Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 26

Proverbs 26:4

“Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.”

Time is precious so do not waste it on fools. Truth and wisdom will be lost on fools. If you argue wisdom and truth with a foolish person, they will look down on you with contempt and mock the cherished words you will try to enlighten them with.

Jesus tells us, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”–Matthew 7:6. This may sound harsh, but it is true.

When do you know you have encountered a fool? “Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.”–Proverbs 14:7. It is easy like the word says just allow them to speak and you will know. Fools believe in themselves only. What they say matters, they trust only their ideas, they believe only they can instruct and teach others, they enjoy disparaging people but most important they don’t believe the Bible and the wisdom it offers.

The natural man always wants to get in the last word but when you are dealing with a fool, you will never get them to see things your way so stop trying. Stay grounded in the word and rise above the urge to debate with a fool so you don’t wind up sinking to their level and become a fool just like them. Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 26

Proverbs 26:11

“As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.”

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. Having a dog has lots of positive benefits. Stroking and petting your dog helps to keep your blood pressure low. Owning a dog makes you a social butterfly. Having a dog keeps you active and helps you lose weight because of walking the dog. Owning a dog enhances your health.

With the list of all the benefits of having a dog offers there is always a negative. We have all sometime or another witnessed a dog going back to eat his own vomit. It is gross. Take the mental picture you have in your mind now and replace that dog with a foolish person.

What sinful follies have you rejected? What types of vomit are you tempted to return to? Overeating, drunkenness, drugs, adultery, pornography unforgiveness? You must place a protective shield around yourself and stay away from things that will tempt you to return to your vomit. If it is overeating don’t go to buffets. If it is drunkenness, don’t allow alcohol in your home and even if you go out of your way driving, go a different direction from where a liquor store is. Don’t keep company with people who do drugs. If it is adultery, don’t take a second look at a good-looking person who raises sparks within you. If its pornography then place a block on your tablet, a phone, a computer for all those types of sites which can tempt you. If it is unforgiveness keep a book by your bedside that teaches you why unforgiveness is unhealthy. They say one thing highly successful people do before they go to bed is to focus on the positive. If you are reading a book about becoming a forgiving person that is positive.

Pray and ask God to help you stay away from foolish ways and to steer clear of returning to your vomit. Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 26

Proverbs 26:20

“Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.”

How many times has someone said this to you, “can I trust you not to say anything to a certain person? Can you keep a secret?” A godly person should immediately say no thank you. I don’t want to know. However, the natural man always peeks with these types of invitations and next thing you know you wind up telling another person what you shouldn’t have said or worst you say to the exact person what you should not have said.

Gossip is telling negative information about someone. To the people who engage in this, it doesn’t matter whether the information is true.

Talebearing has become so rampant nowadays there are countless magazines that embellish this thing. God does not approve of talebearing. “A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth”. –Proverbs 6:12. Gossip causes enormous pain for people.

Do you care enough about others to stave off talking about them in a disparaging way? If you talk a lot, you probably perpetrate this sin. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you every time you engage in this behavior. Since many of us think so much about finances get yourself a piggy bank or large jar and every time you engage in this folly, you put a dollar in the jar. It will amaze you in 30 days how the jar has filled up. Don’t be hard on yourself because we are all guilty of this folly. When God sees you are working towards improvement, he will bless you. Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 26

Proverbs 26:27

“Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.”

When you dig a ditch, you better dig two because the trap you set may just be for you. What goes around comes around.

I am sure you have heard of the animated cartoon, Tom and Jerry. It revolved on a rivalry between its two title characters, Tom, a cat, and Jerry, a mouse. The shows usually centered on Tom’s many attempts to capture Jerry. Tom rarely catches Jerry, mainly because of Jerry’s cleverness, cunning abilities, and luck. A lot of times Tom got trapped in the same devices he set to catch Jerry.

Wicked men devise traps and trouble for the innocent and righteous as you can see with what Tom tried countless times to do to Jerry. Do you have enemies? Do you have evil people that are trying to destroy you? Fear not because God will avenge every wrong that has been done to you. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”–Romans 12:19. “He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.”–Psalms 7:15-16.

Let go and let God. The God of glory does not slumber or sleep. Every time the wicked conspire against you, God will turn their devices on their own heads. Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 26

Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 1

Proverbs 1:5

“A wise man will hear and will increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.”

When do people discontinue learning in life? According to King Solomon and the proverbs only an unwise man stops learning. A wise man will keep his ears open and decipher things he hears throughout his entire life and build upon his learning. Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 1

Let me say this to everyone right now the following statement I make you will see it repeated in this book many times. God gave all of us two ears and one mouth for a reason. He wants us to do more listening than talking. You cannot hear what someone else has to say or improve upon your listening and learning skills if your tongue is constantly in motion. So, a big part of learning how to become a person of wisdom is being quiet and being still. Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 1

The fool is the one who thinks he knows everything. These people are the ones that feel that have gained all the knowledge they will ever need. Unfortunately, that is an untrue assessment. The oldest living person in the Bible was Methuselah. He lived to be 969 years old and then he died. Even if we were to live that long we would never know all there is to know. Therefore, we should always be alert and ready to learn new things.

