​Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It contains wisdom – that if you will apply it will change your life and your legacy forever.  I’m so thankful for that wisdom book – Proverbs – and PRISM (those five things you can do in God’s Word every day) that keeps me coming back to it every day.  Praying that your PRISM time is your priority so God can change your thoughts to His thoughts which are so much higher.  I’m so thankful for extracts – not just a verse in your PRISM time that God can reveal His insights, but even an extract from a chapter – that short list of takeaways that can be so powerful when applied as action steps.  Proverbs 15 is one of those chapters that is great for extracts.  Several verses speak of the tongue, and it’s power.  Surely, what you say is what you get, and if there ever was anything to invest wisely, it’s your tongue.  Proverbs 15 tells you what you should invest your tongue in, it tells you how to employ it wisely.  Proverbs 15:1 – A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.  Are your words gentle or harsh? Invest wisely.  Verse 2 – the tongue of the wise commends knowledge.  Commend, to speak in favor of, to recommend, to represent as worthy of notice or regard.  Your tongue should always advance knowledge.  And it can only do that if you are faithful in your PRISM time in God’s Word every day.  That’s why its best to Do PRISM out loud. What you say is more important than what God says.  Not heresy, practicality.  It doesn’t matter what God says, you believe and do what you say. That’s why it’s so important to invest your tongue – to speak out loud what God says – so you grow to believe it and do it.  Train your tongue so your tongue trains you.  And God’s Word is always the best training.  #3 - verse 4, the tongue that brings healing is a tree of life… Do the words out of your mouth make people feel better?  Do they bring healing?  It’s a wise investment.  #4 – verse 5 - a fool spurns his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.  You heed correction with your tongue.  That’s why if you have children, it is crucial to train them to respond with, Yes Mommy, Yes Daddy, Yes Sir, I will obey.  Your tongue is the rudder of your body.  If you teach a child’s tongue to activate their obedience – it will pay dividends for the rest of their life.  You heed correction with your tongue – before and after.  David said “I will obey your word.”  He said it before the correction or instruction came, and when it does come – He says the same.  Your tongue activates your obedience - a wise investment.  #5 –  verse 8 - The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.  The wise invest their tongue in prayer.  Praying the heart of God is a wise investment.  Ask Him, He will lead you. And be sure choose the fear of the LORD, why cancel your prayers.  #6 Investment verse 15  All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.  The wise invest their tongue in thanksgiving.  It is the verbal expression of a cheerful heart.  If you make this a habit, you will always be feasting!  #7 Tongue Investment -  What not to invest in.  A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.  Most invest their tongue in venting, critigue or criticism.  A wise man’s tongue investment – is knowing when not to invest.  Save your cash until the market drops.  Don’t invest in complaining, or disagreement.  Keep your tongue still.  Sometimes the best investment is the one you don’t make.  #8  The wise invest their tongue in asking for counsel – first from the Holy Spirit and then from others.  Verse 22 - Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.  Rather than talking (which limits your capacity to learn new things), they ask for advice from Godly counselors and area experts and sift it through Word of God by the Holy Spirit.  #9 The right word at the right time.  A wise tongue investment comes from seeking God’s truth and God’s timing.  Verse 23 - A man finds joy in giving an apt reply – and how good is a timely word.  Verse 28 – The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of a fool gushes folly.  Wait before you speak.  It’s how you give an apt reply.  If you ask first, the Holy Spirit will lead your replies.  You’ll get the joy of the perfect response, and a timely word.  And the more you soak in God’s Word through your PRISM time with Him, the more ready you are to give that accurate, helpful, wise, and timely word to someone who really needs it.  God will use you to share his truth and life with them.  Be humble, stay in God’s Word, and let the Holy Spirit – guide your tongue investments into others – that’s the healing and life that God wants to give!  #10  Redirect your thoughts – invest your tongue to redirect your thoughts, if they are straying from purity of motive, or intent.  Verse 26 – the LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him.  Invest your tongue to keep your thoughts pure towards God, and others.  Your tongue controls your thoughts. It can stop a wrong direction or thought-path in its tracks – and move it onto the highway that God has for your mind.  The highway of righteousness in your thought-life so your heart is filled with His Word and your thoughts stay on His track.  And #11 – tongue investment  verse 30 – A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.  A wise tongue invests in sharing good news.  You should always be the bearer of good news.  Speak it to yourself and others.  Invest your tongue in your testimony – of what God did, invest your tongue in His promise – of what He will surely do.  And everyone will love to see you coming – because your words are always health and life and joy – wherever you go.  Your words create your life – Praying that you will invest wisely. 
 
