Talk of JESUS .com

Category: Good advice – Proverbs & wisdom

Proverbs 22:6 = saying to teach your children part of the books of wisdom of the Old Testament which also includes Ecclesiastes by Solomon written with the wisdom and experience of old age
Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.

Wisdom from Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon / Song of Songs. Please SHARE a Proverb or other Biblical quote of advice for today. How does this talk of Jesus in the 21st century? What’s Jesus’ advise for you and me IF He were to use this proverb for our worldly friends and application to our Christian lives in witness to our Lord?

  • Wisdom Cries Out

    Wisdom Cries Out

    Proverbs 8: NKJV Does not wisdom cry out,
    And understanding lift up her voice?
    2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill,
    Beside the way, where the paths meet.
    3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
    At the entrance of the doors:

    4 “To you, O men, I call,
    And my voice is to the sons of men.
    5 O you simple ones, understand prudence,
    And you fools, be of an understanding heart.

    Wisdom cries out! She calls out from the mountaintop. She echos the Truth of the Almighty from Mount Gerizim and Mount Moriah, from Mount Sinai and the Mount of Olives.

    John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

    From the echo of the Voice of Truth, through unclean lips of the Prophet; from the highest mountain of the Law to the lowest manger of the cattle and fields of sheep: Truth is born as a Son of Man and speaks softly to those who will hear. You without deafening distraction hear what the Truth of wisdom would say to your soul.

    Proverbs 8:6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things,
    And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
    7 For my mouth will speak truth;
    Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
    8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
    Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.

    Yet we will not sit in silence before the Very Voice of wisdom and hear what Christ Jesus would instruct to our wayward and crooked paths. (Do YOU read His gospel truth before you begin your way in this day?)

    Hebrews 1: God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things…

     

    Proverbs 9:Wisdom has built her house,
    She has hewn out her seven pillars;
    2 She has slaughtered her meat,
    She has mixed her wine,
    She has also furnished her table.
    3 She has sent out her maidens,
    She cries out from the highest places of the city,
    4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

    You with ears to hear, hear the Voice of Truth.

    Or will you yet hear the distraction of the devil, the beguiler of your soul by the lies of his snare?

    Luke 22:“For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves. But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

    And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

     

    Matthew 13:Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way…

    …at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

    If Satan had asked to sift the soul of Simon Peter as chaff, will the snarer of souls not also seek to turn you from the wisdom of Truth?

    Do YOU read your Bible?

    Do YOU hear the invitation of Christ Jesus (with ears to hear) and do you continue with Jesus as your Lord, even in the trials of this life of distraction?

    OR have you missed the invitation of the Banquet; for Wisdom will not beg your repentance and obedience.

    Proverbs 9: 6 Forsake foolishness and live,
    And go in the way of understanding.

    7 “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,
    And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
    8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
    Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
    9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
    Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

    10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

    Jesus IS and will return. He will judge all sin and unrighteousness with wisdom and truth. He will gather the chaff; neither will those who only claim Him while wandering the paths of wickedness be seated at the Table of His mercy and love.

    Luke 6:46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”

    The persistent fool will not receive the cleansed robe of His righteousness.

     Matthew 22:

    The Parable of the Wedding Feast

    And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said:

    2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.

    4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’

    5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business…

    8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy…

    11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

    14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

    Though wisdom and Truth have called sinners and fools to the feast, only the humble and repentant will receive the Lord’s robe of righteousness.

    The King, in His mercy, has demonstrated much patience; that you might now accept His invitation to come among the guests.

    Revelation 19: 

    5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both[c] small and great!”

    6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

    9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

     

    12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

     

    He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

    KING OF KINGS AND
    LORD OF LORDS.

    You with ears to hear, hear; for our Lord will not always contend with the dust of the earth and the chaff of the harvest.

     

  • Is that all there is (for my family)?

    Is that all there is (for my family)?

    One day your ‘teen’ or ‘twenty’ reveals first to their friends and then to a parent: I’m ‘in a relationship,’ or I’m gay or I’m a vegan or I’m a witch or I’m quitting school or I’m pregnant or I’m getting an abortion or… or… any one of a number of things YOU as their parent had hoped they would not do.

    “WHY,” you ask?

    I don’t believe in God. I can do whatever I want. I am free. You can’t stop me. So what? Can’t I do whatever I like?

    Yet the “Single Mom,” (a great lie in itself) is crushed that the grown child of her womb has said, ‘I can do what I want’, when she had hoped for better.

    Is there no hope (for a ‘single mom’) who has defined the value of her life by what she has done for her children? Is that all there is?

    —

    A man comes home and his wife is sitting at the table drinking with friends… again. It seems her friends are her drinking friends, just as her family is her party and always having a ball.

