Chapter 1
1.   Proverbs are sayings which are taken from every day life; they are designed to communicate practical instruction for living the right way; they teach us how to live.  They also warn us about the dangers of being foolish.  

1, 2.  God cares about us, and therefore wants us to be able to discriminate between right and wrong.  God wants us to be skillful at making good choices.  The book of proverbs will give us that skill.  

3.  In other words, God wants us to have a high moral standard.  If a person is immoral, or unfair they are not wise.  

4.  A simple person is someone who is easily led astray.  A simple person is in an inexperienced person.  Reading the Proverbs will give an inexperienced person experience without having to gain it through mistakes.  

5.  Notice a wise man will hear and increase learning.  No matter how discerning we may be, there is always room to improve.  The word of God helps us to improve.  

6.  Reading God's word will help us to be more discriminating.  In other words, we will understand when someone says something that is correct.  God's word gives us the ability to distinguish between words that are correct and incorrect and ideas that are correct and incorrect.

7a. We are not wise if we do not respect God.  We are not wise if we don't have a healthy fear of God.  The most basic element of wisdom is to understand that God has made everything, including us, that he is greater than we are and that we are accountable to him.

7.  God says if you do things your way instead of my way you are a fool.  If you get angry when God disciplines you for doing wrong you're a fool as well.  Fools despise wisdom, in other words, they don't listen when someone tries to teach them right from wrong.  Fools despise instruction; they don't accept truth, nor do they accept correction.

8.  This assumes that mom and dad's instructions come out of the word of God, or are at least in line with God's word.

9.  A graceful ornament would be equivalent to fine jewelry today.  Necklaces and garlands were used to make a person more attractive.  
When a young person learns from their Godly parents they will grow up to be an attractive person.  Good people will be drawn to them.

10.  Don't let anyone talk you into doing something that you know is wrong.  Following that one little piece of advice can keep your life from becoming a big mess.

11-14. There are people who do not let any of the commandments of God stand in the way of them doing what they want to do.  When we recognize someone like that we do ourselves a big favor by staying away from them.

15.  The only way to avoid the trouble that a bad person will get into is to avoid them.

16,17. God says a bird is wise enough to avoid a situation that it knows is a trap.

18.  People who reject the word of God, in the process reject the warning signs of traps which are set to destroy their soul.  Those who reject the clear spiritual warning signs that God gives them are not as smart as a bird that senses when something is a trap.

19.  The evil that people do to others eventually comes back to haunt them.

20,21.  In other words, God wants as many people as possible to hear his message; to hear his holy word.  God wants the bible to be proclaimed everywhere, and at all times.  The bible contains the wisdom of God, and man needs that wisdom to live a decent life here, and to avoid eternal hell.  

22a. In other words, God says, how long are you going to be foolish enough to believe something simply because it appeals to you?

22b. God is rebuking those who do not take his word seriously.  When are you going to wake up, and quit being such a fool?  Fools hate knowledge.  Anyone who doesn't take God's advice is a fool; he's trying to help us.

23.  God says if you repent I will teach you about myself, and I will give you insight into the way that you should live.  God wants to help us make decisions; decisions that are good for us and that glorify him.

24.  What a waste it is to reject the word of God, and forfeit all the good that he wants us to enjoy.  He says because I have called; because I have tried to instruct you, but you wouldn't listen, and you wouldn't pay attention.

25.  No one enjoys being told that they are wrong, but God tells us anyway because he cares about us.  He tells us when we are wrong; he tries to correct us because he cares about us.  He is grieved when we do not accept his correction because he wants things to go well for us.

26.  If you're in the market for trouble and misery than reject the word of God.  Sinners laugh at God's word; fools scoff at the instruction of the lord, but when the dust clears their lives will be in ruin, and God says he will laugh.  In other words, don't expect God to help when his judgment hits you because then it will be too late.

27.  Payday is coming for those who reject the counsel of God's word.  Sooner or later terror and distress will hit those who reject the clear teaching of God's word.

28.  Someday it will be too late.  When the consequences of sin catch up to us there's no way to get rid of them.  When a lost soul is burning in hell it's too late for them to say, God I think I will repent now.

29.  Some people do not want to learn what God says, and they do not want to do things God's way.  People have freewill; they can choose to go that route if they want to.

29,30.  No respect, and spurned should never be a part of anyone's attitude towards God.  This refers to people who have no room for God in their life.  People like that can expect trouble in this life but most of all in eternity.

31.  In other words, God says if you want to do things your way that's up to you, but I'm telling you in advance that you will live with the horrible consequences of that choice.

32.  We are free to make our choices, but we are not free to choose the consequences of those choices.  We get what we have coming.

33.  Everyone has trouble, but if we respect God then we will avoid the trouble that comes from sin.  We won't have that trouble here, and we won't have it in hell either. 

Chapter 2
1.  God wants us to receive his words and treasure his commands inside of us.  We do that by reading the bible, rereading it, and by studying it.

1,2.  God wants us to incline our ear to wisdom; in other words he wants us to listen to him; listening takes effort, but it's worth it.  
People who talk more than they listen have more trouble than most others, and often their troubles are reoccurring.  That's because they don't shut their mouth long enough to listen to the wise counsel of God and others.

3,4. If we want something we must pray, and then roll up our sleeves and work for it.  That's not being nonspiritual; that's how God has designed things to work.  As a result, if we want Godliness then we must work for that as well.

5.  If we make God and Godliness a priority then we will not be disappointed.  If we want what God wants, and are willing to sacrifice to obtain it then we will have it.

6.  God wants to renew the minds of his people.  God can teach his people to think straight; to discern true from false, and to distinguish between bad, good, better, and best.

7.  God will give us knowledge, and protection, but we must obey him, or it won't happen.

8.  God will guard us if we are good.  Good people will have their share of trouble, but God protects them from the sorrow that comes from an ungodly lifestyle.

9.  If we stay close to God he will show us how to make good decisions.

10.  The knowledge of what is right is a pleasant thing to a Christian.  That's because a good person wants to know how to please the lord God.  The word of God is pleasant to their soul because it gives them that knowledge.

11.  Correct decisions will protect us.  Living by the word of God will make life better.  God says, he will save us from the corruption that is in the world through lust.

12.  The more of God's word that we put into us the easier it will be for us to recognize ideas, and words which are not right.  We may not know why they aren't correct, but the word of God gives us the discernment to know that they are incorrect.

12,13.  The right road is to live by the word of God.  Evil people go through life on the wrong road, and the wrong road is a dark road so they do a lot of stumbling along the way.

14,15.  A good person who cares about God sins and feels horrible about it.  A bad person sins and says that's fun; I can't wait to do it again.

16.  In other words, God's word, if followed, will save us from pursuing wrong desires.  The smooth words of an immoral woman, "I wish I had a man like you; your wife doesn't know how good she has it", will fall on deaf ears.  The closer men are to God the less likely they will grab that sort of bait.

17.  If in other words, she is married but she doesn't mind committing adultery.  She figures she deserves that I guess.

18.  A woman like that is on the fast track to hell and anyone who messes with her will also go to hell.

19.  If a man isn't strong in the lord it's pretty easy to take the bait that a woman like this gives him.  But if he takes that bait, and doesn't repent he will go to hell and never get out.

