Elevating Ourselves

Today's Scripture: Proverbs 18

Proverbs 18 (KJV)

1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.

4 The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.

5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

6 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.

13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.

18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.

19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.

23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Scripture Meaning

Verses
1: If we would get knowledge and grace, we must try all methods of improving ourselves.
(2). Those make nothing to purpose, of learning or religion, whose only design is to have something to make a show with.
(3). As soon as sin entered, shame followed.
(4). The well-spring of wisdom in the heart of a believer, continually supplies words of wisdom.
(5). The merits of a cause must be looked to, not the person.
(6,7). What mischief bad men do to themselves by their ungoverned tongues!
(8). How base are those that sow contention! and what fatal effects may be expected from small beginnings of jealousy!
(9). Omissions of duty, and in duty, are fatal to the soul, as well as commissions of sin.
(10,11). The Divine power, made known in and through our Lord Jesus Christ, forms a strong tower for the believer, who relies on the Lord. How deceitful the defence of the rich man, who has his portion and treasure in this world! It is a strong city and a high wall only in his own conceit; for it will fail when most in need. They will be exposed to the just wrath of that Judge whom they despised as a Saviour.
(12). After the heart has been lifted up with pride, a fall comes. But honour shall be the reward of humility.
(13). Eagerness, with self-conceit, will expose to shame.
(14). Firmness of mind supports under many pains and trials. But when the conscience is tortured with remorse, no human fortitude can bear the misery; what then will hell be?
(15). We must get knowledge, not only into our heads, but into our hearts.
(16). Blessed be the Lord, who makes us welcome to come to his throne, without money and without price. May his gifts make room for him in our souls.
(17). It is well to listen to our enemies, that we may form a better judgment of ourselves.
(18). It was customary sometimes to refer matters to God, by casting lots, with solemn prayer. The profaning the lot, by using it in matters of diversion, or coveting what belongs to others, forms an objection to this now.
(19). Great care must be taken to prevent quarrels among relations and those under obligations to each other. Wisdom and grace make it easy to forgive; but corruption makes it difficult.
(20). The belly is here put for the heart, as elsewhere; and what that is filled with, our satisfaction will be accordingly, and our inward peace.
(21). Many a one has caused his own death, or the death of others, by a false or injurious tongue. (22). A good wife is a great blessing to a man, and it is a token of Divine favour.
(23). Poverty tells men they must not order or demand. And at the throne of God's grace we are all poor, and must use entreaties.
(24). Christ Jesus never will forsake those who trust in and love him. May we be such friends to others, for our Master's sake. Having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end; and we are his friends if we do whatever he commands us, (Joh 15:14).

Scripture Application

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue with the Book of Proverbs with Chapter 18. In our text today we see more wisdom as the Lord lays out many cause and effects of making wise decisions.

Today there is a focus on the foolishness. In making application we see that those who put themselves before the instruction of the Lord give themselves over to foolishness. How about you? Have you made any foolish decisions in life? Let us learn from our text today to remember that foolishness comes when we elevate ourselves over the Lord and His Word instead of placing Him first in all that we do or say.

An Overflow of Hope

Day 10 (16 Aug 2017, Wednesday)

It is an amazing work of God that He fills us with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. Such a hope is neither self-manufactured, nor worked up in a frenzy by our temporal physical and emotional outburst. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is His greatand mighty power at work in us.

We need the Holy Spirit because it is by His power that we are filled with a confident hope in God. My prayer is that the power of the Holy Spirit may be at work in us mightily as we pray, as we worship, and as we read the Word of God throughout the days of our lives. It does not matter what we have done for the Lord, but when the Holy Spirit is at work empowering and strengthening us, the end result is the same for all, that we will be filled with a confident hope in God.

Hope, real hope, is a precious commodity and a rarity in a world that seems to be bleak and hopeless. The Church of Jesus Christ in Malaysia must stand tall and strong, holding forth the good news in Christ Jesus and to be filled with a confident hope in God. Then and only then will we see a game-changing kind of Church in our nation.

God bless Malaysia! God bless our Church in Malaysia. Amen.

Pray for the States of Malaysia : Melaka

Declare God’s blessings to be upon the diverse ethnic groups represented in the state of
Melaka, i.e. Malay, Chinese, Indian, Peranakan Chinese, Kristang and Chitty.

