i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION: A NOTE TO THE READER ......................................................8 COUNSELING FROM THE PROVERBS .................................................................9 Get Involved .............................................................................................. 9 Inspire Hope ............................................................................................... 9 Take Inventory ........................................................................................... 9 Interpret Biblically ................................................................................... 12 Instruct Lovingly ..................................................................................... 13 Induce Change ......................................................................................... 13 Implement Application ............................................................................ 13 Achieve Integration ................................................................................. 13 UNDERSTANDING THE HEART IN PROVERBS ...............................................14 Desires and Volition ................................................................................ 14 Thoughts .................................................................................................. 15 Emotions .................................................................................................. 15 Behavior ................................................................................................... 15 From Root to Fruit ................................................................................... 16 PRIDE AND HUMILITY: PRIDE GOES BEFORE DESTRUCTION ...................18 Recognize Pride ....................................................................................... 18 Reject Pride .............................................................................................. 24 Replace Pride with Humility ................................................................... 27 GRIEF AND LOSS: A CRUSHED SPIRIT WHO CAN BEAR? ............................36 Candor: Be Honest with Yourself ............................................................ 40 Complaint: Be Honest with God .............................................................. 42 Crying Out: Plead for God’s Help ........................................................... 46 ii Comfort: Receive God’s Strength ........................................................... 49 Confidence: Trust God to Heal ................................................................ 52 BIBLICAL FRIENDSHIP: CLOSER THAN A BROTHER ...................................58 Friendship is Elusive ................................................................................ 59 Friendship is Essential ............................................................................. 60 Friendship is Broken ................................................................................ 62 Friendship is Restored ............................................................................. 62 The Friends to Avoid ............................................................................... 63 The Friend to Be and the Friend to Find .................................................. 66 ANXIETY: THE RIGHTEOUS ARE BOLD AS A LION ......................................76 Comprehend Fear and Anxiety ................................................................ 76 Confess Fear and Anxiety ........................................................................ 84 Counteract Fear and Anxiety ................................................................... 85 ANGER: A SOFT ANSWER TURNS AWAY WRATH ........................................96 Anger Can Be Good ................................................................................. 97 Anger Can Be Bad ................................................................................... 99 Anger Goes Deep ................................................................................... 105 The Gospel Goes Deeper ....................................................................... 109 TRUTH AND DECEPTION: AN HONEST ANSWER KISSES THE LIPS ........117 The Liar’s Creator .................................................................................. 118 The Liar’s Deception ............................................................................. 123 The Liar’s Destiny ................................................................................. 126 The Liar’s Redemption .......................................................................... 128 WORDS TO THE WISE: APPLES OF GOLD IN SETTINGS OF SILVER ........134 Words which Harm Our Neighbor ........................................................ 135 Words which Heal the Heart .................................................................. 139 Words which Help the Righteous .......................................................... 144 iii WEALTH: NEITHER POVERTY NOR RICHES .................................................154 The “Promise” of Prosperity .................................................................. 155 The Priorities of Prosperity .................................................................... 158 The Practice of Prosperity ..................................................................... 160 GOSSIP AND SLANDER: CHOKING ON CHOICE MORSELS........................166 Recognize Gossip .................................................................................. 168 Resist Gossip ......................................................................................... 175 Repent of Gossip .................................................................................... 180 ADDICTIONS: A BANQUET IN THE GRAVE ...................................................186 The Trouble of Addiction ...................................................................... 187 The Terror of Addiction ......................................................................... 193 The Treatment for Addiction ................................................................. 196 The Track for Recovering Addicts ........................................................ 201 LAZINESS: A LITTLE SLEEP, A LITTLE SLUMBER .......................................205 Habitually Procrastinating: Idol of Comfort .......................................... 206 Hasty to Make Excuses: Idol of Security .............................................. 210 Haughty in Self-Appraisement: Idol of Pride ........................................ 212 Harmful to Community: Idol of Self-Centeredness ............................... 213 Hungry for Fulfillment: Idol of Greedy Pleasure .................................. 216 Humbly in Need of Heart Change ......................................................... 218 GUIDANCE: COMMIT YOUR WORKS TO THE LORD ...................................223 Grow in Doctrine ................................................................................... 224 Grow in Character .................................................................................. 229 Grow in Wisdom .................................................................................... 232 Grow in Community .............................................................................. 237 Grow in Christ ....................................................................................... 238 PARENTING: TRAIN UP A CHILD .....................................................................243 iv In the Way He Should Go (22:6a) ......................................................... 245 In Love ................................................................................................... 248 In Obedience .......................................................................................... 251 In Truth .................................................................................................. 257 In Faith (22:6b) ...................................................................................... 260 AGUR’S PRAYER IN A FALLEN WORLD (PROV 30) .....................................264 Agur’s Prayer for Humility (vv. 1-9) ..................................................... 267 Agur’s Principles for Wisdom (vv. 10-33) ............................................ 273 Agur’s Promise of Salvation (v. 5) ........................................................ 279 MARRIAGE: HE WHO FINDS A WIFE FINDS A GOOD THING (PROV 31) .284 The Proverbs 31 Man (vv. 1-9).............................................................. 285 The Proverbs 31 Woman (vv. 10-31) .................................................... 288 The Proverbs 31 God ............................................................................. 298 THE GOSPEL BEGINNING IN PROVERBS .......................................................302 God ........................................................................................................ 302 Man ........................................................................................................ 304 Christ...................................................................................................... 305 Response ................................................................................................ 307 THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD ................................................................................309 The Knowledge of the Holy 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