Love you all,
dad

​Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word – it addresses real life problems and reveals the opportunities.  Have you ever been frustrated? Frustration is simply an emotional unrest due to circumstances or people.  Things don’t happen like you would have preferred.  That’s the first kind of frustration – the second kind of frustration is an action against you.  An outside force – either God or the devil.  If you’re frustrated first make sure its not God frustrating you.  He’ll send a storm if you’re heading to Tarshish, He frustrates the plans of the wicked.  That’s not always the other guy… it could be you!  He will frustrate wicked plans, plans that are not His.  He does it in his love for you.  So your frustration might be your own doing, or your own lack of doing. Doing your plans not His.  But if you are in the center of His will, if you are walking in that PiVAT relationship with God, trading your plans for His, you can be sure the devil will try to frustrate your plans.  Ezra 4:4 – then the local residents tried to discourage and frighten the people of Judah to keep them from their work.  They bribed agents to work against them to frustrate their plans.  This went on during the entire reign of Cyrus King of Persia and lasted until King Darius of Persia took the throne.  Sometimes the devil is the one trying to frustrate the plans that God has for you.  So how to you address frustration that you experience or feel?  What will frustrate you today?  What will you complain about?  Frustration means you’re not working or operating at full capacity, and it’s hard to be filled with the Spirit when you are filled with frustration.  Frustration steals your full capacity.  Complaining never helps anything, it delays your progress and will bring failure and demise.  First, Ask God to help you.  Cast all your cares on Him, because he cares for you.  Second, Get counsel.  Plans are frustrated for lack of counsel, but with many counselors they succeed. Third – No time is wasted – if your eyes are on the LORD – that’s something God just told me through my Daily Call this morning.  He said to exhort one another daily.  So He can sharpen you each day!  Fourth – Adjust your expectation – It may require more effort, or a delay of something else – to complete this assignment.  Fifth – You are responsible for you not what happens or what others do.  Work harder.  If you worked as hard as you complained, it would be done by now.  Sixth – Choose praise and thanksgiving, and frustration will cease.  Ask God for the way of escape, the way forward in the middle of this situation.  Nehemiah was facing more than you…  His frustration could have been far higher than yours.  Nehemiah 4:16 – From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor.  The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall.  Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked.  But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall.  Whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there.  Our God will fight for us!  So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn til the stars came out.  Nehemiah adjusted his expectations, He doubled his effort, and He spoke faith, and he understood the power of momentum.  God is able to refocus your frustration which leads to failure – into faith which leads to victory.  Praying that your thanksgiving and praise, leads you to God’s solutions.  This is a testimony in the making. 
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It’s the story of life.  Life created by God, and life in Christ Jesus, His Son, who came to die in our place, so that we in Him may have life! And life more abundantly!  God prompted me today.  What are you expecting?  Are you expecting anything today?  Are you awaiting, looking for, hoping for, waiting in joyful, hopeful expectation?  What are you expecting?  Luke 3:15 – The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Messiah.  The people were expecting something.  John told them, “I’m not the one, but One will come after me, whose sandals I’m not worthy to stoop down and untie.”  Jesus the Messiah has come!  So we don’t expect His coming, we expect His return!  Praying that this will be a day of great expectation.  Are you living today with eternity in mind?  And while we are on this earth, what are you expecting God to do?  Are you expecting Him to be with you wherever you go? (To never leave you nor forsake you.)  Are you noticing that He is?  That He’s with you, every step you take?  Are you expecting surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.  Are you expecting His plans that He has for you – to prosper you, not to harm you to give you a future and a hope?  Are you expecting Him to turn everything that the devil meant for evil into good?  In a weak moment, John sent his disciples to Jesus to ask Him… “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”  Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you have heard and seen – the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” Are you expecting that?  Praying that while you are expecting, you take the time to notice the things He does every day, that your praise is great, your thanksgiving is endless, and your joy is full.  Sometimes people expect the next thing, and forget to praise Him for this one.  Praying that today, your praise and thanksgiving will overflow, and your expectation will grow!  Praying that you will pray without ceasing, so God can reveal what He is expecting.  His plans are already underway.  He can’t wait to complete them. 
