond-] servant, (man-) servant.

5647. עָבַד ˓âbad, aw-bad’; a prim. root; to work (in any sense); by impl. to serve, till, (caus.) enslave, etc.:— × be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, + husbandman, keep, labour (-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve (-ing, self), (be, become) servant (-s), do (use) service, till (-er), transgress [from marg.], (set a) work, be wrought, worshipper.

The first part of this definition is fairly straightforward, it is easy to see the implications and applications that apply. Fools rarely are in a position of ease when it comes to physical labor. They almost always end up serving other people and in menial ways. They might be highly educated, but because they act foolishly in their life and lifestyle, they work menial jobs just to get by. Another example, they might have won the lottery but because they were foolish with the money, how they used and spent it, their lack of discretion, investing, or saving, leaves them broke within a few years and back at some form of menial work, when had they been wise, they might never have had to work again in their lifetime.

There are two other aspects to what this “servant” of the wise looks like, they will “be wrought” and a “worshipper” of some sort.

To ‘be wrought” aside from the work aspect means to be deeply agitated inside. The fool has deep anger against the wise. The fool thinks they should have what the wise person has, that they are deserving, yet they have done nothing whatsoever to be deemed entitled in any manner to what a wise person might have or possess, whether material, monetary, or intangible things such as relationships, characteristics, peace, looks, contentment, etc.

The other side of the coin is the fool who looks up to the wise to such an intense degree that they begin to enter a form of worship of that person, and more importantly what that person has in life. A fool can covet the life, lifestyle, relationships, money, etc. of the wise person so much that they become a ‘worshipper” of that person. For a worshipper reveres, looks up to, admires the person who has what they want. They seek to be like the wise in respect to having all that they possess, yet most fools are not willing to turn their lives around and become wise in order to have what the wise people have…hence, they stay fools trapped in a bondage of their own creation, while they blame other people for their situation. How terribly sad and unnecessary.

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 11:29 – The Ungodly Agitator

In Anger, Attitude, Behavior, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Enslavement, Fool, Hate, Hatred, Money-management, Proverbs, Responsibility, Spiritual Change, Wisdom on May 25, 2023 at 10:07 am

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

The Ungodly Agitator

Some Synonyms for you:

Agitator or Campaigner, Protestor, Dissenter, Activist

Agitate or stir, disturb, shake, mix, trouble, excite, disquiet, rouse, shake up

A person can actually agitate for good, to promote righteousness, freedom from sin, repentance, bring God’s Will into being, etc., that is not the type of agitator we will be addressing here. We will be examining the trouble maker, that person who just cannot seem to allow peace to reign in any situation. A person whose actions bring nothing but trouble for themselves and the other people of their household.

The word “troubleth” in the Hebrew language is defined as:

5916. עָכַר ˓âkar, aw-kar’; a prim. root; prop. to roil water; fig. to disturb or afflict:— trouble, stir.

There are people who do not view their actions as actions that create trouble for other people. I had one of those people in my home for a long time. They could clearly see the faults of the other people around them, but seemed oblivious to the fact that their actions created such turmoil, pain, distress, and unrest in their orbit that they actually created the other people’s problems. You can spot these people because they have no rest even when on their own, running and living their own life, they still cannot find true peace.

Troublemakers are not always overt. Some of the most sinister ones are very covert about the way they do it; they lie, they con people, they manipulate, they portray themselves as a victim, they seek to control and dominate people by mental and emotional abuse, these are the ones who are much harder to detect and much more dishonest in their character regarding who they are. These people are extremely dangerous, not because of the direct assault they will make on a person but because of the destruction of lives they will cause by all of their manipulation and lies; in essence destroying other people and at times making them, the other person, look like the troublemakers.

These individuals have a reward for all of the trouble they cause. They inherit the “wind” according to this verse of Scripture. Inheriting the wind does not sound to bad until you find out what the “wind” actually consist of and how it manifest.

The word “wind” in the Hebrew language is defined as:

Figuratively it means to “anticipate” or “enjoy” the following, but it also means to actually have these things present in your life.

7307. רוּחַ rûwach, roo’-akh; from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; fig. life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extens. a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (incl. its expression and functions):— air, anger, blast, breath, × cool, courage, mind, × quarter, × side, spirit ([-ual]), tempest, × vain, ([whirl-]) wind (-y).

