Good words today about handling issues that arise with other people.  Verse 9 starts, "If you have an argument with your neighbor ..."  Considering that our neighbor is just about anyone, we could probably change the if to

  Solomon writes about the importance of self-control.  Twice in chapter 23 he urges "Control yourself..."  It's amazing that we seek to control so much in our lives, but controlling ourselves is such a problem.  Sol

  Over the years I've worked with our youth, I've always felt that keeping the lines of communication open is one of the single most important things we can do.  It helps them to experience unconditional love.  In this chapter,

  "The Lord can control a king's mind as He controls a river; He can direct it as He pleases." "There is no wisdom, understanding, or advice that can succeed against the Lord." Father, we need our leaders in Was

  My concentration was broken this morning by several distractions with my boys plus concerns and prayers I've been lifting up for several dear friends.  With all the distractions I almost didn't journal today, but then I remembered

  I read a lot about correction this morning - both about giving it and receiving it:  "Listen to advice and accept correction, and in the end you will be wise."  We need correction whenever our thoughts or actions begin to l

  Once we had a personality analyst who came to the bank and his Personality Style 4 was the nonconformist - the one who would be going south when everyone else was going north, just to be different.  I was the only #4 in the bank, and righ

  Expecting more of us seems to be God's target this morning.  In verse 7, my commentary says, "Noble and excellent speech seems out of place" coming from a fool.  "Even more unsuitable are lying lips to a prince.&nb

  Boy, there's a lot of sovereignty of God stuff in here.  It can be seen as either our mind vs. God's mind (certainly a losing proposition) or our mind in synch with God's mind: "People may make plans in their minds,

  The word accepts keeps popping up - the thought that we have to make a conscious and willful decision to imbed in our own hearts and minds as hard and fast rules the things that God says about how we are to live our lives.  Here in this c

  Solomon really had a lot to say about how we let foolishness overtake us spiritually: "Fools don't care if they sin ... Fools will believe anything .... Fools are careless and quick to act ..."  (It makes a good test to

  I read once that we will never know until we reach heaven the total amount of evil God has protected us from.  The truth in His word is to be used by us as part of that protection.  Verse 3 says, "Those who are careful about wha

  The last verse has become a Christian warning post:  "Doing what is right is the way to life, but there is another way that leads to death."  And how well Max Lucado states it in the sidebar today: "I do have some

  "Doing right brings freedom to honest people, but those who are not trustworthy  will be caught by their own desires." One thing we are taught in banking to keep an eye on is the lifestyle of employees and customers. 

  In this morning's sidebar, Max Lucado is actually addressing careless words and insensitive slurs that people often think little of, but which do a tremendous amount of hurt.  He says they are the result of egotism, which leads to dis

  Chapter 8 talks about wisdom from God, yet also we can plainly see Christ in all of this, stated just as clearly as in John 1:1 - "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God, and the Word was with God." There is an amazi