    “You have to move on,” she says. She was too drunk to even wonder, “Is that all there is?” She was escaped far enough to fantasize, “I’ll keep on dancing… and break out more booze.” And I’ll have a ball, if that’s all there is.

    —

    An important man, once held high in the eyes of men and of women and of his family… a man defined by his job, a man defined by his work, a man defined by what he does and how much money he makes – a man once well respected loses his job… and his importance.

    The man mixed with the rich and socialized with the famous. He lived for his work… and then his work was gone and he asks: Is that all there is?

    “Is that all there is,” he asks? “Who am I now?”

    The words of another lyricist describe his defeat:

    There’s a man just to her right
    Black suit and a bright red tie
    Too ashamed to tell his wife
    He’s out of work, He’s buying time.

    All those people going somewhere
    Why have I never cared?
    —

    ALL in a search for meaning! ALL asking: “Is anybody out there? Does anybody care?”

    ALL wondering, ‘What is the meaning of MY life?’

    It’s a paradox of meaninglessness, isn’t it?

    We ask, “What is the meaning of my life?”   Who are we asking?

    And whose soul does touch our own that we would share in life’s meaning?

    —

    Meaning of our SELF must be defined in our relationships to OTHERS.

    Meaning of our SOUL, so alone and so broken is already defined by the LORD God our creator. He IS a God of relationship. He IS the Son of Sacrifice. He IS the Spirit of personal relationship to an overflowing consecrated purpose of His immeasurable love for you.

    A child defines their life by the latest discovery of their ‘friends.’ A mom defines her meaning by her children. A man defines his meaning by his work. And like the generations before, their child – a growing up child – searches for the same answers never found by their mother and by their father. They all ask the age-old question: Is that all there is?

    And in an instant, one once rooted in scripture remembers:

    All is vanity.

    —

     Second of 3-part series: To be continued tomorrow

  • Fatherly Advice

    Fatherly Advice

    Psalm 103:13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
    so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.

    Proverbs 10:1 A wise son makes a glad father,
    but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

    Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

    Deuteronomy 5:16 “‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

    Therefore, fathers: how must we instruct our sons; mothers, how must we raise our daughters?

    Instruct them in scripture and raise them in Christ Jesus.

    Although the Proverbs etched in our memory of scripture speak specifically of fathers raising sons in obedience to scripture and to the Lord, the advice of Proverbs should flow also from a mother’s instruction and be heeded by our young women of faith.

    Proverbs 1

    English Standard Version (ESV)

    The Beginning of Knowledge

    1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

    2 To know wisdom and instruction,
    to understand words of insight,
    3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
    in righteousness, justice, and equity;
    4 to give prudence to the simple,
    knowledge and discretion to the youth—
    5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
    and the one who understands obtain guidance,
    6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
    the words of the wise and their riddles.

    7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
    fools despise wisdom and instruction.

    Warn your christian child against becoming a fool without knowledge of scripture and the commands of Christ.

    The Enticement of Sinners

    8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
    and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
    9 for they are a graceful garland for your head
    and pendants for your neck.
    10 My son, if sinners entice you,
    do not consent.

     Our christian sons and daughters (like us) live in a world opposed to Christ, daily temptations to be enticed by many a sin to the company of the seduction and darkness of welcoming ‘friends.’

     Proverbs 3:

    5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
    6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.
    7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

    At what age in your childhood did you become ‘wise in your own eyes?”

    Our younger children may earlier become friends of the world.  Children of rebellious parents would lead your child to their worldly wisdom at an earlier age in these last days.

    Proverbs 5:

    20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman
    and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?
    21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord,
    and he ponders all his paths.
    22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,
    and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
    23 He dies for lack of discipline,
    and because of his great folly he is led astray.

    Proverbs 10

    2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
    but righteousness delivers from death.
    3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
    4 A slack hand causes poverty,
    but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
    5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son,
    but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

    8 The wise of heart will receive commandments,
    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
    9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
    but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
    10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,
    and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
    11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
    12 Hatred stirs up strife,
    but love covers all offenses.

    Proverbs 12

    8 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
    19 Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
    20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
    but those who plan peace have joy.
    21 No ill befalls the righteous,
    but the wicked are filled with trouble.
    22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
    but those who act faithfully are his delight.

     Proverbs 14 

    1 The wisest of women builds her house,
    but folly with her own hands tears it down.

    11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
    12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.

    Is yours a Christian home filled with the love, instruction and correction of scripture?

    Does your Holy Christian marriage stand as example before your children of Christ’s own love for us?

    Is your relationship to each of your children near to you as your relationship to Christ Jesus?

    Do your children witness your relationship with God in their relationship with you?

    LORD, Christ Jesus, we are your little children with so much to learn in humility in bowing down to your will for me, for my wife, for our children. Lord help us to be wise in your word and to walk faithfully in witness to your ways.