No Delight

Proverbs 18:2- A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself

An idiot has no joy in knowing or understanding but that his heart may discover itself

Could this phrase help make more sense?

"Just need to find myself."

I googled it and think this is the best answer

If you say it for yourself, as "I'm going to find myself", you mean you're going to remove yourself from your current situation, head off in a new direction (either physically or socially or emotionally), and see if you can discover who you really are, what you want out of life, who you want to become. You're making a major change in your life situation

Could we have here a person for whatever reason not happy with what he or she has in this life and by excluding themselves and heading off in a new direction. They think that they will discover something about themselves they didn't know

The first problem I see with this line of thinking is a person thinking things or something better than what they already have will make life better. This is not true. Paul said it plainly

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want:for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content

Paul is saying learn to happy with what yo have

Quit chasing dreams of something you'll never have or be, improve what you already have.

Second thing I find wrong is the going; where are you going to go? Running from problems will never solve them they must be dealt with. Hiding only gives the enemy holding ground.

Galatians 5:1- Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage

When I asked Christ to save me He did. When I asked Christ to forgive me all my sins He did

So therefore I must stand fast in that which I was made free from if I don't then I can expect to be once again entangled with bondage.

Doubt of what Christ has done will cause bondage

Matthew 14:31- And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt

Third thing I see that causes a problem is the phrase "may discover itself." My heart can't discover itself

Jeremiah 17:9- The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:who can know it

Psalms 28:7- The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

There's the anwer My Heart trusted IN HIM, THE LORD IS MY STRENGH, I AM HELPED, THEREFORE MY HEART GREATLY REJOICE.

Proverbs 16:20- He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.


RU Ready

Honor:

Proverbs 15:33- The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

I am interested in that phrase "before honour is humility."

Honor- The esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation; any expression of respect or of high estimation by words or actions;

Humility- In ethics, freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind; a modest estimate of one's own worth.

In theology, humility consists in lowliness of mind; a deep sense of one's own unworthiness in the sight of God, self-abasement, penitence for sin, and submission to the divine will.

Before one is given an expression of high respect there must come a deep sense of one's own unworthiness.

Luke 14:11    For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth (not proud, ranking low) himself shall be exalted.

Men not thinking of themselves run into battle to save another from harm. The President, in the name of Congress, has awarded more than 3,400 Medals of Honor to our nation's bravest Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen since the decoration's creation in 1861.

The Bible says I'm a solder

2 Timothy 2:3- Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 2:4- No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

A Soldier is to endure hardness. A Soldier should expect to be in battle.

When this life is over and all the battles fought and we stand before the Commander and  Chief will I receive awards or will I suffer loss?

1 Corinthians 3:13- Every man's work shall be made manifest:for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

1 Corinthians 3:14- If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

1 Corinthians 3:15- If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss:but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

The battle is on, the enemy is out to destroy, the ambushes have been set and the traps have been blended into the terrain. The question today; am I ready for what's ahead, have I prepared myself for the day? Will I return a victor or will I be a casualty or will I have become a prisoner of war? It all depends on how well I'm prepared and am I listening to and following the commands of the Holy Spirit!

My Mouth

Proverbs 13:2- A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence
Proverbs 13:3- He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction

Here we read of the fruit of the mouth and are told that a man will eat what is good. The next verse may give us the clue to why good things are flowing from this mouth. We are told he keeps his mouth. Are we being taught here that the good things are flowing from his mouth because he thinks before he speaks? Will the words I'm fixing to say will they hurt or build up? Will they be words of encouragement; words that enlighten? Words that comfort? Words that help
Galatians 6:10- As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
I am to do good unto ALL MEN when the opportunity arises! Am I thinking and awaiting the opportunity or do I have loose lips? Is the fruit from my mouth good or rotten? Am I keeping watch over my mouth? How many opportunities have I missed? Have I just opened wide my mouth and allow destruction to come flowing out like a bulldozer in soft ground
I have the choice in what I say so therefore it's a must to think before I speak.
The Question; will the way I'm about to use my mouth help this person? Encourage this person? Build up this person? Enlighten this person? if not then I may need to rethink what is about to come out of my mouth. That's thinking before I speak.

Treasure

In Proverbs 8 the words for wealth pop up

1- Silver

2- Gold

 Proverbs 8:10- Receive my instruction, and not silver

and knowledge rather than choice gold.

3- Rubies

Proverbs 8:11- For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.                            

4- Riches

Proverbs 8:18- Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

5- Gold

6- Fine Gold

7- Choice Silver    

Proverbs 8:19- My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

8- Substance

9- Treasures

Proverbs 8:21- That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance;and I will fill their treasures

It's talks about receiving Instruction and Knowledge and Wisdom how they are better than all the things that we could desire

Proverbs 8:11 (all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.)