Land reclamation projects are carried out on a large scale along Bandaraya Melaka’s
coast due to the high demand of land for development. Such projects have had a
negative effect on the environment and marine life, adversely affecting the local
fisherman. Pray for proper regulations to be enforced and adhered to in such land
reclamation projects.

Pray that God will reverse whatever negative perception Christianity has on the locals
because of the cruel invasion of the Portuguese in 1511, and that the Church, as the
agent of God, will demonstrate Christ-like love and unity while ministering to the lost
through practical means.



 Necf Malaysia

Download 2017 NECF Malaysia  40Days Fast & Prayer (Prayer Booklet)

Israel Grants Asylum to Iranian Journalist

Israel Grants Asylum to Iranian Journalist Facing Death Penalty 

Israel Interior Minister Aryeh Deri just before the weekend granted political asylum to Neda Amin, an Iranian journalist facing the death penalty for the crime of writing a column for an Israeli media website.

Amin had previously been staying in Turkey while penning her views for the Times of Israel. But she was recently informed by Ankara that she'd have to return to Iran.

Back in her home country, Amin was facing the death penalty for cooperating with Israel.

Deri said the decision to grant her asylum was a no-brainer.
"This is a journalist whose life is in real danger, only because of writing columns on an Israeli news website. In these clear humanitarian circumstances, I authorize her entry without hesitation," announced the interior minister.

After landing in Israel over the weekend, Amin gushed her appreciation.
"I was in danger and the State of Israel saved me. I want to stay here for now, but I will honor any decision of the authorities," she told reporters.

Amin further explained that she'd been instilled with an affinity for Israel by her father.
"My father didn't really believe in Islam, so he also learned about Judaism," she said. "My roots are somewhat connected to Judaism. I loved Israel since my youth; I never accepted all the regime’s anti-Israel slogans. I always dreamed that I will somehow get to Israel."





Cred: Israel Today 

Christian leaders name the evil behind violence.

Evangelical Advisers Condemn Charlottesville Rally More Than Trump

While many American politicians and citizens criticize President Donald Trump for not specifically calling out white supremacists for the deadly violence in Charlottesville over the weekend, his evangelical advisers have been more vocal.

All but a handful of the two dozen evangelical leaders on the President’s advisory board posted in response to the “Unite the Right” rally that drew white nationalists and neo-Nazis to the historic Virginia city on Friday and Saturday, spurring counter-protests from interfaith groups.

One noticeable exception was Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr., who was silent on the incident even though his school is only an hour from where the rally took place.
Among the advisers, evangelicals who meet with and pray for Trump in the White House, most restated their condemnation of the ideologies represented by the protesters and offered prayers for the victims, Charlottesville, and the rest of the nation.

“These protesters do not represent in any form or way the Christian faith or the values followers of Jesus stand for,” said Ronnie Floyd, past president of the Southern Baptist Convention which passed a resolution condemning the alt-right in June. “In fact, white nationalism and white supremacism are anathema to the teachings of Christ, who called us to love and to serve our neighbor-regardless of skin color, gender, or religion-to give up our life for our friends and to even love our enemies.”

Trump’s initial response blamed hatred “on many sides”-repeating the phrase for emphasis-and did not explicitly name the groups responsible for the protest. Several Republican members of Congress criticized his remarks. On Monday, he read a prepared statement that made specific mention of “the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups,” calling them “repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.”

Especially since some participants claimed to support Trump, wearing his Make America Great Again hats or invoking his name like rally speaker David Duke, some like Charlottesville mayor Michael Signer accused his campaign and presidency of emboldening white supremacists to shout their views in public.

Even amid a greater push to racial reconciliation and healing over the past decade, white and black evangelicals have grown further apart on how they approach race, culminating with the election of Donald Trump, where evangelicals of color were shown to favor Hillary Clinton nearly as strongly as white evangelicals favored Trump.

In the midst of the violence, Ed Stetzer, director of the Billy Graham Center for Evangelism at Wheaton College, challenged Trump’s evangelical advisers to encourage the President to speak more directly against the alt-right supporters behind this movement.

A couple evangelical advisers defended the President against the blame. Franklin Graham spoke out on Facebook, referencing plans to remove a Robert E. Lee statue which drew the group to Charlottesville in the first place:

Shame on the politicians who are trying to push blame on President Trump for what happened in #Charlottesville, VA. That’s absurd. What about the politicians such as the city council who voted to remove a memorial that had been in place since 1924, regardless of the possible repercussions? How about the city politicians who issued the permit for the lawful demonstration to defend the statue? And why didn’t the mayor or the governor see that a powder keg was about to explode and stop it before it got started? Instead they want to blame President Donald J. Trump for everything. Really, this boils down to evil in people’s hearts. Satan is behind it all.