Yes, they inherit the “anger” and the wrath of the people around them. They also inherit the inner anger that causes so many of them to distort who they are as people, to hurt themselves, to hide from God, to become mentally disturbed, and I could go on and on, as the outpouring of what they reap is extensive. Their life is never solid, “life is unsubstantial” for them in so many ways, it lacks any substance or firm foundation. The definition from the Hebrew language even touches on the fact that, a ‘spirit that appears to be a rational being influences their expressions and functions’ but the spirit is a counterfeit, not rational as we know rational but a deceptive spirit, which speaks to distorted mental thinking or disturbed emotional life, yet they will be the first to class other people as mentally ill. Inside of themselves they are never alright, they never feel right or solid.

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 11:22 Swine or Swan

In Advice, Attitude, Behavior, Biblical Principles, Choices, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Decisions, Discernment, Discretion, Femininity, Feminism, Gender, Godliness, Grace, Instruction, Lifestyle, low self-esteem, New Year’s Resolutions, Proverbs, Prudence, Righteous Living, Righteousness, self-esteem, Uncategorized, Wisdom on January 12, 2023 at 5:46 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition(s).

22 As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

Swine or Swan

If you are a woman let me ask you, would you rather be an ugly dirty swine or a beautiful white swan? If you answered the swine, you might as well stop reading now, but if you answered a swan, however, and are just not sure you are there yet, read on and let God work in your life.

Have you ever met a woman who walking by looks absolutely beautiful, and then you meet her, she opens her mouth, you spend a few minutes with her and see her inner ugliness, lack of intelligence, low character, ugly mouth, pettiness when it comes to life and other people, her shallowness, vanity, gossipy tongue, etc. and you just can’t believe that such a pretty package is filled with such an ugly gift inside.

An inner swine: you can dress her up, you can ply her with pretty jewels, but ugly is ugly and when you are ugly on the inside that is something that you cannot hide for long and something that will strip the bloom off the rose so to speak with people pretty quickly no matter how beautiful your face, hair, or figure.

I absolutely believe a woman should take care of her outer self. Her looks, her health, her figure, all of it, but more than that she should care for her inner self, her swan, that thing that makes women beautiful and appealing no matter what the outer package looks like.

Also when you look at what it means to be “fair” as described in this verse you see that it can be two fold, inner and outer. Note the physical, but then note the inner “to be bright” which is always a sign of inner beauty.

“fair” is defined in the Hebrew language is as follows:

3303. יָפֶה yâpheh, yaw-feh’; from 3302; beautiful (lit. or fig.):— + beautiful, beauty, comely, fair (-est, one), + goodly, pleasant, well.

3302. יָפָה yâphâh, yaw-faw’; a prim. root; prop. to be bright, i.e. (by impl.) beautiful:— be beautiful, be (make self) fair (-r), deck.

Discretion is the number one key to a swan, the key to inner beauty that cannot be match or outdone by outer beauty. Now a look at what discretion actually is and how it manifest itself.

“discretion” in the Hebrew is defined in the following manner:

2940. טַעַם ṭa˓am, tah’-am; from 2938; prop. a taste, i.e. (fig.) perception; by impl. intelligence; tran. a mandate:— advice, behaviour, decree, discretion, judgment, reason, taste, understanding.

As we look at what this means in the Hebrew language, we see that for a Christian godly woman discretion is “a mandate” – a mandate to use sound “judgement and reason” in one’s behavior and when providing “advice” to others. A woman of discretion is a woman who lives by a “decree” in daily life, God’s Decrees, about what she will and will not do, and is a woman who has “understanding” which in biblical terms is synonymous with wisdom.

“discretion” in the Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary is defined as:

1 : the quality of being discreet : CIRCUMSPECTION; especially : cautious reserve in speech
2 : ability to make responsible decisions

“discreet” is defined as:

1 : having or showing discernment or good judgment in conduct and especially in speech : PRUDENT; especially : capable of preserving prudent silence
2 : UNPRETENTIOUS, MODEST

A gossip or as some in church circles call it, the woman running around always talking about who we need to pray for and why, is not a woman of discretion by any stretch of the imagination. She is a gossip, plain and simple, doing much harm to the Body of Christ.

Women of discretion must take the time to use “good judgment” in what they will do and in how they go about life in order to “make responsible decisions” that will not negatively impact their life or the lives of others.