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word, it’s the story of God’s Love for us, and it’s the story of His Son.  Luke 9:51 – As the time approached for him to be taken up into heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.  He knew what God had for Him to do today, and He didn’t delay, He didn’t waste time, He resolutely set out.  Have you ever had to so something, or meet someone or finish something that was going to be a difficult task or conversation?  You’d rather not do it at all.  You wish you could avoid it altogether.  Those uncomfortable things that must be done.  No matter what you could ever face in a lifetime – it’s no where near what Jesus fully knew He was facing.  And He set out resolutely.  What are you facing?  An uncomfortable task or conversation?  Something you’d rather not do or have?  So what do you do?  Do you avoid it, delay, make excuses, just procrastinate?  Or do you resolutely set out?  That task or conversation isn’t going to happen by itself.  If it must be done – God has a specific time for you to do it.  Usually, it’s earlier than later.  Now, not tomorrow.  Do you run to those things that God has for you, whether pleasant or not?  Faithful people – do the difficult things, the things they would rather not do, at the soonest opportunity possible.  They do it now, exactly when God tells them.  They face them head on, with faith and trust, they go to them, not away from them.  Praying that you won’t delay uncomfortable things, they don’t get easier by waiting, just harder.  Praying that you will set out resolutely when God tells you to move. Deuteronomy 31:8 – The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you.  He will never leave you nor forsake you.  The Holy Spirit goes with you, God’s grace will be enough for you, and His favor lasts a lifetime.  Praying that you will run to whatever God has for you.  If it’s unpleasant or difficult, just hard or not fun…  You can trust God completely to give you grace to succeed in it.  Praying you will resolutely set out, so you can see that next testimony that God has waiting for you.  Sometimes just starting with resolve is the victory and God brings it to completion.  You can trust Him, He’s got this… and He goes before you, He surrounds you and is in you! 
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
Praying that PiVAT before dinner has you walking in God’s perfect plans for you today.  If you missed last night, just take a few moments now, and check in with your boss.  He said His yoke is easy and His burden is light, and He’s your Heavenly Father, not just your boss.  He loves you and has better things planned for you today than you could ever imagine.  As you grow in obeying with time, the key to success and fruit in your life… sometimes it’s just as important to know what not to do, as it is to know what God has for you to do.  There are many more things you are not called to, than things God calls you to do.  You could do anything… In any event you attend, or activity you participate in...  you could hang out, stay late…  Sometimes God leads you to stay until the crowd thins, so the conversation He has been preparing for you can take place uninterrupted.  But sometimes it’s time to leave early, in order to be prepared and rested for what He has called you to do tomorrow.  You cannot do everything, and do it well.  You must know what God told you to do, and what he has not told you to do.  That’s different than telling you not to do something.  Those are more obvious, it’s those optional things, that seem good, and maybe even are, but are just not the best, or not the best at this time… these are the greatest dangers to fall into – that make you miss what is better – the best that God has chosen for you.   In life, you will always have to say "No" to something to say "Yes" to something else.  Praying that God will lead you clearly.  Praying that you will stop and ask, rather than just carrying on.  It’s good to ask before you start a task, project, or event – God what do you want for me to do here? (What’s my real purpose here, beyond just the obvious? What’s my assignment? What is the Divine Appointment?)  And how long do you want me to do this? How long do you want me to stay?   Some events or activities have a stated or assumed purpose, but God may have additional things that He wants to accomplish in you or through you in the middle of them.  Sometimes those conversations in passing – Divinely appointed, are even more important than the event or activity itself.  It’s part of what God means when he says to redeem the time.  A common quote – "Leave them wanting more."  Always better to leave early, than stay too long.  Perhaps it comes from Proverbs 25:17 – Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house – too much of you and they will hate you.  New Living says – Don’t visit your neighbors too often, or you will wear out your welcome.  It good to know when to leave… But even more important is to know why God has you there, and what He wants to accomplish through your visit.  If you arrive on time and leave on time… they will definitely appreciate you coming, and look forward to your return.  And you won’t miss your next assignment!  Even if its just sleep!  PiVAT before dinner will really help – it’s that habit that continues that conversation with God, so you grow in your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit leading your day.  He will have you arrive and leave in His perfect time.  Your day will be fruitful, restful, impactful, and thankful. 
 