The second part of this proverb tells us that a person of understanding will gain good counsel. The more effort we put forth to hear and learn then we will gain a better understanding and wisdom. We will be able to differentiate between many things. When God sees us trying, he makes himself known to us which will make all the difference in the world. Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 1

Proverbs 1:7

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Wisdom – ability to discern inner qualities and relationships; a wise attitude, belief, or course of action.

Fear – an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger; anxious concern.

Reverence – honor or respect felt or shown; a gesture of respect.

Awe – an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime.

Knowledge – the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association; the range of one’s information or understanding. I am sure you have all heard the adage “knowledge is power.” You can become powerful where the Lord is concerned in a fearful state. However, you must have the right fear which is reverential.

Above I have provided definitions of words critical to the Book of Proverbs and this verse. Wisdom means being wise and all of us can be that. To have knowledge of something it is mandatory we have familiarity and to do that we must have an association. We need to surround ourselves with that thing. Fear takes on all shapes and sizes. We can have a fear of roller coasters, airplanes, spiders, being alone, even being diagnosed with a deadly disease. Movies take on all genres but a film like Halloween and Friday the 13th inspire terror. To reverence something means to honor it. God specifically stated how important honor is in the book of Exodus 20:12, “Honor thy Father and Mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

So now let’s return to the above passage. The first part of this proverb is telling us we are to understand that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. This is where it becomes tricky. We are not to have a fear of the Lord like we fear snakes, bees, etc. We are to have a reverential fear of the Lord. To fear God means we recognize him as supreme and absolute. This means we respect, honor, and we are to be in awe of the Lord. Why is this necessary? Well, first they state it in the above proverb. All things have their origin in God. Read Genesis Chapter 1. It states that God created the earth and everything in it. With that awesome power, we need to fear the Lord. Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 1

Proverbs 1:22

“How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?”

In this proverb, Solomon is addressing three types of people in a disparaging way. It is downright insulting. He refers to the simple ones (simplicity) which imply ignorance. It satisfies lazy people just eating, working, playing, and sleeping. Do you lead a very basic life? Are you content to leave the mental work to others? This will never give you wisdom.

Scorners are people who despise and reject the truth. These people don’t believe in building up others just tearing them down. These people live a lifestyle where they can offer nothing positive. They eventually become galling, people who are only concerned with their own desires who have nothing to offer anyone.

Finally, fools are people who lack good sense or judgment. I personally don’t believe anyone wants to be described in that fashion. How do we make sure we steer clear from being categorized in this fashion? We crave wisdom! In the same way, people crave ballpark food at a sporting event like baseball. Oh, and for those people who follow baseball remember three strikes you’re out so in this instance you would be called out by the home plate umpire and sent back to the dugout if you fall into these three categories. Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 1

Proverbs 1:26

“I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh.”

Foolish people believe they know everything so if anyone tries to instruct them, they laugh. They go through life like it is a constant carnival or party and show contempt if anybody tries to take away their amusement and enjoyment. This is when God sits high in heaven and looks down below and laughs at them.

God is not someone to be mocked. He will have his day where the foolish are concerned. “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.”–Psalm 2:4. “The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.”–Psalm 37:13.

For, those of us who are mature enough to remember The Three Stooges show we know how happy Curly became once any bad thing or suffering happened to Moe. Unfortunately, Moe always thought he was better than Curly & Larry and so when he was deflated at any time, they both reveled in his bad fortune. Well, this is the same principle that this verse implies. Wisdom will laugh at your negative circumstances and make fun of your catastrophes because you felt you didn’t need wisdom. Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 1

Proverbs 1:31

“Therefore, shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.”

The above verse is saying in plain terms you deserve what you get because of bad decisions. In today’s world, most people are reaping what they sowed because they made foolish choices. God has warned us in his word that we will be blessed if we do what he says and cursed if we don’t.

Unfortunately, people today worldwide look at God and his words with contempt feeling it is worthless. Many people are only interested in what feels good to them. Feelings, however, can get you in a world of trouble. When we operate out of our flesh, we make many mistakes and that drives us to do ungodly things. There are many deeds of the flesh some of which are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, drunkenness and others.

A great example of making bad choices and then reaping the results would be this. If you are a person who has food allergies and is allergic to items like crabs, shrimp, clams, mussels, oysters, scallops, and shellfish then you need to stay clear of these things unless you want to be diagnosed with Anaphylaxis. This is a hypersensitivity as to foreign proteins or drugs resulting from sensitization following prior contact with the causative agent. This can manifest as hives, itching, and watery eyes. A good example of this would be the movie “Hitch” with Will Smith. Wisdom will keep you away from making bad decisions. Book of Proverbs Summary & Quotes: Chapter 1

Book of Proverbs – Five Star Review & Best Seller – Donna Louis

All authors especially Christian book authors should realize that God is their salesman. However, with that said you must be open to someone critiquing your book. As an author you have to be open to learning and growing as a writer. This can be accomplished with book reviews.

