You know, a lot of miracles followed here that you don't hear. You've had miracles in your life.
We're a walking miracle to start with anyway.
It's a miracle. You're sitting here tonight. You just This is not a happen stance. It's a miracle that really I'm here. Everything about us is miraculous.
Everything about us should be and is supernatural.
We're a supernatural people. Believe that. Understand that. Don't think of yourself just as an ordinary person.
You're not an ordinary person. You're a special person. You're the bride of Jesus Christ. One of these days, you're going to sit co-regent in the palace with Jesus and you're going to rule and you're going to reign. You better be reading the book of Proverbs because that is for rulers and for princes , the 31 chapters. And if you're going to rule, you better know how you're going to rule. And you better know the substance that makes a ruler. So read Proverbs. You're going to have to use them.
Get that old book out and begin to memorize those rules for rulers and for princes. Now, come on. Does that make sense? You don't just sit there and say,"Look at me. I'm a ruler."
Folks, you're going to rule co-regent.
Proverbs 1:
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:2for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
5let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
6for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom
Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men
8Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.
10My son, if sinful men entice you,
do not give in to them.
11If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14cast lots with us;
we will all share the loot”—
15my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;
16for their feet rush into evil,
they are swift to shed blood.
17How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!
19Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.
Wisdom’s Rebuke
20Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
she raises her voice in the public square;
21on top of the wall she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
23Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24But since you refuse to listen when I call
and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
25since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you—
27when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28“Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me,
29since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.
30Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
31they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
32For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
Proverbs 2
Moral Benefits of Wisdom
1My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
3indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
10For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.
12Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
13who have left the straight paths
to walk in dark ways,
14who delight in doing wrong
and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
15whose paths are crooked
and who are devious in their ways.
16Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17who has left the partner of her youth
and ignored the covenant she made before God.
18Surely her house leads down to death
and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
19None who go to her return
or attain the paths of life.
20Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21For the upright will live in the land,
and the blameless will remain in it;
22but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the unfaithful will be torn from it.
PROVERBS 4
Wisdom Bestows Well-Being
1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to Him,
and He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the first-fruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.
13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.
19 By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew.
21 My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side
and will keep your foot from being snared.
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbour,
who lives trustfully near you.
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.
31 Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways.
32 For the Lord detests the perverse
but takes the upright into his confidence.
33 The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
34 He mocks proud mockers
but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,but fools get only shame.
Proverbs 4
Get Wisdom at Any Cost
1Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.
5Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.”
10Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
11I instruct you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
12When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
13Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.
15Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16For they cannot rest until they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.
20My son, pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.
21Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
22for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.
23Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
24Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.
PROVERBS 5
Warning Against Adultery
1My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
turn your ear to my words of insight,
2that you may maintain discretion
and your lips may preserve knowledge.
3For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
and her speech is smoother than oil;
4but in the end she is bitter as gall,
sharp as a double-edged sword.
5Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.
6She gives no thought to the way of life;
her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.
7Now then, my sons, listen to me;
do not turn aside from what I say.
8Keep to a path far from her,
do not go near the door of her house,
9lest you lose your honor to others
and your dignity to one who is cruel,
10lest strangers feast on your wealth
and your toil enrich the house of another.
11At the end of your life you will groan,
when your flesh and body are spent.
12You will say, “How I hated discipline!
How my heart spurned correction!
13I would not obey my teachers
or turn my ear to my instructors.
14And I was soon in serious trouble
in the assembly of God’s people.”
15Drink water from your own cistern,
running water from your own well.
16Should your springs overflow in the streets,
your streams of water in the public squares?
17Let them be yours alone,
never to be shared with strangers.
18May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19A loving doe, a graceful deer—
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
20Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
21For your ways are in full view of the Lord,
and he examines all your paths.
22The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;
the cords of their sins hold them fast.
23For lack of discipline they will die,
led astray by their own great folly.
PROVERBS 6
Warnings Against Folly
1My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2you have been trapped by what you said,
ensnared by the words of your mouth.
3So do this, my son, to free yourself,
since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
Go—to the point of exhaustion—
and give your neighbor no rest!
4Allow no sleep to your eyes,
no slumber to your eyelids.
5Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
7It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
8yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
9How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
11and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.
12A troublemaker and a villain,
who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13who winks maliciously with his eye,
signals with his feet
and motions with his fingers,
14who plots evil with deceit in his heart—
he always stirs up conflict.
15Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;
he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
16There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
Warning Against Adultery
20My son, keep your father’s command
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21Bind them always on your heart;
fasten them around your neck.
22When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.
