"A good life is a fruit-bearing tree; a violent life destroys souls." ~~King Solomon

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300"] An apricot and its cross section (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

When we live the life God has intended for us, it is like a tree that gives us delicious fruit. There is nothing like fresh fruit. We all love it. I was at the market yesterday and just had to get some figs and apricots.

That is in contrast to a life of violence. I think this is not just physical. Anything opposite of doing what GOD wants us too is violence against GOD and it destroys our very souls.

Thank GOD for the Holy Spirit of GOD that gives us the power to live the resurrected life of Jesus. Now that is Good News.

"A good life is a fruit-bearing tree; a violent life destroys souls." ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:30)

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"The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped." ~~King Solomon

I am thinking how true this is. The more we bless others the more we are blessed. And it is an abundant blessing. More than we could ever imagine. Our mission is to help others. Our Father has sent us into His World (Kingdom) to love everyone we come in contact with every day. That is our job. When we do it in His name, we are helped as well.

May I bless others today. May I be of help.

"The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped." ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:25)

"Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful face on an empty head." ~~King Solomon

God wants us to be wise. He has given us His Holy Spirit. Pursuing beauty at the expense of His wisdom is like .... Well, we get it. No point in it at all.

"Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful face on an empty head." ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:22)

"The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller." ~~King Solomon

Solomon nailed this one dead on. Generosity begets generosity. The more you give the more you like to give. It just gets better and better.

Being stingy gets you nowhere.

"The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller." ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:24)

"Count on this: The wicked won't get off scot-free, and God's loyal people will triumph." ~~King Solomon

Sometimes it seems like doing the right thing is not being rewarded. Solomon reminds us this isn't true. God is God and there will be a day of judgement. God is the judge. We must trust him. We must be loyal to Him. He will be loyal to us. We will triumph in His power.

We can count on it because we can count on God. End of story.

"Count on this: The wicked won't get off scot-free, and God's loyal people will triumph." ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:21)

"Take your stand with God's loyal community and live, or chase after phantoms of evil and die." ~~King Solomon

There is a way to live and there is a way to die. Living comes from aligning myself with God and His loyal servants. Dieing comes from a phantom life of evil and their friends. Wisdom knows the difference.

I will take a stand with God's faithful. That is the way to life. That is the way of Wisdom.

"Take your stand with God's loyal community and live, or chase after phantoms of evil and die." ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:19)

Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances. ~~King Solomon

We all need direction. Our vision is always limited. Having trusted advisors makes a difference.

Who am I listening to? Are they wise?

Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances. ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:14)

"A gadabout gossip can't be trusted with a secret, but someone of integrity won't violate a confidence." ~~King Solomon

Jesus wants us to be people of integrity. Everyone we know needs to be able to trust us completely. It is important in His world that we are cabable of maintaining a confidence. Any other way is not the way of wisdom.

A gadabout gossip can't be trusted with a secret, but someone of integrity won't violate a confidence. ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:13)

"Mean-spirited slander is heartless; quiet discretion accompanies good sense." ~~King Solomon

Speaking ill of others, whether it is true or not, is just not God's way. Jesus summed it up well, Judge not so that you will be not judged yourself.

Wisdom says that it makes good sense to be discrete.

"Mean-spirited slander is heartless; quiet discretion accompanies good sense." ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:12)

 

"When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes; evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time." ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:11)

We can be a blessing to our cities, towns, states and country. When we are right in God, we can bless and God will honor what we have to say. We have God's power in us.

"When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes; evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time." ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:11)

"The loose tongue of the godless spreads destruction; the common sense of the godly preserves them." ~~King Solomon

The most difficult thing in life to control is our tongue. What we say makes a difference. With God's Holy Spirit in us we can be wise. Otherwise we spread destruction everytime we speak.

May we speak the common sense of God and be preserved.

"The loose tongue of the godless spreads destruction; the common sense of the godly preserves them." ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:9)

"A good person is saved from much trouble; a bad person runs straight into it." ~~King Solomon

We are "made good" by Jesus. He alone can do this. Because of that, we are saved from a whole bunch of trouble. Without Jesus, we run smack into to it. No avoiding that.

"A good person is saved from much trouble;  a bad person runs straight into it." ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:8) 

"If good people barely make it, what's in store for the bad!" ~~King Solomon

Jesus is straight with us. The way is not easy. He says it over and over. Unfortunately, many in the church want us believe otherwise. Solomon knew otherwise as well.

We need to vigilant. We need to follow the narrow way. We need to take up the way of sacrifice. We need to leave everything behind for Jesus, our Messiah.

"If good people barely make it, what's in store for the bad!" ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:31)

"Good character is the best insurance; crooks get trapped in their sinful lust." ~~King Solomon

Good character is important. Doing the right thing, God's thing, makes all the difference. Solomon's dad understood that following what God said is important. Solomon learned that from his Dad.

Looking for a reward in this world and the next? Get God's good character. Get it now.

Good character is the best insurance; crooks get trapped in their sinful lust. ~~King Solomon (Proverbs 11:6)

"Life collapses on loafers; lazybones go hungry." ~~King Solomon

Everything God does

" I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it." ~~King Solomon