Lastly, a woman of discretion is a “modest” woman in her manner of dress. A woman who has half her cleavage hanging out, then gets angry or feels disrespected when men look, is not only foolish she is a swine and lacks the swan trait of discretion. If her dress is so tight or the hemline is so high that nothing is left to the imagination this is a swine woman not a swan woman, this is a woman without respect for herself or discretion.

A little tip ladies about swine women (women with no discretion, grace or class) verses swan women (women of discretion, grace and class). A good man, a Christian man, a man of quality will look at those swine type women, might even play with them here and there, but when it comes to the woman he wants to marry, the woman he wants as the mother of his children, these swine woman are not the type of women they want long-term. Almost all men want a swan.

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 11:21 Safety in Numbers, Really?

In Actions, Advice, Behavior, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Decision Making, Decisions, Discernment, Discretion, Divine Protection, Godliness, Lifestyle, Proverbs, Responsibility, Righteous Living, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on November 19, 2022 at 6:39 pm

We will now resume with our study and reflections on the Book of Proverbs. 

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

21 Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

Safety in Numbers, Really?

People tend to believe if they band together, they will somehow be safe. When it comes to God this is not true. There is nowhere to hide from God. There is no place that God cannot reach and no protection great enough to overcome Him or keep Him at bay if He desires to reach you.

“hand” in the Hebrew means:

3027. יָד yâd, yawd; a prim. word; a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.]

The wicked can attempt to secure their power by joining with other wicked people but none of them shall escape the wrath of God in this life and the life to come (v.21).

The “seed” as defined in the Hebrew language is:

2233. זֶֶרַע zera˓, zeh’-rah; from 2232; seed; fig. fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity:— × carnally, child, fruitful, seed (-time), sowing-time.

2232. זָרַע zâra˓, zaw-rah’; a prim. root; to sow; fig. to disseminate, plant, fructify:— bear, conceive seed, set with, sow (-er), yield.

However, the opposite is true for the righteous. Their seed, in works, off spring, or people will be taken care of and delivered to its fruition.

Each day we make a choice of what type of fruit we will produce. We choose what type of life we will live, wicked or righteous. We decide if we are going to allow God to rule in our life by doing His Will. You will eat the fruit of those choices without escape, so choose very carefully.

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

You can sign up to have each blog posting sent directly to your email. Just find the small “follow” button in the bottom right-hand corner of the main page, then enter your email address. All email information remains confidential and is never shared in any manner.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 11:20 God’s Disgust

In Abominations, Actions, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Cruelty, Decision Making, Evil, Mental Disorder, Mental Illness, Proverbs, Psychiatry, Renewal, Repentance, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on August 13, 2022 at 5:31 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

20 They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

God’s Disgust

We will address part one of this verse.

To be an abomination to Jehovah God is a very serious state to be in. Yet, this Scripture makes it clear that those who are “of a froward heart” are in exactly that situation (v.20). We will take the time to look at what an abomination actually is and what having a froward heart actually means.

“abomination” in the Hebrew is the defined as the following:

8441. תּוֹעֵבָה tôw˓êbâh, to-ay-baw’; or

תֹּעֵבָה tô˓êbâh, to-ay-baw’; fem. act. part. of 8581; prop. something disgusting (mor.), i.e. (as noun) an abhorrence; espec. idolatry or (concr.) an idol:— abominable (custom, thing), abomination.

8581. תָּעַב tâ˓ab, taw-ab’; a prim. root; to loathe, i.e. (mor.) detest:— (make to be) abhor (-red), (be, commit more, do) abominable (-y), × utterly.

That’s harsh! Far too many people see God as some marshmallow who just loves everybody no matter what, without balancing His true character. God does love everybody, but God absolutely hates sin. Sin is sin but there are times in the Bible where some sins are depicted as having the effect of being abhorring to God. The ones, for lack of better wording, that He just hates, hates, hates. Those people with a “froward heart” are among that group.

The idea of being morally disgusting in God’s eyes is heartbreaking to me. To be hated, loathed, detested by my own Creator is beyond description. However, if I were to fall into this category that is where I would be at – unless or until I repented.

What does a froward heart look like? Let us examine that.

“froward” in the Hebrew is defined as:

6141. עִקֵּשׁ ˓iqqêsh, ik-kashe’; from 6140; distorted; hence, false:— crooked, froward, perverse.

6140. עָקַשׁ ˓âqash, aw-kash’; a prim. root; to knot or distort; fig. to pervert (act or declare perverse):— make crooked, (prove, that is) perverse (-rt).

