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Musings

Proverbs 6 Commentary

by Hoo · Jan 28, 2013

Combo-breaker! I missed having my quiet times three days in a row. Normally, when some thing like this happens I get depressed and stop writing for long periods of time. Not going to do that this time. I’ll just have to pick myself up and keep on trucking. I’m not going to do something silly and try to catch up all at once.

Trying to catch up back fires on me and I do even less.

Thank you for your patience.

Proverbs 6 on Bible Gateway.

1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 you have been trapped by what you said,
ensnared by the words of your mouth.
3 So do this, my son, to free yourself,
since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
Go—to the point of exhaustion—
and give your neighbor no rest!
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes,
no slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

Be wise and avoid signing your name on a contract. If I am responsible for someone else’s loan or repayment that is unwise. If you accidentally cosigned something

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Strategically plan and work wisely. Do your due diligence and think about the smartest way to do something.

9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
11 and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.

I experienced this scripture first hand. A few years ago I saved up $20,000 dollars and took a break from working to figure out what kind of online business I wanted to start. I didn’t have a plan and just wasted that opportunity. I played a lot of videos games, surfed the web, and a lot of sleeping. I became very broke soon after. Learn from the Bible, or me, and try to avoid learning personally.

12 A troublemaker and a villain,
who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13 who winks maliciously with his eye,
signals with his feet
and motions with his fingers,
14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart—
he always stirs up conflict.
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;
he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

Be a good-maker and a hero, someone who speaks with love, encourages with your eyes, do actions that bring joy to others, and always promote peace. You will be blessed and protected.

16 There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

God loves seven things

  1. humble eyes
  2. a tongue that speaks truth
  3. hands that promote love
  4. a heart that creates encouragement
  5. feet that bring good
  6. someone who speaks truth
  7. a person who promotes peace

20 My son, keep your father’s command
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them always on your heart;
fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.

Remember your dad’s commands and your mom’s teachings. Use symbols and signs to remind you. They will guide me and protect me.

23 For this command is a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
are the way to life,
24 keeping you from your neighbor’s wife,
from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.
25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
or let her captivate you with her eyes.

This will protect you. Love your wife. Hard to the the opposite (with encouragement) with some of these scriptures, not sure what the opposite of lusting after beauty is… love her ugliness?

26 For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread,
but another man’s wife preys on your very life.

Almost seems like this scripture promotes prostitution. I’m going to take it as a its better not to lust at all, but the consequences of sleeping with another man’s life will destroy your life.

27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap
without his clothes being burned?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals
without his feet being scorched?
29 So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife;
no one who touches her will go unpunished.

Seriously love your own wife and not other peoples’ wives. This must be a serious issue, as its mentioned several times in Proverbs.

30 People do not despise a thief if he steals
to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,
though it costs him all the wealth of his house.

Thieves if you are caught you must pay sevenfold. I think governments should use this as a default punishment for theft.

32 But a man who commits adultery has no sense;
whoever does so destroys himself.
33 Blows and disgrace are his lot,
and his shame will never be wiped away.
34 For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury,
and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He will not accept any compensation;
he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.

Love your own wife. The consequences of adultery are terrible.

Practical usage: Strategically plan what I want to do with my life and love my wife.

Filed Under: Musings

Proverbs 5 Commentary

by Hoo · Jan 24, 2013

Read Proverbs 5.

1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
turn your ear to my words of insight,
2 that you may maintain discretion
and your lips may preserve knowledge.

Get ready Solomon is going to say some really important stuff.

3 For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
and her speech is smoother than oil;
4 but in the end she is bitter as gall,
sharp as a double-edged sword.

Be careful of people who are adulterous. They are smooth, but bitter. Not sure what gall tastes like, but it probably doesn’t taste very good.

5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.

Adultery leads to death. All sin does, but adultery apparently is a huge one. Perhaps because many people are influenced by the consequences.

6 She gives no thought to the way of life;
her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.

Adultery does not think about the future.

7 Now then, my sons, listen to me;
do not turn aside from what I say.

Listen!