Book reviews do several things for authors. They provide greater visibility for your book. If the book review is favorable, you stand a better chance of it being located by more readers. There are some websites where authors books that have more reviews stand the chance of being shown to people who are inclined to buy books. Favorable book reviews produce more sales, and this can open doors to bigger and better things. http://www.miraclebook.net

It is very important that you acquire real reviews from real people as that will be the more honorable and virtuous way to handle business. Do your research as there are several places where you can obtain a book review.

I wrote a book titled “Book of Proverbs – Proverbs For The Modern Day” that was an arduous eleven-year journey, but I finally completed it and published it. Now I don’t recommend that you publish your book before you get a book review just in case it is not favorable, and you need to tweak some things, but I was blessed to send it off for a review and received a five-star review from Readers’ Favorite. I feel so humbled to have received this five-star book review which also comes with a seal to place on your book. Even with a five star review you also receive a mini critique to let you know what your strengths and weaknesses were. This is a part of the learning curve that all authors need to have. They also allow you to review the person who reviewed your book.

Book reviews can also create media buzz. I have also been blessed to have this book become a Best Seller. The best thing you can do is pray for your book. Prayer changes things. “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” – James 1:6. Book of Proverbs – Five Star Review & Best Seller – Donna Louis

Christian Books – Donna Louis – Obedience

Obedient – submissive to the restraint or command of authority: willing to obey. – https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obedient

Are you obedient and submissive to God? Well, if you are miracles will happen. Everyday we have the choice whether to be obedient to many things. If you are a driver you must be obedient to the traffic signs and signals. If you are an employee, you need to be obedient to your superiors or else you will be fired. There are many other examples but the biggest one of all is to be obedient to God. http://www.miraclebook.net

After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, we also go with thee. They went forth and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore, that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, it is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. – John 21:1-11. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Obedience

Now the above example clearly shows how obedience pays off. Jesus instructed the disciples to not only cast their nets but that they must cast them on the right side of the ship. If they didn’t obey and decided to cast the nets on the left side of the ship, they would never have gotten any fish. http://www.miraclebook.net

And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, what thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. – Matthew 17:24-27. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Obedience

What was the obedience factor here? Jesus told Peter to take up the first fish. If Peter had decided to wait for a different fish, then the tax money would not have been received to pay tribute.

People who have dogs sometimes send them to obedience school to get trained when they are unruly. Obedience will bless your life, but you have to listen to that still small voice from God and obey.

Christian Books – Donna Louis – Blessings Disguised As Burdens

Blessings – the act or words of one that blesses, a thing conducive to happiness or welfare. – https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blessing

Now you might not say exactly God bless me. Instead you may say God I want a new car,need a new job with better pay, want to own my own business, want to own a home of my own, desire a spouse so I’m no longer lonely, want to have a baby, etc. The list is endless but when we say these things, we are asking God to bless us. http://www.miraclebook.net

Now a days we get what they call alerts to our phones. Especially if it is an AMBER alert. What is an amber alert? The AMBER Alert System began in 1996 when Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters teamed with local police to develop an early warning system to help find abducted children. AMBER stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response and was created as a legacy to 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle in Arlington, TX, and then brutally murdered. Other states and communities soon set up their own AMBER plans as the idea was adopted across the nation. – https://amberalert.ojp.gov/about

Well God’s alerts are blessings disguised as burdens. Every time you encounter a challenging situation it is a test that God is putting you through to determine if you are ready to receive the blessing you have been asking about. Now since none of us like to be away from our blanket like the one Linus had in the Peanuts cartoon and we always want to be comfortable God is not going to allow that to happen. If you want great things, you must take great risks and go through many tests and struggles. The more you ask for and the bigger your dreams then just strap yourself in because it is going to be a long ride. If Jesus had to endure the cross what makes us believe we are above reproach? Christian Books – Donna Louis – Blessings Disguised As Burdens

In the Bible Joseph was told in a dream that he was going to be a high ranking official but what he didn’t know is all the burdens he would have to endure and how long it would take to reach that pinnacle and be living that dream. His brothers threw him in a pit, and he was picked up by a caravan and taken to Pharoah. He was placed in jail because Pharoah’s wife lied and said he tried to be intimate with her when he didn’t. One of the people in jail became friends with Joseph and promised to speak with Pharoah about releasing him when he was released but he forgot, and Joseph remained in jail until Pharoah had a disturbing dream and since God had blessed Joseph to interpret dreams, he was called by Pharoah, and he interpreted the dream and finally he was released and Pharoah made Joseph second in command behind him. http://www.miraclebook.net

Don’t try to pray away all the unpleasant things that happen in your life and the burdens you have to bear because they are actually the things that are going to elevate you to the blessing you have been asking God for. Christian Books – Donna Louis – Blessings Disguised As Burdens