Throughout Proverbs, our caring, loving, merciful God keeps telling us the blessings that good people receive, and the punishment evil people receive, for God, who loves and cares about His creation, places the blessings and punishments alongside each other, so we cannot miss it, but God not only does it so we always do what is right, but also for us to see what is coming for evil people that enjoy making life miserable for anyone opposing their evil thinking, so give much thinking to this biblical fact, for it is strong in Proverbs 19:1-29.
Proverbs 19:1-29 (NLT)—1 Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and a fool. 2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes. 3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD. 4 Wealth makes many “friends”; poverty drives them all away. 5 A false witness will not go unpunished, nor will a liar escape. 6 Many seek favors from a ruler; everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts! 7 The relatives of the poor despise them; how much more will their friends avoid them! Though the poor plead with them, their friends are gone. 8 To acquire wisdom is to love oneself; people who cherish understanding will prosper. 9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed. 10 It is not right for a fool to live in luxury or for a slave to rule over princes! 11 Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs. 12 The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar, but his favor is like dew on the grass. 13 A foolish child is a calamity to a father; a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as water constantly dripping. 14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the LORD can give us an understanding wife. 15 Lazy people sleep soundly, but idleness leaves them hungry. 16 Keep the commandments and keep your life; despising them leads to death. 17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD— and He will repay you! 18 Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise, you will ruin their lives. 19 Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty. If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again. 20 Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life. 21 You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail. 22 Loyalty makes a person attractive. It is better to be poor than dishonest. 23 Fear of the LORD leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm. 24 Lazy people take food in their hand but do not lift it to their mouth. 25 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you correct the wise, they will become wiser. 26 Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother are an embarrassment and a public disgrace. 27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge. 28 A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice: the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil. 29 Punishment is made for mockers, and the backs of fools are made to be beaten.
God does not ask His children to ask for evil rulers to be removed from office, for that is already prepared, as His written word promises; therefore, God ask only that His children pray for evil people, to allow Him to change them, so they accept His loving forgiveness, and obey and serve Him rather than loving, obeying, and enjoying the wicked, controlling, satanic spirits they now serve.
God loves all His creation, but all God’s creation do not love Him, for few find the way to eternal life; whereas, many find the way to the eternal lake of fire. Come to God as you are.
Jim Nabors