20.  The closer we are to God the more we will want to be around good people who do righteous things.  We want to rub off on them, and we want them to rub off on us.  Like the bible says, iron sharpens iron.

21,22.  When God's Old Testament people were good he gave them security and prosperity.  The point is this, God loves to bless, and he blesses his people who act the way he wants them to act.  

Chapter 3
1.  Because God is our father he wants us to have a good life.  God knows the only way to have that good life is to obey the the holy bible.  Like any good parent he wants to instruct his children because he loves them.

1,2.  The body and soul are connected.  Obedience to God gives peace of mind which promotes a healthy body.  Disobedience brings guilt which breaks down our body.

3.  God wants mercy and truth to dictate how we live.  If it is true; if it is merciful, then it should be a part of us.

4.  If we are good people than we will enjoy fellowship with God and other people will like us.  Not many people will dislike someone who is merciful, and does what is right.

5.  Do not lean on your own understanding means let the word of God be your final guide not your feelings or your desires.  Our sin nature often tells us what we want to here, not what we need to hear.  That's why God's word should be our guide, instead of what others think or what we think.

5,6.  If we are willing to be led by God, and to obey God then he will moment by moment lead us.  We can't miss God's will if we live in the moral will of God.

7a.  God cannot lead someone who won't be led.  He cannot lead a person who refuses to follow the word of God because they think they have a better way.

7b,8.  62 percent of illnesses are cause by things like hatred, guilt, and envy, all of which are sin.  Again God is emphasizing the connection between soul and body.

9.  In other words, honor God by giving him some of your wealth.  It all belongs to him anyway.  The bible says the earth is the lord's and everything on it.

10.  God tells us to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven.  We do that by supporting his work on earth.  The bible says those who sow sparingly will reap sparingly; those who sow bountifully will reap bountifully.

11.  In other words, don't get angry when God shows you something that you're doing which isn't right.  Don't get upset when you see something in the bible that's correct, but you aren't doing it.  Just except God's teaching, and make the correction.

12.  If you are a Christian, and God allows something bad in your life it's his discipline.  God isn't angry he just wants us to change for the better, and rough times will help us do that.

13.  A steady diet of God's word enriches our lives.  However, those who walk away from the word of God and live by their own desires instead of what God says is right will be sad.  That sadness is also God's discipline; he wants that person back. 

14.  The benefits of being close to Jesus surpass the benefits of wealth.  A good Christian feels like a rich man, but a rich man without Jesus will have emptiness. 

15.  Some things in this world are fun, but none of them are even in the same league as having fellowship with Christ in his word.

16.  A close walk with Jesus will give us eternal life in the next world, and the best life possible in this world.

17.  Pleasant and peace.  You can tell that you're in God's will if you know deep down that what you're doing is correct because it lines up with scripture.  It may not be fun, but deep down you know it's correct.

18.  Jesus is like a tree of life to those who stay close to him and follow the wisdom of his word.  In other words, he gives us a life worth living.

19.  God didn't toss the stars and planets into space in some haphazard manner.  He carefully thought about where he wanted every living thing, and then he put each star and planet exactly where he wanted it.

20.  It is by God's wisdom and skill that the river's of the world flow and the clouds drop rain.  Mother nature had nothing to do with any of it.  Mother nature is a secular substitute for almighty God.

21.  Hang on tight to the wisdom of God and use it to make all your decisions.  After all if it was good enough for God when he designed and created the universe then it ought to be good enough to direct our lives.

22.  God's word gives life to our souls.  In other words, it revitalizes a discourage soul and it gives spiritual energy to a tired soul.

23.  Living by God's word will give us confidence.  Things won't always be perfect, but you will have a sense of security that comes from knowing you are on God side.

24.  A person sleeps a lot better when they are not troubled by fear or guilt.  Living by the word of God will not get rid of every problem, but it will get rid of those two big problems.

25.  Sometimes it seems like the wicked have it made.  They may be well off for a while but they are a heart beat out of hell, and a heartbeat away from sudden terror.  Living by the word of God keeps us from those problems also.  There will be no terror and no hell.

26.  God protects those who live by his word.  If, when we get to heaven, God shows us all the things which would have happened if he had not protected us we will be shocked, and very thankful.  We are unaware of all the ways God protects us every day.

27.  If you have opportunity to help someone then help them.  Be good to those who deserve good.

28.  If you can help someone today take advantage of the opportunity.  Opportunity's often disappear and never return when a person doesn't take advantage of them.

29.  Do not hurt someone who trusts you.  A trusting person would be easy to use but God says don't do it simply because you can get away with it. 

30.  Do not accuse an innocent man.  Do not say that someone hurt you if they didn't.  We all do enough bad things for real; we don't need people making things up about us.  Slander is a terrible sin, and falsely accusing someone is an abomination to God.  He is a God of justice and he expects his people to be just as well.

31.  We must be careful who we choose to be our model.  Be careful who you look up to.  If we follow bad people we will end up being bad just like them.

32a.  God came into the world to save evil people, but the truth is he can't stand them.  You say, that's a terrible thing to say.  No, it is a credit to God's love that he would suffer and die for people who are disgusting to him.  Someone says, now you have destroyed my self-esteem.  Yes but I hope you have more God esteem.

32.  The wicked are God's enemies; the good are his friends.  We become God's friends by repenting and receiving Jesus Christ as our lord and savior and also by living for him.  Jesus says; if you love me keep my commandments.  
One of the greatest things about being a friend of God is that we can enjoy his company and like the word of God says here, he shares his secret counsel with the upright.  That means we learn about him and we learn his ways much better when we are living the correct way.

33.  The word 'house' speaks of family.  God will do good things for us and our family if we obey him.  But bad things will happen in a family were no one's serves the lord.  In other words, the general direction of things will be wrong; bad will be the rule instead of the exception.

34.  God leaves it up to us but he tells us ahead of time that those who snub him and his word will be snubbed by him. 

35.  A wise person is godly.  A fool is evil.  A godly person will develop a good reputation.  A fool will become well known as someone who does things which are shameful.

Chapter 4
1.  If a young person has a Godly parent or two they have something that many do not have today.  That Godly parent is a gift, and they should learn from them.

2.  Someone who has lived for God a long time is a gold mine of spiritual wisdom.  They are a shortcut to wisdom and experience for those who listen to them.

3.  He says I once was young and inexperienced.  
Young people should not rule a home; they are not capable, and it is bad when a parent allows it.  Children need strong moral leadership so that they can grow to be a responsible adult who then he is capable of ruling a household.

4.  A parent owes it to God to teach their child right from wrong, and as a result help them to have the best life possible.

5.  A person has to get wisdom; that means they have to choose to pursue it.  If they pursue it then they will learn to be wise.  Anyone can have it, but they have to spend time with the right people, and listen to the right people, and especially listen to God.

6.  God's word will protect us if we love it and don't let go of it.  God's word is like an umbrella.  If we stay under its lordship it will keep us from trouble.

7.  The wisdom of God's word is better than anything else, consequently God has some practical advice; he says, get it!  Get to know the word of God and do not let anyone, or anything stop you. Sometimes we must sacrifice to have the very best, but we always come out ahead when we do.