Pastor Mark Burns, an African American leader of a small congregation in South Carolina, posted a video distancing Trump supporters from the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups involved in the Charlottesville rally. “Even though they mention the name Donald Trump as though they are doing Donald Trump a favor, that is a lie straight from the gates of hell,” Burns said.

Several advisers referenced the ideologies and hate groups involved:
Consultant Johnnie Moore wrote, “EVERY evangelical I know condemns antisemitism, white nationalism, & supremacism. The Christian church is proudly and increasingly the most ethnically diverse movement in the world.”

Evangelist Jay Stack tweeted, “Racial hatred, violence, white supremacy & Nazism are Satanic. AntiChrist As well as Anti-American!... Praying for @realDonaldTrump. For our President @attorneygeneral jeff sessions, The victims & families, law enforcement, first responders & USA.”
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC) vice president Tony Suarez wrote on Facebook, “The racism and hate being spewed by the alt-right and white supremacists, that have invaded our state this weekend, is an insult to Christianity and our country. God be our Prince of Peace! As a citizen of Virginia I'm offended these hate groups chose our state to drive their agenda.”

Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, shared and affirmed a message from a fellow Prestonwood pastor, who told their congregation, “Our hearts go out to the victims in Charlottesville, Virginia, and I think it’s important on a day like this that we stand together as a church … to say in the strongest terms possible that we condemn any sort of racial bigotry, white supremacy, prejudice, and intolerance.”

Paula White, who regularly prays with the president and leads a majority-black congregation in Florida, stated that “white supremacy is evil” and wrote, “The tragedy of Charlottesville extends beyond the loss of life into the very heart of race relations in America. Dialogue has been overcome by violence. Progress is sacrificed at the altar of fury. We need a renewal of grace. God help us.”

Ralph Reed retweeted Kellyanne Conway and Melania Trump’s statements, and also added his condemnation, saying, “Those who twist the cross of Christ into a swastika exchange his message of love and redemption for one of hatred and evil.”

Others spoke more generally about the sin of racism:
Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church of Dallas wrote, “Pray for peace in Charlottesville and across our nation. Let there be no misunderstanding. Racism is sin. Period.”

Georgia pastor Jentezen Franklin posted, “This is evil personified and we denounce it. This is what hatred and sin looks like. Their hate will not win. Racism is still alive and well, the only answer is God's love and the church of Jesus Christ standing hand in hand with our brothers and sisters of every race.”
Tim Clinton, a Christian counselor based in nearby Lynchburg, Virginia, tweeted, “Horrific scene in C'Ville - say no to racism - let's pray and work together” and “Love and Pray for one another: An amazing morning @ThomasRoad denouncing racism, praying for #C'Ville and for our Country #healourland”

Trump’s evangelical advisers were among thousands of Christian leaders being looked to for a response. “Our voice is necessary to remind those under our care and those listening from outside that when there is wrong in the world, we fight for what is right,” Stetzer said to pastors. “Call this what it is and then call it wrong.”

About half of Protestant pastors say they have preached on racial reconciliation in recent months, according to a LifeWay Research survey released earlier this year.
Outside of the Trump advisers, Jemar Tisby, president of the Reformed African American Network (RAAN), argued that white pastors in particular are essential to putting an end to the movement.

“We are waiting for the day that the racists in Charlottesville at least feel enough shame to practice their hatred in secret,” he wrote for The Washington Post. “But black Christians cannot do this alone. White pastors, now is the time for courageous action in the face of white supremacy.”

Bruce Ashford, a Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary professor and author of One Nation Under God: A Christian Hope for American Politics, wrote for Fox News:

Throughout American history, there are many ways in which white conservatives have admirably represented Christ and his gospel. I am convinced, however, that overcoming racism is not yet one of the ways that we represent him admirably or consistently.

Events like the one in Charlottesville give good-willed conservatives-especially Christian conservatives-an excellent opportunity to begin rectifying the situation by speaking a good word in the midst of a bad moment.

Al Mohler shared an apt reflection from Berlin, a city determined to ensure “that the ghosts of the Nazis do not reappear in neo-Nazis.”