Compared to what or in this case whom? I believe it's talking about our wonderful Savior Jesus Christ. The wealth of this world is nothing compared to the wealth in Christ Jesus. We may store up great treasures in this world and live like kings but have nothing stored above. Remember the wealthy man in Luke 16 he had great wealth but when he died it was worthless. Then there was the farmer in Luke 12 who had a great harvest and was going to have to build bigger barns to store his crop. But on the eve of HIS big plans God calls him a fool and he dies leaving it all behind

Treasures here an now or lay them up in heaven

Matthew 6:19- Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal

20- But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

No Remedy

Calamity comes suddenly

Proverbs 6:15- Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy

CALAMITY: Any great misfortune, or cause of misery; generally applied to events or disasters which produce extensive evils, as loss of crops, earthquakes, conflagrations, defeat of armies, and the like. But it is applied also to the misfortunes which bring great distress upon individuals

Before this misfortune in this person’s life we are told why it occurred.

The Calamity was brought on by

#1- their mouth v-12

#2- their eyes v-13

#3- their heart v-14

#4- their sowing v-14

The sad thing is, we are told there's no remedy. If we don't get control of our mouth we'll say things that not only will hurt us but words we can never get back. It's like the bullet that leaves the barrel and hits a person it can never return to the gun; the damage is done

I see the progression; the mouth opens words fly out the wondering eyes effect the heart which in return cause me to sow seeds I really don't want to grow.

Be careful for once it said, seen, simmered and sowed there's no stopping its growth.

Galatians 6:7- Be not deceived; God is not mocked:for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Sentimental

Proverbs 3:1- My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments

Proverbs 3:21- My son, let not them depart from thine eyes

keep sound wisdom and discretion

Proverbs 3:26- For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken

I'm interested in the word "KEEP" Webster 1828 says it means

To hold; to retain in one's power or possession; not to lose or part with

Strong says it's; to guard

But in verse 26 Strong says that the word use for keep means; to hedge about, guard, to protect

In order not to forget one must place Gods Word in a safe place; their heart. There's more to it than just putting Gods Word in the heart and that is keeping it there. One does that by retaining; a lake is made by retaining water and that is done by building a dam, if there's no retaining there no lake. Same thing if we are going to have wells of Godly wisdom we are going to have to retain Gods Word within our heart

Psalms 119:11- Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee

In order to keep sin out of our lives we must hide, keep, retain, possess, God's Word within our heart. We can't hide something we know nothing about.

In  Proverbs 3:26 For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken

The Lord shall be our confidence, and The Lord shall guard and protect and not allow our foot or standing from being caught.

As we clean, there’s something we throw away for they are nothing but trash. Then there are other things which are worth little to others but hold great sentimental value. Then there are other things that are priceless and those are the things we put in a safe place to protect

In my life there have been some trash, I don't want to keep or retain.

Philippians 3:13- Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,

There are something I do want to retain and put in a safe place

and reaching forth unto those things which are before

Philippians 3:14- I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus

Oh yes I almost forgot those things that have great sentimental value, those things that mean little to others but have great value to me as an individual.

The day The Lord save me. The place The Lord first spoke to me, the day The Lord  call me into His work, the day The Lord placed me Into his work, those The Lord placed into my life to help me, to teach me, to mentor me. All the people the Lord has helped, made strong, given wisdom by using me.

It all because of seeing the value and retaining and placing God's word in a safe place; my heart. That I too can run upside the chariot of others and ask "Understandest thou what thou readest?"  And hear them respond "How can I, except some man should guide me?" All that is possible because of the day The Lord saved me. Sentimental!!!!!

 

Understanding

Apply thine heart to understanding!

Proverbs 2:1- My son, if thou wilt receive my words,
and hide my commandments with thee;
2- So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom,
and apply thine heart to understanding;

 It appears that one must allow three things to happen first.
     1- Receive Gods Word
     2- Hide Gods Commands within you
     3- Give your attention to hearing Gods Wisdom.
Before I can have understanding I must trust in where the understanding is coming from; in this case Gods Word. Then I must take what I have placed my trust in  and hide it within my self. Now by doing this it will give me the ability to hear and understand what I am hearing. Therefore I will become wise in what I here and will increase in what I am learning.

Proverbs 1:5- A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
QUESTIONS FOR MYSELF:
What have I placed my trust in?
What have I hide within?
What am I giving my attention to?
It will come out in my life in my desires; what am I hungering for? Who am I listening to and what am I really doing?

Street Talk

Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets

The Cry in the Streets:

1- Is to know Wisdom, Instruction and Have Understanding.

Proverbs 1:2- To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding

2- Is to Be Careful for Sin will Invite you.

Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not

Choice number one go and do that which is right and Godly.

Proverbs 1:23- Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you

The Result of Following Gods ways:

I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Choice number two follow wrong people and wrong ways.

Proverbs 1:24- Because I have called, and ye refused;I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded

25-But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

The Result of Following wrong ways:

Proverbs 1:26- I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

Today choice number 2 may look inviting but I must remember tomorrow is coming and although choice number two may be exciting and inviting it has a price.

Romans 6:23- For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

With a look into the future I choose number one.