8 Keep to a path far from her,
do not go near the door of her house,
9 lest you lose your honor to others
and your dignity to one who is cruel,
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth
and your toil enrich the house of another.

If you stay away from adultery you will keep your honor, dignity, wealth, and enrich yourself.

11 At the end of your life you will groan,
when your flesh and body are spent.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
How my heart spurned correction!
13 I would not obey my teachers
or turn my ear to my instructors.
14 And I was soon in serious trouble
in the assembly of God’s people.”

If you stay away from adultery you will be happy, disciplined, love correction, obey teachers, listen to instructors, and peace with God’s people.

15 Drink water from your own cistern,
running water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
your streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
never to be shared with strangers.
18 May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer—
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be intoxicated with her love.

I’ve heard cistern/fountain as a metaphor for your spouse. Your spouse should satisfy you. Your relationship with your spouse belongs to you alone.

20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

Why gamble your life?

21 For your ways are in full view of the Lord,
and he examines all your paths.

God knows everything.

22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;
the cords of their sins hold them fast.
23 For lack of discipline they will die,
led astray by their own great folly.

Evil deeds, sin, and lack of discipline will lead to death.

I struggle with lust. It helps a little bit that my raging hormones have subsided now that I am in my thirties. That’s why I encourage early godly marriages. To protect our children from this entangling sin.

Actionable item: Spend time with godly people who love their spouses.

Filed Under: 30 day project, Musings, Quiet Times

Proverbs 4 Commentary

by Hoo · Jan 24, 2013

I missed yesterday! I messed up. I’ll do two today. Not exactly what I wanted to do.

That might be the reason why I’m so drained this morning.

BibleGateway’s Scripture of the Day is encouraging by the way.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

James 1: 5-7

I’m going to ask God publicly. God give me more wisdom! Help me believe and not doubt. I want to be single-minded and stable in all I do! In Jesus name- Amen!

Proverbs 4 on Bible Gateway

1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.

Due to a lack of depth of relationship with my Dad. It is hard for me to relate to this scripture. I am trying to build a deeper relationship with my dad, but it is challenging with the distance. However, this scripture says that I need to learn from my parents, because my parents are looking out for me. Even if I think my parents are wrong some times. What’s important is to get wisdom and understanding, because wisdom will protect me. Love wisdom and she will protect me. I have been unwise several times and ignored wisdom- very expensive lessons for me to the tune of $20,000.

7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.”

Get wisdom. Get understanding to the point it costs everything I have. That scripture is hard to swallow. If I cherish wisdom and understanding I will be exalted, honored, and be presented with a glorious crown. I wonder what the crown means in this context.

10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.

If you are wise you will live a long time. Hold onto instruction because it is my life.

14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.

Stay away from wickedness and evil. I had to look up the word wicked to make sure I understood what it meant. Wicked: causing harm or doing evil. If whatever I’m doing is intentionally hurting people – probably not good to be doing that.

20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.

Wisdom is really important. Proverbs alone has repeated it like 5 times already. It’s good for me.

23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.

Guard my heart, everything I do comes from it. Say good things, look straight ahead, think about where I go, and stay on the good path.

Action item: Never forget reason.

Filed Under: 30 day project, Musings, Quiet Times

Proverbs 3 Commentary

by Hoo · Jan 22, 2013

Read the original Proverbs 3.

1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.

Remember God’s teachings. Remember his commands. Results = peace and prosperity.

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

Keep love and faithfulness around you. To me this means that I need to constantly remember to be loving and faithful.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

This is my theme scripture the year. God is so much wiser than I. There are things I won’t understand. I need to follow him the best as I can and he will take care of the rest.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

My guess is being wise in your own eyes means being arrogant. This is probably one of the areas I need to work on. Sometimes I feel like I’m better than other people for x, y, and z reasons. If I remain humble its supposed to keep health in my bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Tithe and give my best to the Lord. God promises to bless me if I do.

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.

God is going to discipline me, because I will mess up. When I get disciplined it means that God loves me. All the hardships that I go through now, is because God loves me and wants to make me a better man.

13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.
19 By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.

Wisdom is awesome. With wisdom and understanding I will be blessed, more profitable, live longer, be honored, be rich, peaceful, and understand science.