8.  You get out of a relationship what you put into it.  If you don't make your relationship with someone a priority than it won't be a good relationship.  It works the same with us and God; if we don't make God our top priority then we won't have the blessings that we could have had.

9.  If you walk with God, then he will give you a spiritual and moral beauty that the right kind of people will be drawn to.  

10.  A biblical life is usually a longer life.  Illicit sex, over use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and so on is all connected to disease.

11.  God teaches and God leads; Jesus taught and he led.  One thing I really like about God is that his laws reflect his holy character.  He doesn't tell us to be anything that he isn't.  Consequently God does two big things to help us be the right kind of people.  Number one he teaches us what is right, and number two he does what is right himself.

12.  God leads his obedient people one step, and one's second at a time.  Do not be surprise if you don't know what God wants you to do for the rest of your life, or even tomorrow.  If tomorrow comes, and that's a real if, he will show you what he wants you to do when it arrives.  

13.  Guard the good way God has shown you.  And when evil seems attractive turn away from it before it tempts you to the point where you can't resist.

14, 15.  Do not investigate what a particular sin might be like.  If you find that some sin interests you then get as far away from it as you possibly can.  Do not go near it, or it will draw you in like a black hole.

16.  You can tell that someone is bad if they become upset when they blow an opportunity to sin.  Stay far away from those types of people.

17.  A bad person desires an unnatural thing like sin more than a natural thing like food.  They are not normal, and they don't have a normal life because they indulge in an abnormal activity.  If you're going to do abnormal things then you're not going to have a normal life.  If you indulge in sinful things then you will not be able to enjoy good things.

18.  The longer we walk with Christ the better our life will be.  Outwardly things may not get better, but inwardly we will get stronger.

19.  Sin leads to trouble, and sin also darkens the mind of the sinner.  That's why, though the reason for trouble may be obvious to a godly person, the sinner can't see it.

20.  God says, tune your years into what I'm about to say.

21.  God is saying concentrate on my words.

22.  Sin can ruin our health, and since God's word steers us away from sin, God's word will help us to maintain our health.  The bible is good for us; not just spiritually but physically and eternally.

23.  Guard your heart means protect your mind.  God is saying, keep your thought life clean because what we think affects how we behave.

24.  Use plain talk; say what you mean.  Don't be vague so that you can backtrack on your words if they do not turn out to be popular.

25.  In other words, don't be led off track by the sinful things around you.  Keep your focus on doing what is correct in the eyes of Christ.

26.  Choose the best life, and the best life is to stay on the path of holiness.  That's not going to guarantee a trouble free life, but as a general rule it will result in a well ordered life and definitely a very good eternity.  

27.  Stay on the holiness road.  Do not take an alley to sin thinking it is a shortcut to happiness.  You'll be better off in the long run if you do things, and live life, the way God says is correct.

Chapter 5
1,2.  If you want to have good sense then listen to God, and that means read his word.  Reading the bible will give us good sense, will give us God sense and the lord will show us what makes sense, and what nonsense is.

3.  God says watch out for bad girls who use flattery to catch guys.

4.  Bad women are sometimes very good at making themselves look attractive.  God says, men do not take the bait or you will be sorry.

5.  Every sin leads us closer to death because evil behavior takes us further away from God.  Some sins result in immediate death, but most of the time they are a part of a process that leads to death.  Either way, it isn’t good.

6.  A person can sin so much that they get to the point where they do not feel guilty anymore.  A person like that is teetering on the edge of hell because they do not see any need to repent.

7.  There's a lot at stake, like physical health and staying out of hell so God says listen and obey.

8.  Defeating sin boils down to making the correct choices, and the most important choice is to stay as far away from the things that tempt you as you possibly can.

9,10.  I wonder how many men have had to bribe an immoral woman so that they wouldn’t talk about the bad that they did together.  God is saying stay away from sin so you won't have to pay for it.

11.  The person who lives for sin instead of for God will be sad when they are old.  They will know that they wasted the life that God gave them.

12.  As time goes on and the end draws near the sinner will say I sure was stupid.  I was stupid for doing wrong, and I was stupid for not listening to those who tried to correct me.  I was stupid for not reading the bible and obeying the bible.

13.  For some people it's too late right now. They have lived their life in sin and experienced all sorts of misery as a result.  They never did learn their lesson so it's too late to do anything about it.

14.  Public disgrace is another consequence of living in sin. Sooner later it catches up with the sinner.  

15.  In other words, God says everyman should limit his sexual activity to his own wife and be satisfied with her.  Don't drink from another man's well.

16.  In other words, God says enjoy the physical part of love in the right way within the boundaries of marriage.

17.  God is saying keep sexual love where it ought to be and that's with your husband or wife.  God says do not share it with anyone else.

18.  God tells husbands that they should enjoy their wife.  Husbands should consider that part of their relationship with their wife to be a gift from God, and they should enjoy it.  God intended it to be that way.

19.  It's hard to elaborate on what God says here; it needs no clarification.  It's safe to say that God wants a husband and wife to enjoy each other; again God made it to be that way.

20.  Why wrap your arms around some loose woman who has been with more men than she can count and as a result may have more diseases then you can count.  Why do that when you can embrace a good woman who loves you?

21.  In other words, if you need another reason to not mess around then remember that God sees you.  God's eyes are on all our ways.  Nothing is hidden from him; no sin is ever done in secret.

22.  No one commits any sin and gets away with it because every single sin comes fully loaded with its own bad consequences.

23.  People sin because they lack discipline.  People refuse to repent because they will not discipline themselves.  People experience eternal death in hell because they did not want to change.  An evil person is a foolish person.

Chapter 6
1.  Basically he's talking about cosigning for loan.  He says if you become a cosigner for your friend or if you are a cosigner for a stranger.

1,2.  In other words you made a promise to cosign, but you didn't think through what you were doing before you did it.  If you did that and now you realize that you made a big mistake; you have trapped yourself with your own words and you realize it.

3.  In other words back out of that deal just as fast as you possibly can.

4,5.  There are times when we have to move quickly.
I believe in prayer but sometimes we must act and act fast.  If God brings a dangerous situation to our attention then we honor him by getting out of of that situation just as fast as we can.

6.  I love how God uses a variety of things to speak to us and teach us.  Here God suggests that we study the ant.  A lazy person should study ants because God can teach them something concerning diligence.

7.  There are no bosses no supervisors in the ant world.

7,8.  Ants are self-starters.  They work hard because it's right.  They work hard without any one telling them to do it.  They provide a good example for us; if something needs to be done we shouldn't wait to be told to do it we should just do it.

9.  Getting the sleep we need is important.  But lying in bed because we don't want to face life is wrong.  It's impossible to run from the real world; eventually it catches up to us.  Ready or not choices have consequences and being lazy will result in bad consequences.

10,11.  In other words, if we sleep too long we won't get done what we need to get done.  If we have several days like that we won't be able to pay our bills.

12.  God changes gears here in verse 12.  He was talking about a lazy person in the previous verses and in verses 12 through 15 he's talking about a con man.

12-14.  This is the type of person who works hard to gain your confidence with friendly smiles but all the while he is plotting evil against you.

15.  Both prisons and hell are filled with smooth talking deceivers who hurt others.  No one smooth talks God after they die and no one will smooth talk him on judgment day either.  The wicked go to hell without a chance to plead their case; they have no case.

