PROVERBS 23

Dealing with gluttony                                          verse 1- 3

When you sit to eat with a ruler

consider diligently what is before you

AND put a knife to your throat

if you be a man given to appetite

be not desirous of his dainties

               for they are deceitful meat                       

Dealing with wealth                                             verse 4- 5 

Labor not to be rich – cease from your own wisdom

Will you set your eyes upon that which is not?

                        for riches certainly make themselves wings

they fly away as an eagle toward heaven      

Dealing with habits of the wicked                        verse 6- 11                            

Eat you not the bread of him that hath an evil eye

neither desire you his dainty meats

for as he thinks in his heart

so is he

Eat and drink, says he to you

but his heart is not with you

The morsel which you have eaten shalt you vomit up

AND lose your sweet words  

Speak not in the ears of a FOOL

            for he will despise the WISDOM of your words                  

Remove not the old landmark

            AND enter not into the fields of the fatherless

                        for their REDEEMER is mighty

                                    HE shall plead their cause with you              

Dealing with children                                          verse 12- 16            

Apply your heart unto instruction

            AND your ears to the words of knowledge

Withhold not correction from the child

            for if you beat him with the rod

he shall not die

You shalt beat him with the rod

            AND shalt deliver his soul from hell

My son – if your heart be WISE

my heart shall rejoice – even mine

Yea – my reins shall rejoice

when your lips speak right things                              

 Dealing with Envy                                               verse 17- 18 

Let not your heart envy sinners

            BUT be you in the

FEAR OF THE LORD all day long

                                    for surely there is an end

AND thine expectation shall not be cut off              

Dealing with Wine                                               verse 19- 21

Hear you – my son – and be wise

and guide your heart in the way                                                        

Be not among WINEBIBBERS

            among RIOTOUS eaters of flesh

for the DRUNKARD AND GLUTTON

shall come to poverty

AND drowsiness shall

clothe a man with rags           

Dealing with Parental responsibility                   verse 22- 25

  Hearken to your father that begat you

            AND despise not your mother when she is old

                           buy the truth – AND sell it not

            ALSO wisdom – AND instruction

                           AND understanding

The father of the RIGHTEOUS shall greatly rejoice

            AND he that beget a wise child shall have joy of him

Your father and your mother shall be glad

            and she that bare you shall rejoice                 

Dealing with Adultery                                                            verse 26- 28

My son – give me your heart

and let your eyes observe my ways

For the whore is a deep ditch

            and a strange woman is a narrow pit

She also lies in wait as for a prey

and increases the transgressors among men                         

Dealing with Drunkenness                                                     verse 29- 35

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions?

            Who has babbling? Who has wounds without cause?

                        Who has redness of eyes?

They that tarry long at the wine

            they that go to seek mixed wine

Look not you on the wine when it is red

            when it gives his color to the cup      

                        when it moves itself aright

At the last it bites like a serpent

stings like an adder                            

Your eyes shall behold strange women

            and your heart shall utter perverse things

Yea – you shall be as he that lies down in the midst of the sea

            or as he that lies upon the top of a mast

They have stricken me – shall you say – and I was not sick

            they have beaten me

and I felt it not when shall I awake?

                                    I shall seek it yet again           

 

COMMENTARY:           

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers 

: 2        And put a knife to thy throat, if you be a man given to appetite. (5315 “appetite” [nephesh] a                                       breathing creature, desire, emotion, passion, crave, lust, or pleasure.

DEVOTION: This chapter starts with a warning against knowing our surroundings. Here is a man invited to a banquet. There is a lot of food in front of him.

Solomon warns that his son should think before eating. The man who invited him might be trying to influence him in a wrong direction. His son is to look to the LORD for guidance. His son is to control his desires. He is not to let the desire for food outweigh his testimony for the LORD.

He is to restrict his eating for the purpose of keeping his body under control. The use of the knife is figurative. He is not telling is son to commit suicide. He is telling him to have control over his body.

Gluttony is talking about anything that we can do to an extreme. We can love sports to an extreme. We can love work to an extreme. We can love money to an extreme. The Pharisees loved to make rules or traditions that needed to be followed. Most of us associate food with our desires. The word means anything that we lust after or find pleasure in with the exception of the giving glory to God.

