Proverbs 20

Proverbs 20

New International Version (NIV)

20 Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler;
    whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

² A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;
    those who anger him forfeit their lives.

³ It is to one’s honor to avoid strife,
    but every fool is quick to quarrel.

⁴ Sluggards do not plow in season;
    so at harvest time they look but find nothing.

⁵ The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,
    but one who has insight draws them out.

⁶ Many claim to have unfailing love,
    but a faithful person who can find?

⁷ The righteous lead blameless lives;
    blessed are their children after them.

⁸ When a king sits on his throne to judge,
    he winnows out all evil with his eyes.

⁹ Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;
    I am clean and without sin”?

¹⁰ Differing weights and differing measures—
    the Lord detests them both.

¹¹ Even small children are known by their actions,
    so is their conduct really pure and upright?

¹² Ears that hear and eyes that see—
    the Lord has made them both.

¹³ Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;
    stay awake and you will have food to spare.

¹⁴ “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—
    then goes off and boasts about the purchase.

¹⁵ Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
    but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

¹⁶ Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
    hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.

¹⁷ Food gained by fraud tastes sweet,
    but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.

¹⁸ Plans are established by seeking advice;
    so if you wage war, obtain guidance.

¹⁹ A gossip betrays a confidence;
    so avoid anyone who talks too much.

²⁰ If someone curses their father or mother,
    their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.

²¹ An inheritance claimed too soon
    will not be blessed at the end.

²² Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”
    Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.

²³ The Lord detests differing weights,
    and dishonest scales do not please him.

²⁴ A person’s steps are directed by the Lord.
    How then can anyone understand their own way?

²⁵ It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
    and only later to consider one’s vows.

²⁶ A wise king winnows out the wicked;
    he drives the threshing wheel over them.

²⁷ The human spirit is^[a] the lamp of the Lord
    that sheds light on one’s inmost being.

²⁸ Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
    through love his throne is made secure.

²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength,
    gray hair the splendor of the old.

³⁰ Blows and wounds scrub away evil,
    and beatings purge the inmost being.

Proverbs 19

Proverbs 19

New International Version (NIV)

19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than a fool whose lips are perverse.

² Desire without knowledge is not good—
    how much more will hasty feet miss the way!

³ A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,
    yet their heart rages against the Lord.

⁴ Wealth attracts many friends,
    but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.

⁵ A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and whoever pours out lies will not go free.

⁶ Many curry favor with a ruler,
    and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.

⁷ The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
    how much more do their friends avoid them!
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
    they are nowhere to be found.^[a]

⁸ The one who gets wisdom loves life;
    the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and whoever pours out lies will perish.

¹⁰ It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury—
    how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

¹¹ A person’s wisdom yields patience;
    it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

¹² A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion,
    but his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³ A foolish child is a father’s ruin,
    and a quarrelsome wife is like
    the constant dripping of a leaky roof.

¹⁴ Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

¹⁵ Laziness brings on deep sleep,
    and the shiftless go hungry.

¹⁶ Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
    but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.

¹⁷ Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
    and he will reward them for what they have done.

¹⁸ Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
    do not be a willing party to their death.

¹⁹ A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
    rescue them, and you will have to do it again.

²⁰ Listen to advice and accept discipline,
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

²¹ Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

²² What a person desires is unfailing love^[b];
    better to be poor than a liar.

²³ The fear of the Lord leads to life;
    then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

²⁴ A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

²⁵ Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
    rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge.

²⁶ Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother
    is a child who brings shame and disgrace.

²⁷ Stop listening to instruction, my son,
    and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸ A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

²⁹ Penalties are prepared for mockers,
    and beatings for the backs of fools.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
2. Proverbs 19:22 Or Greed is a person’s shame

Proverb A Day

Just in case you have been living under a rock for the last few years, this country and this world is becoming decreasingly stable. There are some very real dangers that we have to live with on a day to day basis. In my mind, the primary reason for the increasingly hostile environment is our lack of value in human life. We are constantly being fed trash through our television sets, radio stations, restaurants, politicians, media outlets, and even in some cases, by our churches.

It is time that we take a step back from the Jersey Shores and Twilight sagas of our lives and get back to the word of God. We have replaced God with people like Snookie and wars between cults of Jacob and Edward fans. We have turned into a culture of constant need of entertainment and will take anything that has been spoon-fed to us at face value.