Love you all,
dad  

Love you all, praying for you,
 
Have you ever had a todo list – so long you didn’t even know where to start?  It’s when PiVAT before dinner becomes even more important.  If multiple projects and multiple layers are facing you, even PiVAT Projects can bring clarity of the sequence that God has for you.  Not the one that might make sense, or the one that by failing to plan, you’d fall into by default.  Most people think planning is a mental exercise, it’s really a spiritual exercise.  One of listening, and submitting.  It takes faith to believe that God is speaking and you are hearing correctly, and faith to believe that if you follow His lead, it will be the best for you.  Praise God He brings new mercies every morning.  Like the devil brings new distractions and new accusations.  Praise God – His Word is the last Word.  It is so important, whether crazy busy days, or days with margin – to know God’s will for you.  You’ll need to ask Him.  Even if you did PIVAT before dinner last night, confirm with Him throughout the day.  He will reveal step by step what He has for you in the best possible order.  Praying that you will commit your way to the LORD today that you will roll down together with him, and get his plans so they become your plans – each step, each hour.  That you would discern what is best, what He’s called you to, and what He has not… that which is trying to encroach on your time, or emotional energy.  Thinking about things that are not assigned to you right now, is an emotional and physical drain.  But asking God to confirm this step, and doing it with thanksgiving and faith, not only will make this day successful, you will feel God’s peace and joy that comes with it.   Praying that you will commit your way to the LORD – so all your plans will succeed, because they are His plans for you.  Those always succeed.  They are the best, they produce the best, and they feel the best.  Don’t worry about tomorrow, for each day has trouble of its own, just do with joy what God has set before you today.  And let the garment of praise, and the attitude of thanksgiving make your day even better. 
 
Love you all,
dad 

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It always brings fresh from the familiar.  A common verse or verses, read a hundred times… God can give you new and timely insight that is perfect for today.  Just what you need.  He knows.  Because He knows what you will face today, and the victory He already has in store for you.  Psalms 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.  There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.  God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at the break of day.  This is true, but not always true for you.  It depends.  On you.  God is our refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble.  This is true.  But it’s only true for you if you go to Him. If you make Him your refuge and strength.  If you don’t you will fear, and be frustrated.  You might be facing a crazy week or season in your life, but it’s probably not at the level of mountains falling into the sea.  There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the place where He dwells.  If you don’t put Him as your priority, when the mountains shake and the earth give way, you’ll shake and give way with them.  But if He’s your refuge and strength, you won’t fear, you won’t be frustrated, you’ll praise.  You won’t fret, you’ll speak life and faith, and you won’t be upset or troubled, you’ll be glad.  Because God is within you, He is your refuge and strength, He will help you at the break of day.  So thankful for God’s Word – by His Spirit and through His Word.  If you’re faithful in PiVAT before dinner each day, no matter how busy of a season you’re in.  He will give you clear direction.  And If you put time with Him first, your PRISM time in His Word – will bring His confirmation of the things He told you.  It happens all the time.  Praying that the God who is our refuge and strength, is really your refuge and strength today.  The One you turn to and run with first.  His way is a highway.  No weeds or roadblocks.  He makes level paths for your feet, and He makes the crooked places straight.  Praying that you will know the God who is your refuge and strength today, so He can be your present help.  So His streams make you glad, because your heart is where He dwells. 
 