23For this command is a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
are the way to life,
24keeping you from your neighbor’s wife,
from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.
25Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread,
but another man’s wife preys on your very life.
27Can a man scoop fire into his lap
without his clothes being burned?
28Can a man walk on hot coals
without his feet being scorched?
29So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife;
no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30People do not despise a thief if he steals
to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
31Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,
though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
32But a man who commits adultery has no sense;
whoever does so destroys himself.
33Blows and disgrace are his lot,
and his shame will never be wiped away.
34For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury,
and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35He will not accept any compensation;
he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.
PROVERBS 7
Warning Against the Adulterous Woman
1My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
2Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
6At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.
7I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who had no sense.
8He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
9at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.
10Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11(She is unruly and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
12now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)
13She took hold of him and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:
14“Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
15So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
16I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.
17I have perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
20He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon.”
21With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer stepping into a noose
23till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.
24Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.
25Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.
26Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.
27Her house is a highway to the grave,
leading down to the chambers of death.
PROVERBS 8
Wisdom’s Call
1Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:
4“To you, O people, I call out;
I raise my voice to all mankind.
5You who are simple, gain prudence;
you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.
6Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.
8All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9To the discerning all of them are right;
they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
12“I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.
13To fear the Lord is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
14Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have insight, I have power.
15By me kings reign
and rulers issue decrees that are just;
16by me princes govern,
and nobles—all who rule on earth.
17I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
18With me are riches and honor,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
19My fruit is better than fine gold;
what I yield surpasses choice silver.
20I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.
22“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
23I was formed long ages ago,
at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
when there were no springs overflowing with water;
25before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
26before he made the world or its fields
or any of the dust of the earth.
27I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30Then I was constantly at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.
32“Now then, my children, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not disregard it.
34Blessed are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
35For those who find me find life
and receive favor from the Lord.
36But those who fail to find me harm themselves;
all who hate me love death.”
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PROVERBS 9
Invitations of Wisdom and Folly
1Wisdom has built her house;
she has set up its seven pillars.
2She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
3She has sent out her servants, and she calls
from the highest point of the city,
4“Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says,
5“Come, eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed.
6Leave your simple ways and you will live;
walk in the way of insight.”
7Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
8Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.
9Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.
10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11For through wisdom your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
12If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
13Folly is an unruly woman;
she is simple and knows nothing.
14She sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
15calling out to those who pass by,
who go straight on their way,
16“Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says,
17“Stolen water is sweet;
food eaten in secret is delicious!”
18But little do they know that the dead are there,
that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.
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PROVERBS 10
Proverbs of Solomon
1The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
2Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,
but righteousness delivers from death.
3The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
4Lazy hands make for poverty,
but diligent hands bring wealth.
5He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.
6Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.
7The name of the righteous is used in blessings,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
8The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
9Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.
10Whoever winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12Hatred stirs up conflict,
but love covers over all wrongs.
13Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.
14The wise store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.
15The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,
but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
16The wages of the righteous is life,
but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.
17Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
18Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips
and spreads slander is a fool.
19Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
but the prudent hold their tongues.
20The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.
21The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of sense.
22The blessing of the Lord brings wealth,
without painful toil for it.
23A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,
but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.
24What the wicked dread will overtake them;
what the righteous desire will be granted.
25When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
but the righteous stand firm forever.
26As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so are sluggards to those who send them.
27The fear of the Lord adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.
28The prospect of the righteous is joy,
but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.
29The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,
but it is the ruin of those who do evil.
30The righteous will never be uprooted,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.
31From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,
but a perverse tongue will be silenced.
32The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,
but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.
PROVERBS 11
1The Lord detests dishonest scales,
but accurate weights find favor with him.
2When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
3The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
4Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
5The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,
but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.
6The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.
7Hopes placed in mortals die with them;
all the promise of their power comes to nothing.
8The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.
9With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
but through knowledge the righteous escape.
10When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
11Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
12Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
13A gossip betrays a confidence,
but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
14For lack of guidance a nation falls,
but victory is won through many advisers.
15Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer,
but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.
16A kindhearted woman gains honor,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17Those who are kind benefit themselves,
but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
18A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
19Truly the righteous attain life,
but whoever pursues evil finds death.
20The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,
but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
21Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will go free.
22Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
23The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
24One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
26People curse the one who hoards grain,
but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
27Whoever seeks good finds favor,
but evil comes to one who searches for it.
28Those who trust in their riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
29Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.
30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and the one who is wise saves lives.
31If the righteous receive their due on earth,
how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
PROVERBS 12 (continue here)
PROVERBS 12Currently
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