16a.  I think many people are surprised to discover that God has a hate list.  It shouldn't surprise people though because anyone who loves will also hate.  They will hate anything that hurts the one that they love.  That's the way it is with God it; he hates anything that hurts anyone who he loves which is all people.

16.  The seventh thing on God's hate list is the thing he hates the most.

17a.  God hates pride.  He hates it when people try to be the center of attention.  God should be the center of attention because he is God; we're just sinful dust; even the best of us are nothing but dust.  People have no right to be the center of anyone's attention or to expect to be the center of attention.  

17b.  Jesus is the way and the truth.  Everything God says and does is based on truth.  Lying is wrong because it is sin.  It is wrong because it is contrary to God's holy nature, and it is wrong because it messes up relationships by destroying a person's credibility and trust.

17c.  God hates cold-blooded murder.  God created life; he created man in his own image and likeness and therefore it is an unspeakable evil to murder, or for that matter to be angry at our fellow man which Jesus equated with murder.

18a.  Another thing on God's hate list is someone who devises wicked plans.  God hates it when a person uses the mind he gave them for doing good to instead devise ways of hurting others.  Using what God purposes for good to do bad is a good definition of sin.

18.  God hates the mind that plans evil and he hates the feet which carry it out.  God hates it when people rush to take advantage of an opportunity to do evil.  Some people are in a hurry to do what is wrong.  They are eager to do what is bad and consider it a lucky break to have an opportunity to do it.

19.  God also hates a false testimony.  God hates lying in general; he especially hates perjury or false testimony in a court.  It is wrong because it is a lie and it is wrong because a can lead to the acquittal of the guilty and the condemning of the innocent.  God is a God of justice therefore he hates it when anyone is misrepresented in any way.

20.  God has a special message for every young person and the message is this, if your parents give you advice that lines up with Scripture then listen to them.  This means if they do not listen to their parents than they are not listening to God.  

21.  Meaning: be so full of God’s word that it goes with you everywhere, and directs you no matter what you are doing.  Assimilate the bible into your soul so that it guides all of your actions and words.  

22,23.  In other words, if we fill our souls with God’s word it will result in God’s guidance, protection, and instruction.  

24,25.  Being full of God’s word and staying close to Jesus will help keep a man from being drawn into sin by the physical beauty of an immoral woman.  

26.  A prostitute is satisfied with cash.  But the sin of adultery wants more.  For whatever few moments of pleasure there may be adultery demands a man’s life for payment.  The wages of adultery are a man’s life and his well-being.  

27,28.  You can take God’s word for it; you don’t have to experiment; if you put a pile of hot charcoals on your lap you’re going to burn.  You can take God’s word to the bank when it comes to adultery as well.  If you do it you will hurt and the hurt will be long lasting just like a burn only worse.  

29.  Adultery will be punished and it will be exposed.  A disease may expose it or a disease may be one of the temporal punishments for it.  Perhaps someone will talk, and the result will be public disgrace or maybe it won’t become known until eternity.  But one way or another adultery will be paid for. 

30.  That’s true most people would probably pity a person who was so desperate for food that they had to steal.  They would pity the person but his stealing would still be wrong.  

31.  Stealing is sin no matter how desperate the thief is.  Stealing is inherently wrong so it will be punished.  

32.  Adultery destroys a person spiritually and sometimes physically and in many cases socially.  As permissive as this world has become an adulterer is still looked down upon.  

33.  God will forgive adultery if it is confessed but God warns that people aren’t as forgiving as he is.  God warns that there will be a lot of trouble for a little bit of pleasure if one commits the sin of adultery.  

34.  All excuses ring hollow in the ears of an angry husband whose wife has committed adultery.  

35.  The pain that a person experiences when their husband or wife has been unfaithful is too severe for money to heal.  Nothing can heal that wound except the grace of God and probably time.  
It is easier  to forgive then it is to trust.  

Chapter 7
1. If you think saving money is important because it enhances your life then you  ought to store the word of God in your soul because it's worth much more then money and it will enhance your life more then anything.

2. There is no part of the body that is automatically protected more then the eye. It's that way because we value our sight. Sight enhances our life. In the same way we should guard our obedience to Christ because that enhances our life as well; a close walk with Jesus is the key to an abundant life.

3.  To bind the word of Godto your fingers is to allow the Bible to control all that you do.

4.  Wisdom should be respected by us as much as we'd respect a family member or a close friend. In other words value wisdom as you would value a close friendship.  

4,5.  The batting eyes and flattery of a loose women is to a man what a worm is to a bluegill. In a situation like that a man needs to listen to wisdom because it'll be saying look beyond the eyes and the flattery and take note of the hook.

6.  The writer is about to tell the story of a harlot and a young man who was taken in by her.

7.  In other words this young man was naive. He isn't a harden sinner; he's just inexperienced. Right about now his life is hanging in the balance; it could go either way, good or bad, depending on the moral choices he makes.

8.  Mistake number one; he is in the wrong part of town.
The best way to avoid sin is to make every effort to stay as far away from the temptation as possible. 
A life lived for Christ will protect us from many temptations because it will keep us occupied doing good things. Living for Jesus keeps us away from the things we should not be doing and will in many cases keep us away from being tempted to do what we shouldn't do.

9.  He is in the wrong place and he is there at the worst possible time as well. He is asking for trouble. He is like a mosquito horsing around by one of those blue light zappers. It looks very inviting but it fries them when they get a little too close.

10. This woman was dressed to kill and painted up to be noticed and she sure catches this fellows eye. He was in the wrong place at the the wrong time which resulted in him looking at the wrong thing. 
When you give temptation that much of a head start it is very difficult to hold back. He is in so deep that he is probably at the point of no return even though he hasn't officially sinned yet.

11,12.  There's nothing modest about this woman. she is loud and brash as she calls attention to herself. She is very easy to spot and that's the way she wants it.
Sin is very easy to find; temptation is very easy to find; in fact as we go through life it finds us.

13. Wow that never happened to him before. Many guys would see this and say what a lucky man; boy his ship just came in. His ship came in alright too bad it's the titanic.

13,14.  She's a religious girl! She seems kinda loose but she talks of her religious offerings. That part of her sort of reminds him of his mother back home on the farm.  
Satan often uses just a touch of religion or just a touch of bible to get good people to let down their guard.  He grabs our attention with something good so that he can slip some deadly poison through the back door without us noticing it.

15.  Oh sure! She says, you are the one I have been waiting for. Liar! She would have said that about anyone who happened to pass by. But he is foolish enough to believe her. What a well laid trap and the perfect bait as well.  

16,17.  If he wasn't thinking what she wanted him to think before he sure is now. This is what you call a not so subtle hint, as she describes her bed.  His naive brain is churning now for sure.

18.  She makes it sound like it'll be great. It's all pleasure. This is a golden opportunity for you boy.

19,20.  In other words, there is no danger of getting caught!  Yes, and if he wasn't brought up to know that there is a God who sees everything that he does and will hold him accountable for everything that he does he will believe her.