A heart distorted by evil, wrongdoing, perversion, which is a cheat, a heart that is by all account twisted in knots (in an evil sense) by life, is a froward heart. A person consumed with these traits is not a welcome sight in God’s eyes. If you have these traits in your life I urge you, warn you, to repent and clean up your heart before God.

A side note for a moment.

I was once interviewed for a book a professor was writing because of two events in my life. I went into the ministry, and I was almost killed by a serial killer. In this interview we talked about how hearts get distorted by evil (the man who tried to kill me had been horribly abused as a child) and I told the professor my beliefs on the matter. Here is one of the quotes from the things I shared with him, that he cited in his book.

“Evil opens the doorway to psychological damage and psychological damage opens the doorway to evil.” It is a vicious cycle, I told him.

If your heart is distorted it is one of the most serious things in life, so deal with it and do so quickly!

You can sign up to have each blog posting sent directly to your email. Just find the small “follow” button in the bottom right-hand corner of the main page, then enter your email address. All email information remains confidential and is never shared in any manner.

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 11:18-19 Your Fruit Your Choice

In Actions, Advice, Biblical Principles, Choices, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Evil, Fruits of the Holy Spirit, Godliness, Holiness, Lifestyle, Obedience, Proverbs, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Uncategorized, Wisdom on August 3, 2022 at 6:41 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

19 As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.

Your Fruit Your Choice

Death and life in the figurative, moral, mental, emotional, physical (to some degree) and spiritual (to a small degree) are in your hands based on your choices you make each day. In these verses we see a contrast between evil and righteousness, between deceitfulness and uprightness and the resulting fruit of each.

Wickedness is deceitful, plain and simply. Many of their wicked acts require deceit.

“deceitful” in the Hebrew language is defined as:

8267. שֶׁקֶר sheqer, sheh’-ker; from 8266; an untruth; by impl. a sham (often adv.):— without a cause, deceit (-ful), false (-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, + lie, lying, vain (thing), wrongfully.

8266. שָׁקַר shâqar, shaw-kar’; a prim. root; to cheat, i.e. be untrue (usually in words):— fail, deal falsely, lie.

Deceit takes on many forms but at its heart is something rooted in being dishonest with someone about something in order to gain an advantage in some manner. It is wicked to be deceitful despite what some might think; to lie, to scam a person, to mislead them, to deal with them in a manner that is morally wrong, or to cheat them in some manner. To be less than genuine or real, which is what “feignedly” means, is also deceitful. Deceitfulness has an air of vanity about it because people feel they are somehow entitled to treat others with such contempt.

Righteousness on the other hand is just the opposite. It knows that our true worth is only found in Christ and in obeying Christ’s Will for our life.

In the same language “righteousness” is defined as:

6666. צְדָקָה tsedâqâh, tsed-aw-kaw’; from 6663; rightness (abstr.), subj. (rectitude), obj. (justice), mor. (virtue) or fig. (prosperity):— justice, moderately, right (-eous) (act, -ly, -ness).

6663. צָדַק tsâdaq, tsaw-dak’; a prim. root; to be (caus. make) right (in a moral or forensic sense):— cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just (-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be, turn to) righteous (-ness).

Righteousness wants to see justice done, to make or cause things to be put right, hungers for virtue, is moderate in its dealings, actions, and lifestyle, seeks goodness and decency, which is what “rectitude” means. Righteousness wants to cleanse itself and wants to see the world cleansed from wickedness. Righteousness produces prosperity, not just monetarily but mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, relationally, etc. in so many manners.

That prosperity is there, a result, a fruit, of what is written about in verses eighteen, where it states that the righteous “shall be a sure reward” or shall have a sure reward. Righteousness is a reward to the person who is acting in a righteous manner and a reward to all who have the privilege of dealing with someone who lives their life by a morally righteous code based on God’s Word.

The Hebrew defines “sure” as:

571. אֶמֶת ˒emeth, eh’-meth; contr. from 539; stability; fig. certainty, truth, trustworthiness:— assured (-ly), establishment, faithful, right, sure, true (-ly, -th), verity.

539. אָמַן ˒âman, aw-man’; a prim. root; prop. to build up or support;

And the Hebrew defines “reward” as:

7938. שֶׂכֶר seker, seh’-ker; from 7936; wages:— reward, sluices.