It is time for us to turn off our televisions and spend time with our families. Your children shouldn't be thrown into a dungeon full of video games and the internet just to get them out of your hair. Their poor behavior and acts of irritation are prevalent because you won't take the time to talk to them. All they want is your attention. GIVE IT TO THEM. Teach them right from wrong. Talk to them. Read to them. DISCIPLINE them. Chances are, you child doesn't NEED medication... they need to go outside and play. They need parents to play WITH them. Our children need role models, not Grand Theft Auto.

Instead of taking some talking head's advice at face value, do your OWN research into Christianity. Despite what you hear on the news on a daily basis, Christianity is NOT a religion full of hate. Christians are loving, forgiving, and are SUPPOSE to be humble. Yes, there are some very judgmental Christians, but that doesn't mean they are ALL like that. We have all had our poor experiences with people who claim to be Christian. But we need to remember that we are just human. Not everyone is going to be the greatest ambassador for their particular religion. That doesn't mean you should just blow off your relationship with God because someone you know is a jerk.

God speaks to all of us differently. We are so entrenched in our current culture, that we just don't recognize when he's talking. Prayer has been made fun of so much in the shows and movies that we watch, that we are timid and sometimes uncomfortable to participate. There are very few of us who are strong enough to step up and pray out loud in front of our friends and family. This has to change. We need to step up and be leaders in our homes. Your children look to you for leadership and guidance. If you are ok with the chance of your child ending up on drugs, in jail, or shooting up schools, keep God away from them. However, if you CARE about your children, do yourself and them a favor and get serious about God.

One thing that I have found extremely useful is what's called "A Proverb A Day." The concept was introduced to me about 10 years ago and I have found it extremely effective when I have incorporated the practice in my life. If you want more wisdom and understanding in your life, there are few people better qualified to read than Solomon. Widely considered one of the wisest men who have ever lived, this words transcend generations and allow for some great truths and instruction for you to implement in your everyday life. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs and reading one chapter a day is a good way to get the bible in your everyday life. For example, today is the 19th, so you would flip to chapter 19 in Proverbs and read the short chapter for the day. The Chapters are usually about 2-3 pages in length, which make it a pretty easy read for the day. We read way more than that on Facebook and twitter every day. I have found that usually how this exercise works is that one or two lines out of the daily chapter will speak to and will apply to your life that day.

To make things even easier for you, this blog will be posting the daily Proverb on the site, which you will be able to read here or on Facebook. To make things even easier for you, there is a daily Proverb app for your iphone here or for your android here.

Be disciplined and allow the Lord in your daily life.

What Are We Doing to Ourselves?

It amazes me that all of a sudden, liberals are ready to start profiling as long as it doesn't involve a person of color. Here's the thing... I am ABSOLUTELY all for profiling. If the left is going to try and take political advantage of this Conn. shooting, conservatives should strike at the opportunity as well. 

If it would appease the left to profile white males as school shooters, that should be a point conservatives should concede if it also allows us to profile muslims in airports, thugs with baggy clothes in places of business, and any other blatantly obvious scenarios where profiling could be applicable. The problem with profiling with this shooting is that who was going to suspect a teacher's son who was known to the entire staff?

If you don't think profiling works, you're being naive. What do you think is more intrusive: a TSA agent strip searching you in front of the entire airport and putting your naked body pictures online for the world to see... OR
Being asked a few questions by a completely random, undercover agent at the airport? 

Think questioning doesn't work? Type "Ben-Gurion airport security" into a google search and see what comes up. I've provided one such link below. The problem we have with the security in the country isn't just a one chapter book. Israel goes to great lengths to secure their borders first a foremost. Our country is doing everything it possibly can to make it as easy as possible for ANYONE to come into this country... unless of course they want to do it legally. 

Back to the point, Israel bases their security primarily on profiling. They don't mess around with trying to pretend to act fair. If someone looks suspicious, an agent walks up to them and strikes a conversation. They look for tells just like poker players. If they're still unsure, as a last resort, they put an agent next to the person on any particular flight. 