21.  Her words are melting away any inhibitions he might have had.  This temptation is quickly starting to spin out of control.  She overpowered him; she forced him, not with muscle but with her ability to create temptation.
Jesus said it is necessary that temptations come but woe unto those who do the tempting.  This is a vicious attack disguised as something pleasant.  This is a delicious porterhouse steak injected with poison.  It, like many sins is a delightful path to hell.

22.  The young man thinks he is moving toward pleasure.  He thinks all is well because after all she seems to really care about him and since she cares about him she wouldn't do anything that would be hurtful. 

23.  These few minutes of pleasure are going to come with a big price tag.  Venereal disease, AIDS, judgment from god, disgrace, embarrassment, and scandal when eventually word gets out as to what he did.  He is going to regret this the rest of his life, if he lives at long.

24,25.  The moment a man has even a slight desire to associate with a woman like this he needs to call on the name of Christ to drive that desire out of him.  That's what it means when it says, let not your heart turn aside to her ways.  Let the holy spirit zap the temptation while it is still manageable.

26,27.  She has used her old worn out but still very effective line on many men.  She has ruined many men.
Any guy who thinks that an aggressive woman like this who is coming on strong to him has never done it before better think again.  She has done it before with other men!  She has done it before and she will do it again after she has done it with you.  There's no way that a woman like this can be trusted.

Chapter 8
1.  Just like sin called out in chapter seven; wisdom, that is, Christ calls out to us in chapter eight.  
There's a battle going on in the world for the souls of men.  The forces of evil try to pull us toward sin and hell.  Meanwhile God cries out to people telling them to turn from their wicked ways and find salvation through Jesus Christ; to repent and turn to him while they can.

2,3.  This list of places where wisdom can be found is God's way of saying that she can be found anywhere you are if you just listen.  The bible says that no one can escape the spirit of God.  The holy spirit is everywhere and is always attempting to convince people of their sinfulness and their need to repent.

4,5.  Christ wants to save every single person on earth.  Wisdom from God is seen crying out to the sons of men to anyone who will listen.  God loves all people and says that he isn't willing that any would perish.

6-9.  Notice the character of God's teachings.  He never teaches anything that isn't true or right or good for us.  God speaks excellent things; he speaks right things, and truth; he speaks against all wickedness.
What God says may not always sit well with our sin nature, but it is always that which is good for us.

10,11.  Men prize jewels and wealth.  However those who have discernment know that God's word is much more valuable than any of those things.

12.  Wisdom, discretion, being thrifty, making the best choices, and having the ability to manage the everyday affairs of life go hand in hand.  
When God's word speaks of the things of this world and how we should relate to them we would all do well to follow his instructions very carefully because he knows what he is talking about.  God created this world and designed how it functions therefore he knows how we should behave to make the most of this life.
The little choices in this life are very important.  If we do the little things right the big things will take care of themselves.  If we follow God second by second the big picture will fall into place.

13.  There are certain things that God can't live with.  Pride, lying, wickedness, and all forms of evil are the moral opposite of God and therefore he can not have fellowship with anyone who lives in that way.

14.  If you live for Jesus he will give you wisdom and a benefit package worth more than anything any company on earth can offer.  Jesus will give you good counsel, sound judgment, understanding, and moral strength to do the right thing and avoid evil.  And all those things will make your life better both here and in eternity.  

15.  Christ will give you leadership skill and the skill to judge correctly if you live for him; if you draw close to him through the word and through prayer.

16.  Here it is again.  The ability to lead and judge.  People say, don't judge!  Are they out of their mind?  We must judge between right and wrong; we must judge between the guilty and the innocent.  God have mercy if we don't!

17.  If you walk with Christ you will feel his love for you.  You'll never lack affection if you're sold out to Jesus.  You will sense his love for you as you draw close to him and live holy.

18.  You may not have a huge savings account.  But if you walk with Christ you'll have spiritual wealth.
The rewards in heaven will surprise and even shock you when you get there.

19.  The spiritual and moral character that a life with Christ provides is worth more than silver and gold.  It yields a better return here and in eternity.

20,21.  A close walk with Jesus will provide you with guidance.  You'll be able to walk the path of righteousness and justice because God's wisdom will show you the way.

22.  Remember when you talk about wisdom you are talking about Jesus. The Bible says that all the treasuries of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ.
Here in verse 22 God is reminding us that he has never existed without the attribute of wisdom.  Which also means that the father has never existed without the son.  

23.  Jesus was set up; meaning he was appointed to be the messiah of Israel and the savior of the world long before time began.

24-26.  Don't take the words, "brought forth", to mean that the son of God was at some point in the past created.  This is poetic language meant to describe the distinction between the father and the son.  Both are eternal; both are God, but they are separate from each other even though they are one.

27-29.  Jesus was right there along with the father during creation week.  They were together and along with the holy angels and the holy spirit saw everything come together.

30a.  The Lord Jesus Christ was the active agent during creation.  Jesus was the craftsmen of creation.  It's just like John 1:3 says, "all things were made through him and without him was not anything made that was made."

30b.  The father and the son have loved each other with an infinite love that has always existed.  
Consider the one you love the most, multiply your feelings times infinity, and then think how hard it would be to watch that one die a brutal death at the hands of sinners.  By doing that perhaps we can experience just a little bit of what the father went through while Christ was being crucified for our sins.  They were in that sacrifice together.  It hurt Jesus because he was suffering; it hurt the father because his son was suffering; it hurt Jesus again because he knew the one he loved was hurting over him.

31a.  Out of everything in this vast universe isn't it amazing that God would get so much delight from this tiny speck called earth?  If you would put this earth next to one of the larger stars it would be like setting a beach ball next to a tiny speck of dust.  And yet God delights in this planet; I'm sure it's because this is where he placed man who he created in his image and likeness.  All other things in this universe were made by God for us here on earth.

31b.  God delights in this planet and he delights in man.  Which is a real credit to God's forbearance and his ability to love what is so often unlovable.

32.  " Blessed are they who keep my ways".  That's another way of saying you'll be happy if you live for Jesus and obey the word of God.  There is no joy like the joy that comes from being obedient to Christ.

33.  Hear instruction and refuse it not.  In other words here and don't neglect.  God is saying take in the word and then live it.  Make sure you don't ignore the word that you've taking in or it won't do you any good.

34-36.  It all comes down to Jesus and what you do with him.  If you find jesus' you find  life.  If you reject him you must love eternal death because that's what you have chosen.

Chapter 9
1.  This seven pillars of wisdom refers to God's seven fold description of wisdom which is found in James 3:17.  The wisdom from above, as God puts it is: pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  In other words, the foundation of wisdom is godly character.  

2,3.  Wisdom is portrayed as a wealthy lady who builds a big house.  She then puts together a feast and sends her servant girls out to invite anyone who may be interested in coming.
The way of God is the way of wisdom and the way of wisdom is the way of holiness and joy.  God invites us to experience his joy.

4-6.  The simple are easily influenced and led astray.  The wisdom that God gives includes a strong moral compass which if followed will keep you from acting foolishly and from being led astray by things which may look good but are in fact bad.

7,8.  The measure of a person's character is connected to how he handles a rebuke for doing something that is wrong.  A wicked person gets angry when he is corrected.  A wise man with a godly heart will say, thank you for the correction.  Godly people do not have an agenda other than knowing the truth and behaving correctly.  If they must be corrected in order to get back on course then they are OK with that; they are not offended in any way.