What it is saying is that if you can’t control your eating or other habits, think when you are eating or indulging that there is a knife there to limit your eating. With that vision in mind, you would think about what you are eating. Gluttony is a sin. The LORD wants us to balance our desires. We have to watch for extremes in our life. Prayer helps with this. Our spouse helps with this. Parents help with this.

Parents know the habits of their children most of the time. Christian parents should know what is affecting their children’s life and see if there are any extremes.

CHALLENGE: Do you know what is going on with your children and grandchildren that might affect the rest of their life? Instruction is important at home and in church for those who are followers of the LORD. 

 

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers 

            : 11      For their redeemer is mighty: HE shall plead their cause with you. (1350 “redeemer” [ga’al] means                               kinsman, revenger, avenger, deliverer, do the part of the next of kin, or to buy back.) 

DEVOTION: There are always people who want to take advantage of those who are defenseless. However they sometimes don’t realize that there is someone who will come along side to help those who seem defenseless.

Here we have a twofold meaning to a word. The first can be applied to human beings who have a relative that is unable to help themselves and another relative comes alongside and helps them with their current problem with someone who is more powerful them themselves.

The second part is found in the fact that throughout the Bible we find the LORD coming alongside those who seem to be defenseless. HE will help them through other human beings or through a divine act like the waters of the Red Sea falling on the Egyptian army while they were in the middle of it.

Today we have a “redeemer” in the person of Jesus Christ. HE came to this world to redeem those who were dead in trespasses and sins. They were headed for a place called Hell for eternity to spend that time with the Devil and his angels.
However, because of HIS death on the cross and resurrection those who turn their hearts over to Christ will spend eternity in Heaven with all those who have made the same commitment.

There has to be a genuine asking for help with a lifetime of commitment to serving the LORD with HIS help. The Holy Spirit is given to all those who make this commitment. HE gives them daily guidance through the Word of God, the Bible, and through fellow believers who are more mature.

Our responsibility to our kinsman deliverer is to commit each day to HIS service. Remembering that those who are genuinely a follower also will be chastened if they wander from the right path.

CHALLENGE: Knowing that we have a deliverer from all of our daily problems or trouble is reassuring as we face the trials that are allowed in our life.

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            : 14      You shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell. (5337 “deliver” [natsal] means rid,                          to save oneself, to pull out, be secure, to free from harm or evil, and in some cases from                                              imprisonment, escape)

DEVOTION: Our children are important to us. Some children however, give us more problems than others. Here we find that parents have to sometimes use the rod of correction more often than others to keep their children from going in the wrong direction, which is, away from the LORD.

It is not getting easier to raise children today. There are more temptations around them in school and with their friends than before. It seems that even their phones can be a problem where that was not true when we were growing up.

Raising children today takes work. It might not be more work but it seems that there are more problems today in schools and even in the work place than when we were growing up.

Parents need our prayers when they are dealing with their children. Discipline is necessary but not encouraged today in the social media. Christian today think they need to challenge their parents more with the threat that they will tell authorities what they are doing when they discipline them.

I don’t envy parents today that are trying to raise their children to honor the LORD every moment of their lives with all the temptations that hit them in school and at home through television and friends.

CHALLENGE: We need to be praying for Christian parents who are trying to do well by their children. Honoring the LORD in the raising of children is not getting easier today. However, that is the responsibility of every parent who loves the LORD!

 

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 21      Fro the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.                          (3423 “poverty” [yarash] means to be dispossessed, be impoverished, reduced to being poor, or become                         destitute.

DEVOTION:  This can also mean “to not have possessions or resources necessary for a normal lifestyle or possibly           even bare essentials” according to James Swanson’s dictionary.

Have you ever spoken or attended a mission service? Have you ever worked with the homeless? Have you ever sat down and talked with someone who has lived in a city mission?

I had the opportunity to train disciples at a city mission for some weeks. It was a learning experience. They explained how they got to the point of living at a city mission. Most of them were addicted to strong drink. They had a hard time even giving it up while they were living at the mission.

Solomon warned his son that those who are given to drinking strong drink or given to riotous eating should be avoided. He understood that if people are given to bad habits they affect their livelihood.