Love you all,
dad

​Love you all, praying for you,
 
There’s a weapon God created for you, to protect you and make you effective.  But few people know what it is, nor how powerful it can be. 
 
Eleven Things You Need To Know About Thanksgiving
 
#1) God said to.  I Thessalonians 5:18 – In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
 
#2) Thanksgiving is how you enter His presence, the ticket required for entry.  Psalms 100:4 - Enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless his name.
 
#3) Thanksgiving makes God bigger.  It increases His glory in your eyes and others.  If your purpose is to glorify God, that means ‘make Him bigger’ in the eyes of others.  Thanksgiving always makes Him bigger.  Psalms 69:30 – I will praise the Name of God with a song, and will magnify him (glorify him) with thanksgiving.   
 
#4) Your Thanksgiving Should Reflect His goodness.  The better He has been to you, the more thankful you should be.  You should be as Thankful as He’s been good!  I Chronicles 16:34 – O give thanks to the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endures forever. 
 
#5) Thanksgiving is required when you request things from God.  If you have petitions or supplications of Him, bring thanksgiving along with your request.  Philippians 4:6 – Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.     
 
#6) Thanksgiving enables the peace of God to rule in your life.  Philippians 4:6-7 – Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Colossians 3:15 – And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.  That word and – means coupled, or joined together having a cumulative effect.  The peace of God ruling in your life, is connected with thanksgiving. If you aren’t skilled in thanksgiving, the peace of God is probably not ruling and reigning in you.   
 
#7)  God’s command to pray – includes -  pray with thanksgiving.  You shouldn’t pray without it.  Colossians 4:2 – Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
 
#8) Thanksgiving helps keep you grounded, rooted, and built up in Him.  Colossians 2:6-8 – So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.  Thanksgiving is the evidence of someone rooted and grounded in their faith and the Word of God. 
 
#9) Thanksgiving protects you from religious deception.  I Timothy 4:1-4 – The Spirit clearly says that in the latter days some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.  Such teachings are spread by hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.  They say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.  For everything God created is good, and we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks.  For we know it has been made holy by the word of God and prayer.  Thanksgiving was created for you - to receive the good things of God with.
 
#10) If you neglect thanksgiving, which is a weapon of protection for you; your heart can become futile, foolish and darkened.  Romans 1:21 – For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, and as a result their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools… So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired…  
 
#11) Thanksgiving helps you remember as well as puts you in His presence.  Psalms 106:13 – But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold.  In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness they put God to the test.  So he gave them what they asked for, but sent leanness into their soul.  (a wasting disease among them).  If you are not thankful, you will soon be craving what will not satisfy you, and you will soul will waste away. 
 
Thanksgiving is the key to His presence, the key to prayer, the key to His peace ruling and reigning in your heart, it ushers in your requests before God, it makes Him bigger in your eyes and others, it’s a weapon that protects you, and it is evidence of those rooted and grounded in Him.  Thanksgiving - It’s worth getting good at! 
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word, it’s upside down.  Which in reality is right side up if you are the one who is upside down.  That’s what God’s way versus mans way really is.  Right Side up verses upside down.  His ways are higher than ours as high as the heavens are above the earth. (Isaiah 55:8-9)  In every area of life this is true, including money.  Most people chase money like the painting of the turtle chasing the carrot on the stick.  They will never catch it, because it’s connected to the string and the stick of the little boy sitting on its back.  Money works that way.  God said, If you chase it, you’ll never catch it.  You’ll never have enough.  But if you pursue God He will give you all you need, when you need it.  Psalms 14:7 – Oh  that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!  When the LORD restores the fortunes of His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.  When the LORD restores, not if the LORD restores the fortunes of His people.  The wealth of the wicked is being stored up for the righteous.  Proverbs 13:22 – A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.   Ecclesiastes 2:26 – To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.  What the devil stole will be returned and seven times more.  Proverbs 6:30 – People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.  Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.  What was stolen will be returned.  Not only what the devil stole that was in your possession, but what would have resulted had you retained it.  Some people get confused, by this ‘wealth of the wicked for the righteous stuff.  They start to imagine buying whatever they want, which only reveals they won’t be the recipient God is talking about.  If you want wealth to spend it on your own pleasures, that’s the thinking that made the wicked the wicked, and is why they ended up losing it.  Let God’s people rejoice and be glad.  He gives you feed and He gives you seed, He gives you everything you need, enough for you, and more – to share with others.  Spiritual first, natural follows.  Praying that you will be Israel today - the people where He rules as God, so that you can rejoice!  Praying that today you will know His Plans, that you will Soak in His Word and His presence, that you will overflow with Thanksgiving, that you will proclaim the Testimony of Him and the joy that He brings when you walk in His ways for you. The way chosen, the way that is best for you, so you live in God’s abundance – which has nothing to do with what’s in your bank or your pantry, or driveway.  His ways always bring a harvest - Fruit that will last.  If He rules as God – all the good that He has for you – you will walk in it! 
 