Israeli Security

This world (and in particular, this country) has gotten so dangerous, not because of the guns we allow, but because of the PEOPLE we sell them to. There's very little morality in our country anymore. Where our country use to have the moral high ground, we have sold that morality to hollywood for TV ratings.  We've sold it to video game makers who are creating games that allow the kids and teens who play them, to murder, rape, deal drugs, kill cops, steal, evade police, and run crime syndicates while their parents are in the other room watching movies that promote similar values as well as adultery, idolatry, and atheism.  

We sit here and pretend like the things we watch, play, and gossip about, are not the things that define our values. How could it not be? I'm trying to throw stones from a glass house, here. I've done my share of things I'm not proud of. I sit in front of my TV watching sports on saturday and sunday instead of being the leader God has called me to be and take my family to church. I replace God on a consistent basis with things I ought not to and then wonder why I don't have the patience I should possess with my children and my wife. 

But just because we are imperfect beings does not mean we should sit idly by and allow our communities to wither away into something we are no longer proud to be a part of. We have allowed political correctness to run roughshod over our entire legal and value system. At what point are we as a free society going to stand up, apply some common sense to the problems facing our nation and start pulling our country back from the brink of destruction? 

People need to start realizing a change to our country isn't going to happen through inaction. Once our country majority fell into the hands of the consumers rather than the producers like we saw just this past election, there may be no turning back without some very serious action taken. 

So, are we going to start having legitimate discussion about what direction we want this country to head or are we going to just sit on our hands and watch the country crumble at our feet? What did your parents and grandparents fight for? What is freedom to you? Are you REALLY a proponent of freedom or is it just something you sing about at a sporting event or in July? 

Pacific Rim

Aww, HELL YA!!!   Transformers meets Cloverfield... uh, SIGN ME UP!!

Pacific Rim Trailer

HOW CONVENIENT...

NOW, OUR SECRETARY OF STATE WON'T BE TESTIFYING ON BENGHAZI...ABSOLUTE EFFING OUTRAGE!!! FOR A WOMAN WHO WANTS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2016, THIS IS HOW YOU STEP UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY??? HOW MOTHERF!@#$%NG CONVENIENT!!!! HOPE YOU SUFFER THE SAME CONCUSSION SYNDROMES AS JR. SEAU AND JEVON BELCHER AND DO THIS COUNTRY A FAVOR!

"An ill Secretary of State Hillary Clinton fainted and suffered a concussion but was recovering at home, the State Department announced Saturday.

“While suffering from a stomach virus, Secretary Clinton became dehydrated and fainted, sustaining a concussion,” State Department aide Philippe Reines said in a statement. “She has been recovering at home and will continue to be monitored regularly by her doctors. At their recommendation, she will continue to work from home next week, staying in regular contact with Department and other officials. She is looking forward to being back in the office soon.”

Clinton, 65, had been slated to testify Thursday on Capitol Hill about the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya. She will not testify before the Senate Foreign Relations committee, a spokeswoman for committee chairman Sen. John Kerry told The Hill, and will instead send two deputies to testify in her place.

“Senator Kerry was relieved to hear that the secretary is on the mend, but he insisted that given her condition, she could not and should not appear on Thursday as previously planned, and that the nation’s best interests are served by the report and hearings proceeding as scheduled with senior officials appearing in her place,” Kerry spokeswoman Jodi Seth said.

Whether she would testify before...

Hillary Won't Testify on Defining Moment of Career Because of "Bump on the Head"  : (

TWINS AGAIN!!

For those of you who don't know, my wife and I had twin girls in November of 2010. Well, we recently found out that we are going to have ANOTHER set of twins this May. While this blog will still be a political and sports forum, we will also be discussing a few other subjects.

We will be talking about baby items and helpful tips to help out with new parents as well as a reviewing a few helpful books along the way.

Of course we can't skip over religion and the importance of finding a way to get plugged into a good church community. I'll also be touching on a few philosophical issues to be woven into these discussions as well.

If any of you have anything you'd like for me to review or would like to discuss, feel free to comment on any of the articles or private message me as you see fit. I hope this blog platform can be helpful and interesting enough to get some people to participate.

I'd like to thank each of you for the support and look forward to the start of a fun, new adventure!