9.  If we're godly and therefore wise we won't resent criticism.  We will receive criticism and consequently become even wiser.  In other words we will see correction as being a blessing and a means of increasing our supply of goodness.

10.  A respectful fear of God will cause us to read his word with a humble spirit.  That humble spirit will result in us knowing him better.  Consequently as we get to know God he will cause his knowledge to rub off on us and we'll be smarter and wiser than we were before.  But it all begins with a respectful fear of God.

11.  Remember, by definition a proverb is a general truth.  So in general if you live a wise godly life you're going to live longer than someone who goes around doing foolish sinful things.

12.  In other words, it is in your own best interest to be godly.  You're going to benefit from your godliness and your wisdom more than anyone else.  Of course if you choose to scoff at God's word others may suffer from your ungodliness to a point, but in the long run you'll be the big loser.

13.  We see here the type of woman that does not appeal to God.  A loud, flirting, loose woman is a foolish woman to God.

14-16a.  There's nothing gracious or ladylike about a woman like this.  She's very pushy.  She's out to seduce men who are easily influenced.

16b,17.  When sinful man is told that he can't do something his desire to do it will often increase.  A woman like this appeals to the depravity of man.  She says, c'mon, they say it's wrong so that will make it even more exciting.

18.  In other words, she doesn't give both sides of the story.  She doesn't say, you should know that following the brief moment of pleasure there will be a lifetime of regret and possibly eternal regret.
We can learn the easy way by reading and believing the bible or we can learn the hard way by sinning and then regretting our foolishness for the rest of our lives.

Chapter 10
1.  Remember in the bible wisdom is godliness and foolishness is ungodliness.  The greatest concern of any godly parent is their child's walk with the lord.  A good Christian parent will be grieved by sinfulness in their child more then in their failure to make it big in this world.  That's because their core values as Christian parents take precedence over anything else.  The fact that they love their child just adds to the significance of their child's walk with the lord or lack thereof.

2.  A holy life often delivers from death because it keeps a person away from the sinfully stupid and dangerous things that the wicked people of this world do.

3.  Just when the wicked person thinks he has obtained what will give him satisfaction he finds that it doesn't.  Fulfillment always slips out of the hands of the wicked because they don't try to find it in God.

4.  A lazy careless person who loves to horse around and never really applies himself to hard work is going to be poor.  He probably won't finish school which won't help, and then he sure won't be able to hold a job because of his attitude, and those things lead to poverty.  
Many gifted people squander their abilities by their poor character.

5.  A father would have to slap himself along side his head and say where did I go wrong?  You have to wonder about a son who plowed, planted, and cultivated all summer but then was too lazy to get out and harvest the crop in the fall.  
Not finishing a good thing that one starts can be a sign of poor planning which is unbiblical, or lack of perseverance which is also unbiblical.

6.  Abusive speech lurks within the mouth of the wicked person.  Their tongue is like a vent for their wicked soul and the words they speak are destructive.

7.  The pleasant memories of a righteous person remain long after they are gone.  Look how many people are named David, Paul, John, and Matthew. But you don't see very many people named Judas or Jezebel do you?

8a.  In other words a wise person will pay attention to godly advice no matter who it may come from.

8b.  A loudmouth fool never listens and never learns because they're always talking.  The consequence of a life like that is chaos, trouble, and ruin.

9.  If you live a good clean life you're going to feel secure and consequently have peace.  If you are a deceiver you will worry about being exposed and eventually you will be exposed.

10.  This speaks of a cunning person, a fraud, or a slick talking salesman type.  They are trouble; God says it, and spending time listening to them is giving them more credibility than they deserve.  Disingenuous slick talking salesman type people can be seen a mile away by anyone who has discernment and they should be avoided.

11a.  Listening to a righteous person speak is time well spent.  God uses the words of a righteous person to give gentle correction when needed.  In addition to that we may also receive comfort and encouragement.  In other words, the words of a righteous person will enhance our life.

11.  In contrast to the words of a righteous person an evil person plots to do bad and then uses deceitful words to hide his intentions.  

12a.  One of the byproducts of hatred is strife.  You can tell if someone doesn't like you when they seem to always want to argue or they keep pressing some issue which doesn't matter just so they can contradict you.

12.  A loving person who has been sinned against will not bring up the offense after there has been an apology.  He doesn't dwell on it or talk about it or get revenge.  
By the way love also covers sins by not feeling the need to point out every little thing that someone does when they find it unpleasant.  The bible says that love is not easily provoked.  Biblical love is patient.

13a.  In other words if a person has insight you'll know it by the way they speak.  We see this so many times in scripture; the heart of a person is revealed by their words.

13.  A person who doesn't think or behave biblically is headed for a painful life.  Painful discipline and punishment awaits those who do unrighteous things.

14a.  A wise person's knowledge is controlled by the holy spirit.  They store their knowledge.  They use it at the correct time in the correct place with the correct people.

14.  The babbling words of a fool are like fizz in a glass of coke.  You never can tell when a person like that will say something useless or harmful but you know it will happen sooner or later.  Their words are nothing but noise pollution.  

15a.  In other words, there are benefits to being wealthy.  Their money makes them money.  They can buy better things which last longer and need fewer repairs.  It's hard to make progress when you're always scraping for the necessities.

15.  It's hard for a poor person to get started.  The poverty of the poor can sometimes limit their opportunities to get ahead.  It just makes life a lot harder.

16. A good man earns a good life and an evil man earns sin and consequently punishment. 

17.  When we ignore Biblical correction we're going to make bad choices and we will influence others even those we care about into bad decisions as well.  So you see it's very important to live biblically; there's a lot at stake.  Do it for God, and for those you care about, as well as yourself.

18a.  Many people secretly hate others. The right thing to do is to forgive others and pray for them if they hurt you in some way. 

18.  God says those who slander are fools.  They are fools because God hates slander therefore it is a sin against him and it will have consequences as a result.  They are fools because the bible says be sure your sins will find you out and the bible also says that there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed which means sooner or later those who slander are exposed and as bad as this world has become people are still turned off by those who slander.  

19a.  The more we talk the more likely we are to say something that is wrong.  The more words we speak the more likely we are to sin with our words.  A person who talks too much is painting a spiritual target on their back.

19b.  He is wise because he won't have to apologize nearly as often and he won't be embarrassed over things he should not have said either.

20a.  In other words, the words of a good person are valuable.  Listening to the words of a holy person is like giving your soul a shower; it is very refreshing, edifying, and helpful.

20b.  The heart or mind of a wicked person is like a dry well because it is useless.  Just like you can't get water from a dry well you can't get any worthwhile words from a person who has a sinful mind.

21.  In scripture a fool is a stubborn, unteachable person.  None of us knows everything.  We all need instruction from time to time.  A fool is too proud to admit that they'd need to learn which is why they die for lack of wisdom.

22.  When God gives wealth to someone who pleases him that wealth won't cause that person or anyone else any trouble.  That's because the person who loves to please God will use their wealth to please God even more.  Money is a curse in the hands of a wicked person.  Money is a blessing in the hands of a righteous person.