21 My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side
and will keep your foot from being snared.

Wisdom is awesome part deux. With wisdom and understanding, help me make better decisions, more life, be safe, be brave, sleep will beb sweet, have no fear, and the Lord will protect me.

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.

If I am able to do good. Do good now.

29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.

Be good to your neighbors.

30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.
31 Do not envy the violent
or choose any of their ways.

Be honest and be content with what you have.

32 For the Lord detests the perverse
but takes the upright into his confidence.
33 The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
34 He mocks proud mockers
but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools get only shame.

With Wisdom I will be confident, blessed, shown favor, and inherit honor. I will be cursed if I am perverse, proud, and shamed.

Action Items: Wisdom is awesome. I need to post more posters of good scriptures around the house like I used to.

Filed Under: Musings, Quiet Times

Proverbs 2 Commentary

by Hoo · Jan 21, 2013

Proverbs 2 on Bible Gateway

 

1 My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.

You have to take action in order to receive blessings from God. Accept the words, memorize (store) the words, listen to wisdom, take time to understand, ask for insight, beg for understanding, look for wisdom, then I will understand fear of the Lord and knowledge of God.

6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.

God gives wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. God holds success for those in the upright, a shield to those who are innocent, guards the just, and protects the faithful.

9 Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.
12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
to walk in dark ways,
14 who delight in doing wrong
and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
15 whose paths are crooked
and who are devious in their ways.

I need more wisdom. Wisdom is full of good stuff – send you on good paths, protect me, guard me, and save me.

16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
and ignored the covenant she made before God.
18 Surely her house leads down to death
and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
19 None who go to her return
or attain the paths of life.

I wonder if adultery here has two meanings. One the lust and another idolatry. Perhaps it means sin all together. In any case, wisdom will also protect me from it.

20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,
and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

Walk in the ways of the good, stay on the path of the righteous, upright will live, blameless will survive, and everyone else won’t.

My wife told me the other day that I have been glowing. I feel different now that I have consistently done a quiet time every work day. I need to do them on the weekend to. I will repent this week and do all seven days.

Action Item: I need to pray for more wisdom and actively search for it.

God bless you and thank you for reading. I’d love to hear your thoughts and encouragements too!

Filed Under: Musings, Quiet Times

A New Paradigm on Marriage: The Marriage Cage

by Hoo · Jan 21, 2013

The original article can be found here on Radical Mentoring the Marriage Cage.

I never thought of it this way before. The idea that marriage is a cage and its here to protect whoever is in the cage.

God in his infinite wisdom has designed a system (nature, science, and processes). The institution of marriage is no different.

I especially agree with the following quotes:

Love initiates marriage. But marriage sustains love.

 

We’re in a culture where parents do everything to give their kids an advantage, but forget the most valuable thing we can bestow upon our children is a happy, healthy marriage between Mom and Dad.

 

To think longer term, to stay committed even when they don’t feel like it, and to trust God for the love and protection He provides through marriage.

My theme scripture this year is Proverbs 3:5-6.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

I hope to chronicle what I learn and can share the insights and the wisdom I get from the Bible and my experiences.

Filed Under: Musings, Reviews

Malachi 4 Commentary by Hoo Kang

by Hoo · Jan 17, 2013

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) Practical application: Love God and Love People, because one day God will return.

Find the original NIV Version of Malachi 4.

Short chapter.

1“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them.

Judgement day is coming. Be ready.

2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. 3 Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty.

God is going to use us to trample the others. I don’t feel awesome about this, but I’m sure God has his reasons.

4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.

Remember the 10 commandments. Essentially boils down to Love God and Love People.

5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

Elijah here I believe is Jesus. Jesus will help parents love their children and children love their parents. Or else God will smite us for not loving one another. Sounds fair to me.

Malachi 1 Commentary by Hoo Kang
Malachi 2 Commentary by Hoo Kang
Malachi 3 Commentary by Hoo Kang
Malachi 4 Commentary by Hoo Kang

Do you have some insight to add or did I make a mistake? Please share your insights in the comments below.

Filed Under: Musings, Quiet Times

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