Love you all,
dad

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It gives you wisdom.  God says above all else – this is the thing to get – Wisdom.  God’s wisdom will make you prosper and He will add no trouble with it.  Unlike the other kind of wisdom.  So what are Eleven Things That Wise People Do?  #1 - They love God’s Word – it’s how they gain more wisdom.  Psalms 19:7 – The instruction of the LORD is fully complete, restoring the soul, the teaching of the LORD is faithful, giving wisdom to ordinary people.  #2 - They listen, they seek counsel.  It’s how they add to their wisdom.  Proverbs 1:5 – The wise will listen and increase their learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.  Proverbs 12:15 – The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.  Proverbs 19:20 – Listen to advice and accept instruction and you will be wise for the rest of your life.  #3 – They store up knowledge – they write it down.  Proverbs 10:14 – Wise people store up knowledge, but the babbling of a fool invites disaster.  Jeremiah 30:2 – This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says, “Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.”  #4 – They work hard.  Proverbs 6:6 – Be like the ant you sluggard, emulate its ways, and be wise.  Without an overseer or ruler, they labor hard all summer gathering food for the winter.  How long will you stay in bed, you sluggard, when will you get up from your sleep.  A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come on you like a bandit, and scarcity like an armed man.  So what do the wise do?  #5 - They hold their tongue.  Proverbs 10:19 – When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.  #6 – They don’t anger easily.  James 1:19 - Therefore, be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry  Proverbs 12:16 – Fools show their annoyance at once, but the wise overlook an insult.  Proverbs 29:11 – A fool fully vents all his feelings, but a wise man keeps himself under control (stills himself within.)    #7 They choose their words carefully, they only speak life and kindness.  Proverbs 12:14 – From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, just as hard work brings a reward.  Proverbs 12:18 – The words of the reckless pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.  Proverbs 15:28 – The heart of the righteous thinks carefully before speaking, but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things.   Ecclesiastes 10:12 – Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are destroyed by their own words.  So what do the wise do?  #8 – They are selective in friendship.  – Proverbs 13:20 – He that walks with the wise becomes wise: but a companion of fools will be destroyed.  #9 – They fear God, and turn from evil, they see danger and avoid it.  Proverbs 14:16 – The wise fear the LORD and turn from evil, but a fool is arrogant and overconfident.   Proverbs 27:12 - The wise see danger and take refuge, the fool keeps going and suffers for it.  #10 – They heed correction.  Proverbs 15:31 – The ear that listens to a life-giving reproof will live among the wise.  Proverbs 17:10 – A single rebuke is more effective to a wise man than a hundred lashes to a fool.  (A wise man accepts correction, but you can’t beat sense into a fool.)  Ecclesiastes 4:13 – Better a poor and wise child, than an old and foolish king, who no longer receives correction or counsel.  And #11 – What do the wise do?  They win souls – to salvation, and obedience.  Proverbs 11:30 – The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that wins souls is wise.  Praying that you will act wisely, speak wisdom, walk with the wise, and pursue wisdom, so you become and remain wise.  And most of all – that you will know the LORD – who is the Source and Giver of all wisdom.  Jeremiah 9:23-24 – This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.   

Love you all,
dad