Many who are poor have given themselves to bad habits. Some are homeless because of other circumstances. Some lost their jobs or didn’t make enough on their job to support their living. Money can be a real problem in our society.

Some people have never been trained on how to spend money. Some think because they have a credit card they can spend to the limit and just pay the minimum. This is wrong thinking.

Solomon instructed his son to work hard. He wanted his son to have a work ethic that caused him to support himself. Living within his means was important to him.

The church should take responsibility in the area of training those who are followers of the LORD to establish good work habits and avoid things that cause individuals to lose everything. Solomon wanted to train his family and we should train our families as well.

CHALLENGE: Have you trained your children in the area of finances? I never received the training and learned from the college of hard knocks. Start training even now.

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group) 

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead) 

Redeemer                                                                   verse 11

LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)   verse 17

                        Fear of the LORD                                                     verse 17 

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah) 

Redeemer                                                                   verse 11 

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)    

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation) 

Ruler                                                                          verse 1

Man                                                                            verse 2

Fatherless                                                                   verse 10

Child                                                                           verse 13, 14, 24

Son                                                                              verse 15, 19, 26

Father                                                                         verse 22, 24, 25

Mother                                                                       verse 22, 25 

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels) 

                        Given to appetite                                                       verse 2, 3, 6- 8

                        Labor to be rich                                                        verse 4, 5

                        Depend on your own wisdom                                   verse 4

Evil eye                                                                       verse 6

Desire dainty                                                             verse 6

Watch how you think in your own heart                verse 7

                        Fool despises wisdom                                                verse 9

                        Removing old landmark                                           verse 10

                        Steal from fatherless                                                 verse 10

                        Envy sinners                                                              verse 17

                        Winebibber                                                                verse 20

                        Riotous eaters                                                            verse 20

                        Glutton                                                                       verse 21

                        Drunkard                                                                   verse 21

                        Whore                                                                        verse 27

                        Strange woman                                                         verse 27, 33

                        Lying in wait                                                              verse 28

                        Transgressors                                                            verse 28

                        Contention                                                                 verse 29

                        Babbling                                                                     verse 29

                        Mixed wine                                                                verse 30- 35

                        Utter perverse things                                                verse 33 

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins) 

Apply heart to instruction                                        verse 12

Hear words of knowledge                                        verse 12

Correct children                                                        verse 13, 14

Deliver from hell                                                       verse 14

Set heart to be wise                                                   verse 15

Heart to rejoice                                                          verse 15

Speak right things                                                     verse 16

Fear of the LORD                                                     verse 17

Expectations shall not be cut off                             verse 18

Listen to parent                                                         verse 19

Listen to your father                                                 verse 22

Despise not your mother                                          verse 22

Truth                                                                          verse 23

Wisdom                                                                      verse 23

Instruction                                                                 verse 23

Understanding                                                           verse 23

Righteous                                                                   verse 24

Rejoice in obedient child                                          verse 24, 25

Set example for children                                          verse 26

Woe                                                                            verse 29- 32

            Sorrow

            Contentions

            Babbling

            Redness of eyes

            Tarry long at the wine

Behold strange women                                             verse 33

Perverse things                                                          verse 33 

Israel (Old Testament people of God) 

      Solomon                                                                     verse 1- 35 

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events) 

Die                                                                              verse 13

Hell                                                                             verse 14 

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QUOTES regarding passage

23:10–11 This text envisages a court battle in which one party has wrongfully seized the property of another party, and God himself takes on the role of attorney for the wronged, weaker party. The party that attempted to defraud cannot possibly win. (Garrett, D. A. (1993). Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of songs (Vol. 14, p. 196). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

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23:10, 11. Champion of the fatherless

Cf. 22:28 and 22:22, 23. Redeemer is gō’ēl, originally the near kinsman who must come to the rescue of one who had fallen on hard times (e.g. Lev. 25:25; Ruth 3:12, 13; 4:1ff.) or for the avenging of one murdered (Num. 35:19). The term is applied to God in, e.g., Genesis 48:16; Exodus 6:6; Job 19:25, and many times in Isaiah 41–63. (Kidner, D. (1964). Proverbs: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 17, pp. 143–144). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)