23.  There are two types of people.  Those who entertain themselves with sin and get into trouble; God would call those people fools.  Then there are the wise who receive pleasure from following the lord, and from the many good things God gives us to enjoy.

24a.  Standing in the presence of God and being accountable for their sin is what the wicked dread.  They like to pretend that it won't happen.  Every time they think about it they fill their minds with other things but you can't run from truth forever.  They will stand in the presence of God and they will give an account for every thing that they have done and they will pay for it.

24b.  Standing in the presence of God and being able to thank him for his grace is what the righteous look forward to and it will happen.

25.  When the storm of God's judgment passes the wicked will be swept away into hell forever.  But the righteous, because they are in Christ, will remain in the place of God's blessing for ever.

26.  You will be annoyed and frustrated if you're counting on a lazy person who doesn't do what he said he would do.  The first couple of times that happens it's his fault.  The next time it happens it's your fault for sticking with him.

27,28.  The expectation of the wicked shall perish. That reminds me of Alexander the great who thought he'd find true contentment if he would just conquer the next nation.  Finely after conquering the whole world he sat down and wept.  There were no more nations to subdue and he still wasn't happy.  
Happiness always escapes those who try to find it outside of Christ.

29.  When a quarterback runs out of the pocket he is on his own.  If he stays in the pocket the big offensive lineman will be his stronghold; they will protect him.  When we get out of the moral will of God we are out of the pocket and on our own.  If we stay in God's will he will protect us.

30.  The captivity of Israel by Babylon illustrates this verse.  Shortly after God said this his people Israel knew he meant business.  They were taken out of the promised land; they were taken out of the place of blessing because of their sin.  
God can't bless his disobedient people.  Those who choose the wages of sin will not experience the blessings of God.

31,32a.  You can depend on a righteous person to say what is acceptable. They are not a loose canon. They maybe don't say much but it pays to listen to them.

32b.  A bad person says the wrong thing. Sin in the soul produces foolish and harmful words. 

Chapter 11

1.  In other words if you are a merchant, if you are in business you can charge whatever you want to charge for your product just be upfront about it.

2a.  God also says pride goes before a fall.  In other words, something always happens to knock prideful people down to size and then afterwords they are embarrassed and they feel shame.

2b.  If you are a simple down to earth type person and you're not trying to impress anyone then unlike a prideful person you won't be embarrassed if you don't come across looking like a big shot.

3a.  If you allow God's moral will to be your compass the lord will be your guide.  Things may not always go your way but when they don't you'll still have peace knowing that God is with you.

3b.  If you go along with your sinful desires instead of what the bible says then you and those close to you will experience trouble as a result.  Like a crooked building falls a crooked life destroys.  

4.  Riches can't keep anyone out of hell, not even a multi billionaire.  If one rejects Christ as their lord and savior it doesn't matter how much money they have, it will do them no good on the day of judgment.  Everyone enters eternity flat broke.

5,6.  Sin is a trap.  The sin of wicked people ensnares them, it traps them and very often snuffs out their life.  The amazing thing and the frightful thing about sin is that once it traps a person they don't quit; they don't give it up even though it is destroying their life. 

7.  When the coffin lid of the wicked slams shut all his plans, and dreams, and desires are gone forever.  The things he lived for are gone and he shall never experience joy or hope again.

8.  In the end God's people will be happy. In the end the wicked, Christ rejecting sinners of the world will have an eternity of trouble, an eternity of hell. Eternity evens everything out. 

9.  There are people who can very subtly twist the truth, mislead others and hurt them as a result.  But they don't stand a chance against you if you know the bible.  The more you understand God's word the easier it will be for you to detect even the slightest errors.  Something won't sit right with you.

10.  The righteous prospering and the wicked perishing both indicate the same thing.  It means evil isn't tolerated and therefore good is allowed to flourish.  That of course makes for a happy environment for good people.

11.  You can't have a nice atmosphere, or a pleasant society when deceit, broken promises, and profanity are more the rule than the exception.

12a.  In other words someone who belittles others is a fool in the eyes of God.  Deriding is the opposite of applauding.  Instead of applauding the good that people do a fool will point out the imperfections of others and often follow it up with mocking.  All that does is cause hurt and invite arguing and worst of all it is offensive to God who would never do that sort of thing.

12b.  If you cannot say something constructive whether it be constructive criticism or praise then by all means don't deride.  If you can't help by your words then just don't say anything at all.

13a.  You don't want to confide in a gossip because they talk about everything they know and a lot of things they don't know; they just like to talk especially about other people.  God says what you tell them in secret will soon become known to others.  

13b.  A good friend will listen but they won't talk about what they heard.  A good friend does not gossip.  A good friend will pray and care but they will never spread embarrassing information about you.

14.  God has designed man to be led by men who are led by God.  When that's not happening the nation, family, or  business, what ever the case may be, will have problems.

15.  Don't cosign for a neighbor's loan.  That's God's advice to us.  God doesn't want us to be stuck with a bill that we did not run up.  

16a.  Both God and men have high regard for ladies who are ladylike.  A woman can draw attention to herself by the way she dresses or acts.  But a godly spirit is what will cause God to honor her, and a godly spirit will draw godly men to her as well.

16b.  Ruthless men are like loose women.  They'll get attention and maybe even wealth but they won't get respect.

17.  I read about an article in the British Medical journal that said there isn't a tissue in the human body that isn't affected by the human spirit.  God said it before there were any medical journals.  If you are kind it will have a positive effect on you.

18.  A wicked person may get rich quick but their wages are deceptive because they don't provide the satisfaction that they thought they would.

19.  Every human is on one of two roads: the road to heaven or the road to hell.  Eternal life is for those whose faith leads to good works.  Eternal hell is for those who reject Christ and show it by their pursuit of evil.

20.  God hates insincerity.  A perverse, dishonest heart; I guess we might say the heart of a politician is a heart that never says what it means.  Insincerity is hated by God because it is so unlike God.  

21.  No matter how well off the wicked may be; for them the worst is yet to come.  Meanwhile, no matter how bad things may be for a Christian; the best is yet to come for them.

22.  A gold ring is pretty; a pig's nose is ugly.  A beautiful woman is physically pretty but if she isn't godly then spiritually speaking she is as ugly as a pig's nose.

23a.  Righteous people desire good and strive for good and in the end they get good because good will triumph over bad.  That's why if you live for Jesus you can't lose if you don't quit.  

23.  The wicked strive to do evil and want to see evil and in the end that's what they will get in the form of God's punishment.

24.  In other words God says you get more by being generous than you do by being stingy.  He says you'll get rich by being generous and you'll grow poor by hoarding.  Every dollar you give to Christ on earth is stored for you in heaven with interest in the form of eternal rewards.

25.  Are you feeling stale, stagnant, or sad?  God has the answer; go help someone.  Do an act of kindness for someone and the holy spirit will snap you out of your sadness.  If you need to be refreshed go refresh someone else.

26.  This is talking about a greedy person who won't market his grain even when food is scarce.  He keeps it off the market in order to drive up the price.  
God gifts people to be businessmen and businesswomen, not just to make money, and certainly not to be greedy.  Like anything else, business sense is a gift from God and should be used as a means to make this world a better place as well as earn a living.

27.  This is the old principle of reaping what you sow.  If you want to be blessed then you must be a blessing.  If you want to be treated well than treat others well.

