Daily Thoughts - Playing The Fool

He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe. (Proverbs 28:26)

I can make it on my own. I don’t need anyone’s help. Apparently there’s something brave about going around as though you can take everything on your own shoulders. What is missed out though is the benefit of learning from others, getting to know what is going on before making mistakes. After all, however much one knows is far less than the knowledge and wisdom available from many.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - Tough Love

Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. (Proverbs 27:6)

This proverb sounds odd, why would a friend wound you? There are times though when we need some tough love, our egos need deflating or we need to swallow the bitter pill of truth about something and it hurts for a time. Sometimes the most loving thing that can be done for us is to deprive us of perceived needs. The opposite of this is the tendency to just let people know they’re alright and rather than being a good friend that’s perhaps the worst thing that could happen – more the action of an enemy.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - What Goes Around ...

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. (Proverbs 26:27)

The scene is set with Wile E. Coyote plotting the perfect way to crush the Roadrunner. From afar off he sees his blue-feathered nemesis zooming into view. The clever coyote sets the perfect plan in action only to see the boulder completely miss the speedster and as he looks on he is suddenly aware of quickly expanding shadow above him suggesting an unfortunate end to the perfect plan. He sticks out a sign that says ‘help’ before being squashed.

That’s for laughs. Do not find yourself splatted by efforts to undermine and degrade others.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom

da man cd

Coming Soon To A Blog Near You - Family Fortunes

Daily Thoughts - Animal Care

What Says The World's Wisdom

Daily Thoughts – Wisdom Rules OK

By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just; by me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on earth. (Proverbs 8:15, 16)

The ‘me’ here is wisdom. You may not be a king, ruler, prince or noble (yet) but this advert still applies. There are things that have been given to you to ‘rule’ over – emotions, thoughts, words, actions, relationships, money (OK, not much, but enough), talents, skills, abilities, dreams – life itself. The principle that allows leaders to rule well is the same principle that will allow us to rule our affairs well – using the time we’re given to make the most of every situation. For this to happen, wisdom must rule.

(CD Note: Apologies – yesterday’s reference was Proverbs 7:21 and not the stated 6:21)

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom

da man cd

More From The World's Wisdom

Daily Thoughts - Don't Be A Sucker For A Smooth Operator

With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. (Proverbs 6:21) These are not the words in a romantic classic or the prelude to a steamy hot thriller. These are the tragic words from a wise man on a young fool who falls for an adulteress. And they could be the same tragic words given about a middle-aged fool who buys now only to realise he can’t pay later when trying to keep with the Joneses. Please be careful to check out more than the words people say – words are important, but the truth of the matter is critical. Do not be a sucker for a smooth operator. For His Name's Sake Shalom da man cd

This Just In From The World's Wisdom

Daily Thoughts - God's Deadly Seven

Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hands that murder the innocent, a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family. (Proverbs 6:16-19) MSG

Even the God of Love hates things. Noting these seven will also highlight what the God of Peace wants us to avoid – lies, disunity, and death. Notice however how it can all be set off just by the way you look at things. Rather than having a look of pride for the sake of life and harmony with each other the look of humility is encouraged where the needs of the other is considered before any sense of self-justification is thought about.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts – Discipline – It’s For Your Own Good

He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly. (Proverbs 5:23)

Folly can be described as doing something that will end in harm or some great deficit being experienced by the individual and others. Discipline isn’t popular yet the benefits are so attractive that it’s bemusing why we don’t live by it. Staying in line following a good path is all discipline is designed for and when we lack it the consequences can be deadly. So whether enduring that diet, doing that gruelling exercise, revising for exams or even spending time with difficult relatives, it is important that disciplines is maintained for the positive outcome and sinister alternatives.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Daily Thoughts - Wisdom: Worth The Search

If you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, (Proverbs 2:4)

So we need wisdom for a peaceful life. It should be obvious that it’s worth pursuing wholeheartedly. Yet for all the advances in technology and the material wealth we’ve accumulated we’re no happier now than we’ve ever been. That’s because we’ve pursued these goals more than wisdom. For every new fad there’s no breakthrough in how best to use it. This can be applied personally, rather than looking for a brand new car or mobile phone, we should desperately look to gain godly wisdom. It is indeed treasure – it’s worth pursuing for that peaceful life in relationship with God.

For His Name’s Sake
Thanks
da man cd

Daily Thoughts: Wisdom – For A Peaceful Life

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel (Proverbs 1:1)

Of all the verses in the first chapter of Proverbs to go for this may appear to be the least likely. Verses 2-4 are rich with verses about the purpose of the proverbs and how they would be valuable to us.

Verses 5 and 6 likewise have plenty to say about the nature of proverbs themselves and what our quest in hearing them is based on. Verse 7 is a beauty for the whole emphasis of understanding the purpose of life.

Verses 8 and 9 the whole parental concern approach to advising children for the way to grow up. Verses 10-14 the whole set-up of the way of evil-doers and modern applications to be wary of for what some people call a good time.

We see in verses 15-19 the tragic consequences of following the way of the scornful with each verse a goldmine for daily thoughts. Then we have in verses 20-22 the wonderful woman of Wisdom and her plea for fools to just stop fooling. Verse 23 is a brilliant verse on the benefits of following wisdom and the generous nature to be found there.

Verses 24-32 is a devastating series of tragedies that befall those who choose to neglect Wisdom all more than apt to pick in highlighting the consequences of such a folly. To be honest as well the verse that particularly stands out is verse 33 with an outstandingly tremendous promise of what Wisdom does for us when we follow her – I mean forget a daily thought that right there is a three week teaching series!

So why verse one? It’s just a starter – it’s not even the main course of the introduction. Stick with me and hopefully you’ll appreciate as I did the goodies in this verse. It all hangs on the man who wrote the proverbs. Did you know that the name Solomon means peaceful? Well that right there is a fountain of goodness for any study on Proverbs. The ultimate benefit of wisdom, the reason why fearing God is the beginning wisdom and those promises found in verse 33 are so valuable is because it’s about living a peaceful life.

Imagine living life at ease because you’re in connection with the Source who can give direction in every aspect of life. Imagine having the skill to negotiate through those tricky and potentially traumatic times in life – finances, parenting, marital relationships or death – and coming out successful. Now you are seeing life at peace.

Peacefulness is not primarily external; it’s an internal reality – wholeness – only made possible by God Himself. So Solomon is the best person to write about wisdom because even in his naming and his destiny he was to be one who brought peace through wisdom. That’s even clearer when we remember one of his first direct recorded contacts with God where the Almighty allows him to choose anything he wants and the new king of Israel asks for … wisdom. (Check 1 Kings 3:5-14 especially verse 9, 11 and 12) Now that’s God’s kind of person and this is what qualifies him to write one of the most popular books in the Bible. The result of this request and indeed this book is arguably the golden era of united Israel – peace in the region, political treaties made, partnerships developed, prosperity prevailing and people enjoying it all.

Solomon’s end was tragic and a reminder that we cannot take Wisdom for granted once we have her. We must cherish her more than life itself for without her there’s no life and by following what she has to offer there is fullness of life – and she has plenty to give and is generous with it (James 1:5). The point of this verse though and this daily thought, is to highlight the writer of the proverbs and how we too should then aspire to be peaceful ones because our lives are based on the Wisdom of God. Thankfully we’re given the Perfect Personification of Wisdom whom we are called to pursue wholeheartedly, Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:24).

For His Name’s Sake
Thanks
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