“Even a secular observer can see the lessons of history from Berlin. The evidence is pervasive, irrefutable, terrifying, and still visible,” the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president wrote. “But Christians must see much more than the lessons of history, though we dare not miss them. We must see claims of racial superiority-and mainly that means claims of white superiority-as heresy.”




Cred: Christianity Today

Prayer Requests

Today's Prayer Requests

Amanda | Help. Finding. A. Good. Paying. Job. Financial. Blessings. Health. For. Entire. Family

VERA BANKSTON-JONES | FATHER GOD,LIFE HAS SO MUCH TO OFFER, AND I WOULD BECOME A MORE SUBSTANCIAL PERSON DOING SOMETHING TO HELP OTHERS AND MYSELF AS WELL! SHOW ME WHAT I NEED TO DO, AND OPEN A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ME! YOUR GUIDANCE IS SO NEEDED!.......SELAH

Michelle | My son has a drug problem with meth and needs prayers for the chains of bondage to  be released

vijay aggarwal | Plz pray for money in abundance for a comfortable life

mariam | PLEASE PRAY FOR MY SICKNESS SINCE I AM CANCER STAGE 2,MY HUSBAND WHO IS SICK ALSO OF TB,MY FAMAILY.,MY FINANCIAL AND MY FRIENDS..

Christians in the Marketplace

Reasons Why the Marketplace Is a Great Place for Christians 

If God has called you into business, please don’t wish you were called somewhere else. The marketplace is agreat place for Christians right now. Here’s why:

Almost all non-Christians are in the marketplace. 

Today, less than 20% of Americans attend church regularly. In many European countries, the percentages are much lower. At the current rate, regular church attendance is projected to drop to 11.7% by 2050.

The good news is that these people who aren’t attending church will still be waking up to go to work alongside their Christian co-workers in the marketplace each morning.

Almost all Christians are in the marketplace

At least 85% of the Christian workforce spends 60-70% of their waking hours in the marketplace. In addition to serving our families and our local churches, the marketplace is the primary context in which our spiritual gifts should be used.
The ministry potential for Christians using their spiritual gifts collaboratively in the marketplace is astounding!(In case you don’t know what your spiritual gifts are, my forthcoming book will include a spiritual gifts assessment as well as teaching on how you can use your unique gifts for ministry in the marketplace.)

Discipleship actually can happen in the marketplace

Church leaders often are criticized for the lack of discipleship and spiritual growth among their congregations. Let’s give our pastors a break. How much discipleship actually can happen during a two-hour church service on Sunday?

Discipleship-that is, becoming more like Jesus-happens in everyday life. Yes, discipleship can happen anywhere… even during a two-hour, lecture-style event on Sunday. However, the potential for discipleship and ministry investment in a weekly service is a fraction of what is possible during an entire work-week spent with our co-workers, clients, etc.

The marketplace is a more authentic showroom of Christianity

If you were shopping for a car, you’d probably go to a showroom. Before you bought anything, you’d probably want to see if the car actually functions properly on the road. You might even ask the dealer to allow you to take the car home for a day or two to test it out.

The local church is like the showroom for Christianity. The marketplace is the test drive. The marketplace is where our unbelieving co-workers get to see if they really want what we have. Daily, they see how we react under pressure. They see how we treat people. They see how much God truly matters to us in our daily lives.
As mentioned in “Reason #1,” most people aren’t even coming to the “showroom” anymore, so marketplace Christians are now serving as both the showroom and the test drive of Christianity.

The marketplace forces the Church to use all of its capabilities

Personality-driven and super-pastor Christianity doesn’t work in the marketplace. Having a bunch of Christians sitting on the sidelines of ministry may not prevent a local church from increasing numerically, but it won’t transform the marketplace for the glory of God.

So far, most of the teaching about “marketplace ministry” has been defining marketplace ministry without regard for people’s unique spiritual gifts. For example, if I have an apostolic gift, of course I’m going to view marketplace ministry as a mandate to “ascend and take the Business Mountain for God” (see 7 Mountains ). If I have a pastoral gift (i.e.marketplace chaplains), of course I’m going to view marketplace ministry as a calling to “care for the personal needs of my employees and/or co-workers.”

We need to approach marketplace ministry in a way that leverages the spiritual gifts of all Christians in the marketplace. The “one-size-fits-all” approach only produces self-condemnation and ineffectiveness for marketplace Christians attempting to operate outside of their God-given spiritual gifts.