28.  God is the only one deserving of our complete trust.  God will always be there for us and give us what we need when we need it.  Your wealth can't buy you a cure when there is no cure.  Wealth can't buy you food in times of famine.  Wealth can't get you out of hell when you've been sent there because of your sin.

29.  If the head of the household isn't sold out to God and leading his family in the ways of Jesus Christ he is troubling his family.  God says he will inherit the wind.  That means his family, at the very least will not be the good thing that it could have been, and it could end up being a big mess.

30.  Two things: live for Christ, that is live a righteous life, and help get out the word of God.  If you prayerfully do those two things you are wise and God will use you to win souls.  People will be saved from hell because of you.

31.  The righteous reap what they plant, including consequences when they slip up and sin.  How much more then will the ungodly not get away with their sin.  By the way, even if they get by in this life, without Christ they will pay the full penalty for their sins in eternity.  No one ever gets away with anything.  Even the sins of a Christian do not go unpunished; Jesus was punished for their sins.

Chapter 12

1a.  People who really want to learn and become better will accept correction.  If you're willing to at least listen to what others have to say because you know that you don't have all the answers then you will be better off in the long run because God says we should be that way.

1b.  Those who are determined to defend themselves at all times and will not accept correction are not interested in learning or improving themselves.  God calls them stupid.  They may think that they know everything they need to know but God says you've got it exactly wrong because you're stupid .

2.  It boils down to this, it is God vs. the wicked and all their evil.  It is the supreme power of the universe against puny rebellious man.  The outcome isn't in doubt.  God will condemn the rebels; he will defeat the wicked.

3.  In other words, no one whose life is dominated by sin will have stability.  They will have guilt and turmoil on the inside and trouble coming at them from the outside.

4.  An excellent wife gives her husband joy.  She makes him feel good.  Her Godly ways enhance his life and he's proud to be with her.  He shows her off like a king shows off his big crown of jewels.

5a.  Good people do not plan evil things.  People say, I know John Doe lies, and doesn't do what he says he will do, but he isn't a bad person.  Well what in the world would you call bad if that's not bad.  

5.  It's not good to listen to the advice of a bad person.  A bad persons reasoning is warped.  Their words may seem to make sense but following their advice will probably get you into trouble.  Get your advice from people who know Jesus and live right and chances are you will be safe.

6a.  Bad people use calculated misleading words to cause trouble for others.  The religious leaders tried to trap Jesus with their questions.  Some people hate and their words are tools which they use to trap and hurt others.

6.   You can tell a lot about a person by their words.  Our words are a barometer of our soul.  The mouth of the upright will deliver them.  That is similar to what Jesus said when he said, by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.

7.  God's justice eventually catches up to sinners who will not repent.  If they do not find mercy through Jesus Christ they will be gone forever; out of sight and out of mind burning in the fires of hell.

8a.  If you act right people will speak well of you.  You may not know it but people will admire you and respect you; decent people will anyway.

8.  People who are unprincipled are not trusted and not respected.  They may have some superficial friends; they may have some drinking buddies, but you wouldn't trust them and you wouldn't want them to marry your daughter.

9.  It's better to be a nobody in the eyes of people and at least have your basic needs met because you work hard then it is to pretend to be a big shot but have nothing because you won't take a regular job.  

10.  In other words, a good person cares more about animals than a bad person cares about people.  An animal is just an animal but a good person will not be unkind to them.

11a.  God blesses good honest hard work.  All honest work has dignity no matter how little one is paid for doing it.

11.  Those who chase fantasies all the time but never do any real work won't have what they need.

12a.  A bad person doesn't mind lying, stealing, or cheating in order to take what they want from those who have worked hard to attain it.

12b.  A decent person will not take what belongs to someone else.  They work hard for their needs and in the long run they will be better off.  Man was created to work and that is why we are blessed when we work.  Work is good for our bank book and work is also good for our soul and our spirit.

13.  A liar has to have a good memory.  If he doesn't then his stories will not match.  If his stories do not match he will incriminate himself.

14.  A person's words are like his work.  Both can bring a good reward.  Good words and good works both result in good rewards.  Most people respect those who say and do good things.

15a.  A fool is someone who doesn't do what is right but he doesn't accept correction because he thinks he knows everything.  That's a recipe for failure.  A fool can do no wrong as far as he is concerned; he lives in non reality.  People who live in non reality fail in the world of reality.

15.  If we are wise then we know that we do not understand everything.  No one knows everything; no one knows all sides of an issue.  A wise person understands that and welcomes advice from others.

16a.  If something upsets a fool you will know it immediately.  The slightest annoyance sets them off.

16.  A prudent person exercises self control.  They ignore insults; they restrain themselves by prayer and if they are smart they remember how Jesus was also insulted and how he responded.

17,18.  Careless words; words spoken in anger; insulting words and malicious gossip all cut like a sword.  It's not that you become bitter over it but it can be hard to forget that kind of talk.

19.  The truth about something never changes.  Truth is what it is.  Lies change.  People who lie often change their story.

20.  People who work for what is right have joy in their soul.  The closer we are to God the more we strive to do what is right the better we will feel on the inside.

21.  Without exception righteous people who live holy lives are spared from the terrible consequences which follow the behavior of the sinful.

22a.  God hates it when truth is twisted in any way.  It is very important to stay away from half truths or even exaggeration if people do not know that we are exaggerating.

22.  God doesn't ask for great things from people who are but dust.  He is satisfied with simple, good things.  He is happy when we are honest, trustworthy and truthful.

23a.  In other words, a Godly person is modest which is why they will not show off how much they know.  If something needs to be said or if someone has a question they will speak.  However they do not talk simply to impress others.

23.  A fool will talk about things they do not understand.  They talk as if they know when really they do not know.  
Not everyone who speaks with confidence knows what they are talking about so it pays to be careful when listening to anyone.

24a.  Most of the time it is the diligent, hard working people who rise to positions of leadership.

24.  Laziness leads to poverty and back in those days poverty meant selling yourself into slavery to work off your debt.  People became servants just to survive.  
Hard work is needed to survive in this world so if one is lazy they will not get by with their laziness it will catch up to them and eventually they will have to work to survive.  

25a.  Life can be hard and worry just makes things worse.  Worry causes sadness and it is foolish.  Worry is being sad about future things which may not even happened.  Jesus taught that we should be concerned about the things of today and then went tomorrow comes we can be concerned about whatever it brings.

25.  A good word is a powerful thing.  A good word like God knows what's going on and he loves you can go a long way toward helping a person feel better.  What is needed very often is encouragement, and just a little word of encouragement can be a very powerful thing.  

26.  Choose carefully who you spend time with.  If you know that someone is wrong in how they behave do not hang out with them because they will lead you the wrong way.

27.  In other words a lazy person doesn't make the most of his opportunity's.  His laziness causes him to allow opportunity to improve himself or to do what is right in the eyes of God to slip right by.  He doesn't enjoy the good things in life because he will not work for them.

28.  Copy the behavior of good people.  Learn to do good and good includes receiving Christ as lord and savior and you will make it to heaven.  Receiving Jesus gives you life; receiving Jesus guarantees that you will live forever in your raised body.  In other words you will not experience death, at least not for ever.