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10–11 Once again the instruction warns against removing a boundary stone and encroaching on the property of the defenseless (v. 10; see 22:22–23, 28). The motivation is that their “Defender” (gōʾ^alām) is strong and will plead their cause. The Redeemer/Avenger (gōʾēl) was usually a powerful relative who would champion the rights of the defenseless; but if there was no human gōʾēl God would take up their cause (see Gen 48:16; Exod 6:6; Job 19:25; Isa 41–63). (Ross, A. P. (1991). Proverbs. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Vol. 5, p. 1069). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

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See note on chap. 22:28. He who, because of their apparent helplessness, invades the field of the widow or the orphan, in order to enlarge his own possessions, will learn to his sorrow that they have a Goel, or Kinsman-Redeemer, in Jehovah Himself. He will espouse their cause, and manifest His power on their behalf. Let those who are wronged commit their affairs to Him, knowing that He cannot fail any who trust His love and count upon His intervention. It is refreshing and uplifting to see how David referred all his concerns to this mighty Pleader, when misjudged and oppressed. (Ironside, H. A. (1908). Notes on the Book of Proverbs (p. 320). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Bros.)

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23:10–11. The 10th saying. Verse 10a is identical with 22:28a, and 23:10b–11 is partially similar to 22:22–23. Stealing land from a neighbor by moving his boundary stone is bad enough but to take fields from children of widows is worse yet! The Lord, in His concern for the fatherless (Deut. 10:18; Pss. 10:14, 17–18; 68:5; 82:3; 146:9) opposes all who mistreat and steal from fatherless children. He is their Defender (gō’ēl, a person responsible for meeting the needs of a troubled or defenseless close relative). (Buzzell, S. S. (1985). Proverbs. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 956). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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Ver. 10. Remove not the old landmark, &c.] See the note on ch. 22:28. And enter not into the fields of the fatherless; to carry off the increase of them, to reap their wheat, or mow their grass, or turn in cattle to eat it; or to encroach upon them, take in any part of them, or join the whole to their own; for if there is a woe to them that lay field to field, much more to them that enter into and take the fields of the fatherless, and join them to their own, Isa. 5:8.

Ver. 11. For their Redeemer is mighty, &c.] As he must needs be, since the Lord of hosts is his name; who sympathizes with them, has mercy on them, is their father, and their friend; see Jer. 50:34; Hos. 14:3; Psal. 68:5. He shall plead their cause with thee; or against thee, as the Vulgate Latin version; and will certainly carry it for them, and against thee: for, when he undertakes a cause, he pleads it thoroughly. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 4, p. 486). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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Speaking of their rights in verse 10 and their Redeemer in verse 11, Solomon warned: “Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.”

Solomon, as we have seen, had issued a similar warning in Proverbs 22:28, but here in 23:10–11 he added the fact that the sin in question is a sin against God. The landmarks in Israel were recorded in the supreme courthouse in Heaven. Those who violated the sanctity of an ancient landmark were inviting divine retribution. The crime is aggravated when the property of orphans is involved. They may look like easy prey, but “their redeemer is mighty.”

“Their redeemer is mighty”—the basic principle expressed by these words underlies the book of Ruth. The book of Exodus also deals primarily with redemption, but while Exodus illustrates redemption by power, Ruth illustrates redemption by purchase. We whose Redeemer is mighty have been rescued both ways.

We note ten features of the brief, interesting, and important book of Ruth. First we observe disorder. The story took place “in the days when the judges ruled” (Ruth 1:1). The last five chapters of the book of Judges emphasize the religious and moral disarray of Israel during those days.

Then we see disaster, for “there was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1). Famine was one of the curses pronounced by Moses (see Deuteronomy 28:23–24). He had threatened the nation that if they committed apostasy, the Lord would send such a judgment.

Next we note dispersal, for Elimelech took his family into exile in Moab. He hoped to escape the hardships that had come upon Bethlehem-judah, “the house of bread and of praise.” Elimelech’s move was retrogressive and he soon paid a high price for his decision. In the Old Testament God’s blessings were centered in a place, the promised land. Even when temporarily suspended while God chastened His children, those blessings were nonetheless sure—but only in that place.