Denominational divisions are less-destructive in the marketplace 

We can choose whether to attend a Baptist Church, Pentecostal-Charismatic Church, Presbyterian Church, a Non-Denominational Church, etc… but most of us don’t have the luxury of co-working only with Christians with whom we agree theologically. Themarketplace has a way of diluting some of these differences. This opens the door to collaborative ministry beyond the walls of our local churches and traditions.

Everything gets funded from the marketplace

All money comes from value that has been created in the marketplace, and business professionals ultimately decide what (and who) gets funded. These business professionals need to know God and His plan for their lives in order to make righteous decisions concerning money.

Although business is often thought of only as the economic engine of the Church, I hope that we will begin to see and realize its full potential for transforming society for the glory of God.

In addition to these seven reasons, what is another reason why God is mobilizing Christian business professionals for ministry in the marketplace?





Cred; Darren Shearer, The Founder & CEO, High Bridge Books

How is Your Heart with God?

Today's Scripture: Proverbs 17 (KJV)

1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.

2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.

4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

10 A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.

11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.

16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.

19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.

22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.

27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Scripture Meaning

 Verses 1:23456789101112131415161718
These words recommend family love and peace, as needful for the comfort of human life. (). The wise servant is more deserving, and more likely to appear one of the family, than a profligate son. (). God tries the heart by affliction. He thus has often shown the sin remaining in the heart of the believer. (). Flatterers, especially false teachers, are welcome to those that live in sin.

(). Those that laugh at poverty, treat God's providence and precepts with contempt. (). It is an honour to children to have wise and godly parents continued to them, even after they are grown up and settled in the world. (). A fool, in Solomon's Proverbs, signifies a wicked man, whom excellent speech does not become, because his conversation contradicts it. ().

Those who set their hearts upon money, will do any thing for it. What influence should the gifts of God have on our hearts! (). The way to preserve peace is to make the best of every thing; not to notice what has been said or done against ourselves. (). A gentle reproof will enter, not only into the head, but into the heart of a wise man. (). Satan, and the messengers of Satan, shall be let loose upon an evil man. (). Let us watch over our own passions, and avoid the company of furious men. (). To render evil for good is devilish. He that does so, brings a curse upon his family. ().

What danger there is in the beginning of strife! Resist its earliest display; and leave it off, if it were possible, before you begin. (). It is an offence to God to acquit the guilty, or to condemn those who are not guilty. (). Man's neglect of God's favour and his own interest is very absurd. (). No change of outward circumstances should abate our affection for our friends or relatives.
But no friend, except Christ, deserves unlimited confidence. In Him this text did receive, and still receives its most glorious fulfilment. (). Let not any wrong their families. Yet Christ's becoming Surety for men, was a glorious display of Divine wisdom; for he was able to discharge the bond.

Verses: 192021222324252627,28
If we would keep a clear conscience and a quiet mind, we must shun all excitements to anger. And a man who affects a style of living above his means, goes the way to ruin. (). There is nothing got by ill designs. And many have paid dear for an unbridled tongue. ().

This speaks very plainly what many wise and good men feel very strongly, how grievous it is to have a foolish, wicked child. (). It is great mercy that God gives us leave to be cheerful, and cause to be cheerful, if by his grace he gives us hearts to be cheerful. (). The wicked are ready to part with their money, though loved, that they may not suffer for their crimes. ().

The prudent man keeps the word of God continually in view. But the foolish man cannot fix his thoughts, nor pursue any purpose with steadiness. (). Wicked children despise the authority of their father, and the tenderness of their mother. (). It is very wrong to find fault for doing what is duty. (). A man may show himself to be a wise man, by the good temper of his mind, and by the good government of his tongue. He is careful when he does speak, to speak to the purpose.
God knows his heart, and the folly that is bound there; therefore he cannot be deceived in his judgment as men may be.

Today's Scripture Application

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue with the Book of Proverbs with Chapter 17. In our text today we see continuing lesson in wisdom with a focus on the heart of man. How a merry heart doeth good like a medicine while the Lord trieth the heart like one who refines a precious metal.

In making application we see how God looks on our hearts or the true nature of ourselves. Today we can do the right thing having the wrong motive. We can claim to be a Christian without truly being saved or possessing Jesus-Christ in our hearts. How about you? How is your heart with God? Let us learn from our text today to examine our heart to ensure we have been saved and if so, to surrender our hearts to Him to do His Will in these last days.