The righteous person knows they can depend on the rewards of God. They will receive the wages for their faithfulness. Those rewards will flow to them from heaven’s throne to their daily life.

Righteousness will bring life to your life, just as evil will bring death to your life (v.19). Righteousness or evil are a choice, a choice that will bear fruit, a choice that must be made.

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 11:17 Cruelty and Mercy’s Rewards

In Actions, Attitude, Biblical Principles, Blessings, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Cruelty, Decision Making, Evil, Grace, Mercy, Proverbs, Reactions, Rewards, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Wisdom on July 25, 2022 at 3:53 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition(s).

17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

Cruelty and Mercy’s Rewards

Cruelty is its own punishment and goodness its own reward.

Our soul (our mind, body, and spirit) are effected physically and affected mentally, emotionally, and spiritually by our own conduct. If we seek to be merciful toward people, we will find a goodness in our lives. In the same token, if we seek to be cruel in our dealing with people, we can expect our lives to be filled with trouble. We reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-8).

What does it mean to be merciful? Well, let us examine the word merciful as defined in the Hebrew language.

“merciful” in the Hebrew language is defined as:

2617. חֶסֶד cheçed, kheh’-sed; from 2616; kindness; by impl. (toward God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subj.) beauty:— favour, good deed (-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-) kindness, merciful (kindness), mercy, pity.

2616. חָסַד châçad, khaw-sad’; a prim. root; prop. perh. to bow (the neck only [comp. 2603] in courtesy to an equal), i.e. to be kind; also (by euphem. [comp. 1288], but rarely) to reprove:— shew self merciful, put to shame.

Within the definition of merciful we find one of rewards “beauty” subjective beauty. To be merciful to someone is a beautiful act. Mercy is given to “kindness” toward others, as well as “kindness toward God” displayed in our “piety” or godly conduct. Mercy actually corrects the brother or sister who needs correction (“reproof”) so they might find “shame” over their conduct and repent. Mercy shows” favor” to other people over oneself. It does “good deeds” whenever possible. Merciful behavior is found in “courtesy” toward people. Mercy, true merciful conduct, shows ‘mercy to ourselves’ when mercy is needed.

Now a look at the “good” that comes to us from mercy we show other people.

“good” in the Hebrew is defined this way:

1580. גָּמַל gâmal, gaw-mal’; a prim. root; to treat a person (well or ill), i.e. benefit or requite; by impl. (of toil), to ripen, i.e. (spec.) to wean:— bestow on, deal bountifully, do (good), recompense, requite, reward, ripen, + serve, mean, yield.

Mercy feeds our souls. When ‘we treat ourselves and other people well’ – when we are merciful – being treated well will mean being well. Our spiritual fruit will “ripen” as we treat other people and ourselves with mercy. We mature as a person as we seek to show mercy all around. “Good” things come our way as we walk in mercy, we receive the “recompense” or “reward” for our godly conduct. As we show mercy to those who oppose us God is freed to take action on our behalf to “requite” (avenge) the wrongs done to us. Mercy brings a willingness on people’s part to “yield” to us when we are walking in God’s Will.

Now a look at the other side.

“cruel” is defined in the Hebrew as:

394. אַכְזָרִי ˒akzârı̂y, ak-zaw-ree’; from 393; terrible:— cruel (one).

393. אַכְזָר ˒akzâr, ak-zawr’; from an unused root (appar. mean. to act harshly); violent; by impl. deadly; also (in a good sense) brave:— cruel, fierce.

When our conduct toward other people is “terrible” or “cruel” not in line with God’s Will and Ways we too reap the rewards of such. When we are a person given to “acting harshly” we expect the same. The “violent” and “deadly” are always looking over their shoulders for the “fierce” forces coming for them.

“troubleth” in the Hebrew is defined this way:

5916. עָכַר ˓âkar, aw-kar’; a prim. root; prop. to roil water; fig. to disturb or afflict:— trouble, stir.

If you are such a person who acts with harshness and cruelty you can expect your life to be filled with “roil” (agitation) and distress. Your soul will be constantly in a state where it is “disturbed” and your life “afflicted” with regularity. Your life will be a pot of hot mess that is continually “stirred” with “trouble” and peace you will not see on any level, mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

There is so much good that comes from being merciful, I cannot imagine why we would want to do anything different, expect that the sinful nature would like to rule us and take way the good we could have if chose mercy over cruelty.