We also observe disregard, as Elimelech and his family continued to live in Moab, away from the place where God had put His name and met with His people. For about ten years, while his boys were becoming men, he lived out of fellowship with God’s people. Elimelech’s testimony for God in Moab must have been negative at best.

Then we see distress as death followed death. Elimelech died and his two sons, who had married pagan Moabite women, also died. The high price of backsliding and rebellion was paid under the chastening hand of God.

Next we observe discovery when Naomi received word that God had “visited his people” (Ruth 1:6). There was revival back home. Blessing had broken out among God’s people. There was “bread enough and to spare” in the place where God had promised to pour out His blessings (see Luke 15:17).

We also note decision in the book of Ruth. Naomi made up her mind to go back home. This Old Testament prodigal announced to Ruth and Orpah her determination to be restored to the fellowship of God’s people. Two other decisions followed: Ruth decided that she would seek a place among God’s people. Orpah decided to go back to the land of the lost, back to Moab, back to her old way of life, back to the demon gods of her people, and back into spiritual darkness.

We see dispossession when Naomi found that she had been reduced, by reason of her long backsliding in Moab, to abject indigence. Upon her return home she found poverty in the midst of plenty! The old landmarks had been removed. Her inheritance was in the hands of others. She had the title, but others tilled her land, lived in her house, and claimed what was hers. No one cared about widows (or orphans), especially when caring meant giving up property. Other people had possession of Naomi’s land and in those lawless days “when the judges ruled,” possession was nine-tenths of the law. So pitiable was Naomi’s condition that people hardly recognized her. “Is this Naomi?” they asked. “Call me Mara,” she replied. “I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty” (Ruth 1:19–21).

Then we observe discernment. Ruth went out to glean and found the kinsman-redeemer. This poor Gentile woman—a member of a hostile race, a native of a country under a curse, a foreigner raised in pagan darkness, a stranger to the covenants of Israel, an alien with no claim on the promises of God, and an outlaw according to the statute book of Israel—met Boaz! More important, she found grace in the eyes of that great prince of the house of Judah. Her heart was stirred even though she knew nothing about the law of the kinsman-redeemer. All she knew was that this man was mighty—“a mighty man of wealth,” as the Bible says (Ruth 2:1).

Finally we note deliverance. Boaz did for Ruth what she could not do for herself. He met all the demands of the law, paid the price of her redemption, married her, and brought her into the royal family of Heaven.

Behind this wonderful book with its gospel overtones is the fact that a mighty kinsman-redeemer purchased two things. He purchased both Ruth and her property, and thus the text moves to yet another point of focus. The narrative illustrates not only the story of Christ and His church but also the story of Jehovah and Israel. Like Elimelech, the Israelites left the promised land and found graves in Gentile countries while their own country lay desolate under the judgment of God. Like Naomi, the Israelites have come back in these last days. Though impoverished, Israel is aware that God has again visited His people. Many of the old landmarks have been removed by the Muslims, the Turks, the British, the Palestinians, and the United Nations. The British promised to restore the landmarks, but created the state of Jordan. In trying to force Israel to surrender the West Bank and Jerusalem, even the United States has shown a desire to remove the landmarks. But “their redeemer is mighty.”

Israel has not yet met its kinsman-redeemer. It has not yet discovered the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. But the ancient landmarks are recorded in Heaven and in the Bible. They run all the way from the Nile to the Euphrates (Genesis 15:18–21). Let the Gentile nations take note. Woe betide anyone who removes those landmarks. The mighty Redeemer, who came once to redeem the people of Israel, is coming back to retake their property, which He has likewise bought and paid for (Matthew 13:44). No country on earth, however great and mighty, can afford to enter into a controversy with God over ancient landmarks. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring Proverbs 19–31: An Expository Commentary (Vol. 2, Pr 23:10–11). Kregel Publications; WORD search Corp)

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FROM MY READING: 

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

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How beautiful it is to realize that despite the perverted condition of society, in every generation, GOD HAS ALWAYS PROVIDED Himself with some who BELIEVE HIM AND ARE FAITHFUL TO HIM! Even if it’s only eight people in the world, literally speaking.

How beautiful is the example of Noah, who lived in the time of a generation that filled God’s patience, to the point of deciding to exterminate all flesh on earth!

BUT NOAH FOUND GRACE IN GOD’S EYES.

First, God is a God full of grace and mercy, who extended his grace to Noah, who was as sinful as the rest of men, WITH THE DIFFERENCE THAT HE DID BELIEVE GOD!

Second, because Noah walked with God, he sought to obey Him every day.

Third, we see that Noah DID EVERYTHING GOD TOLD HIM, JUST AS GOD COMMANDED HIM.

Fourth, there is nothing and no one in the world with the ability to thwart God’s plans. God created a universe with a planet with all the conditions conducive to being inhabited by people who would fill it with the glory of God. That would not change, and no generation, no matter how perverse, would ruin God’s plans.

The Bible tells us that none of this took God by surprise or made Him improvise to carry out His plans, for He already knew that man would decide to sin by using his ability to make decisions. Before the foundation of the world, God already had his plan of redemption included; for one day, all the Redeemed will fill the earth with His glory.

God decided to exterminate the entire population of that time and start again with Noah and his family.

This is another excellent example we can learn from Noah’s life. He was a godly father who honored God by teaching his children to know, love and obey God. His children and their wives believed in God and helped their father in the grand project of building the Ark.

Are we helping our children to know, love and obey God? That will make all the difference in their lives! Noa´s children were saved because they listened to his father and learned to Believe God!  (Sol Ibarra -Mexico)

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A couple had been married for several years without a child. For the purpose of companionship, they bought a Rottweiler puppy, named it Hatchi and loved her like a child.

The dog had access to all the rooms in the house. The puppy grew to become a large, beautiful dog and had on several occasions saved d couples from robbery. Hatchi was always faithful, loyal and defended its owners against any danger.

Seven years later, the couple was blessed to have the long awaited son. They were very happy with their new son and decreased the attention they had been giving the dog. Hatchi felt neglected and began to get jealous of the baby.

One day the couple left the baby sleeping peacefully in his cradle and went to the terrace to prepare a roast. They were shocked as they were heading to the nursery and saw Hatchi in the hallway with a bloody mouth, wagging its tail.

The dog’s owner thought the worst, pulled out a weapon and immediately killed the dog. Rushed to the baby’s room and found a beheaded snake close to the baby. The owner begins to mourn and exclaims I killed my faithful dog! How often have we misjudged people without finding out facts. The next time we are tempted to judge and condemn anyone remember the story of a faithful dog Hatchi. (Thanks AJ)

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Misuse of the Bible
“. . . his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16) 
It is vitally important for every Christian to study and use the Scriptures, for they constitute our only real authority (note Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 14:26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; etc.). In doing this, however, it is just as important that we not misuse the Scriptures, for this can be almost as dangerous as ignoring them altogether.
Many people twist the Scriptures, seeking to make them fit some opinion of their own, hoping thereby to give a pseudobiblical authority to their peculiar prejudices, instead of allowing the Lord to say what He means. Such distortion of Scripture has generated a plethora of cults and heresies—past and present. This was essentially Christ’s view of the Pharisees: “In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9).
Similar—perhaps even worse—is claiming to receive new Scripture, or perhaps new (and authoritative) insight on existing Scripture. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it” (Deuteronomy 4:2). “Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:6).
Cults and heretics distort and supplement the Scriptures, but still deadlier are the liberals who try to explain away the Scriptures. “If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life” (Revelation 22:19). This act of distorting and then denying God’s Word (“Yea, hath God said. . . . Ye shall not surely die,” Genesis 3:1, 4) was the very lie of Satan that brought sin into the world. No wonder the Bible warns so severely against it! (HMM, Institute for Creation Research)

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Elections are currently scheduled for November 2019 but would be held in a few months if the coalition loses the majority.

Recent violence flared up after the Israeli Defense Force and a cell of Hamas got into a skirmish in the southern Gaza Strip. The fighting claimed the life of one IDF officer and seven members of Hamas.

Following the battle, Hamas launched nearly 500 rockets into Israel and the Israeli Air Force pounded more than 150 targets in the Gaza Strip.

One Israeli died and more than 60 were injured in the rocket attacks. A cease-fire went into place Tuesday. (Scott Slayton writes at One Degree to Another.)

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