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 11:16 Woman’s Honor Men’s Strength

In Advice, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Discernment, Discretion, Godliness, Grace, Lifestyle, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Wisdom on July 6, 2022 at 3:25 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

16 A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.

Woman’s Honor Men’s Strength

I am going to primarily focus on the part of the passage that addresses women so I will address the portion of verse sixteen that speaks to men first.

It takes a man of certain character and strength to hold on to the monetary blessing God has provided Him (v.16). If a man has a weakness for drink, for women, for gambling and the like, in the end he shall surely end up losing most, if not all, that God has blessed him with. It takes strength to manage one’s money well. Sadly, not all men have that type of godly strength.

Now a look at the graciousness of women of honor (v.16).

“gracious” in the Hebrew Language is defined in two parts as follows:

2580. חֵן chên, khane; from 2603; graciousness, i.e. subj. (kindness, favor) or obj. (beauty):— favour, grace (-ious), pleasant, precious, [well-] favoured.

2603. חָנַן chânan, khaw-nan’; a prim. root [comp. 2583]; prop. to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; caus. to implore (i.e. move to favor by petition):— beseech, × fair, (be, find, shew) favour (-able), be (deal, give, grant (gracious (-ly), intreat, (be) merciful, have (shew) mercy (on, upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication, × very.

I just delight in the fact that the gracious women is defined as “precious” in God’s sight. It also moves my heart that she will “implore” or moves people to her way of thinking not through demand but through heartfelt appeal. She is the kind that would beg before she would demand something from someone. She has “mercy” for people, compassion, “pity” not animosity. She has the strength of character to humble herself in kindness to someone who is clearly her inferior in some manner, intelligence, grace, style, education, godliness, culture, talent, godly insight, wisdom, maturity, manners, refinement, etc. She would rather “pray” for you than tell you off. What a heart in such a woman – God’s heart.

Why is she this way. We will look at another definition to find out why.

In the Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary the first definition for gracious is quite telling. The same holds true for the word fair, which you will find below. But first a note about the Webster’s Dictionary.

The original Webster’s Dictionary always had, and has, the biblical meaning of a word as the first definition. The original is still in print, I have one, and I recommend owning one because as you will find in the definition below took from the Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary our “educated” and “enlightened” society (sarcasm intended) believes that biblical meanings no longer have a place in our society, they are in their definition “obsolete” but in God’s definition they are not and never will be obsolete.

“gracious” per Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary is defined as:

1 a obsolete : GODLY b archaic : PLEASING, ACCEPTABLE
2 a : marked by kindness and courtesy £ a gracious host b : GRACEFUL c : marked by tact and delicacy : URBANE d : characterized by charm, good taste, generosity of spirit, and the tasteful leisure of wealth and good breeding £ gracious living
3 : MERCIFUL, COMPASSIONATE — used conventionally of royalty and high nobility

To be a gracious women is to be a woman “of royalty and high nobility” – God’s royalty and nobility. Yet, to modern society to be a “godly” woman has nothing to do with graciousness and it is “archaic” to be a “pleasing” and “acceptable” as a woman. How ridiculous! It just shows how far from the Standards of God we have fallen as a society.

By the way the first definition for the word “nobility” in the same dictionary means:

1 : the quality or state of being noble in character, quality, or rank

Well a godly gracious woman of honor is definitely all of that “noble in character” a woman of “quality” and much more.

To be “fair” in the Hebrew language means to be as follows:

3303. יָפֶה yâpheh, yaw-feh’; from 3302; beautiful (lit. or fig.):— + beautiful, beauty, comely, fair (-est, one), + goodly, pleasant, well.

3302. יָפָה yâphâh, yaw-faw’; a prim. root; prop. to be bright, i.e. (by impl.) beautiful:— be beautiful, be (make self) fair (-r), deck.

“fair” per Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary

1 : pleasing to the eye or mind especially because of fresh, charming, or flawless quality

You might have heard the saying beauty is only skin deep but ugly is to the bone; well, real beauty is much deeper than the surface and ugly shows regardless of how beautiful the surface of the package might be. In the definition for “fair” it states that to be “fair” is “to be bright in example by implication thus beautiful” – what is on the inside is what makes a woman bright; personality, character, and temperament are beautiful to those who are looking with open eyes.

Grace, exhibiting graciousness, does not allow a woman to sacrifice her honor for anything. Gracious women retain their honor at all times (v.16).

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.