Tag Archive | faith

Proverbs 26 – Fueling fires or Quenching them?

Oct1

Good day everyone, and welcome back to our journey through the book of Proverbs! 😊 Each chapter is filled with timeless wisdom, and today we’re diving into Proverbs 26. My prayer is that as we reflect together, God’s Word will bring encouragement, guidance, and fresh revelation for your daily walk.

“It takes fuel to have a fire— a fire dies down when you run out of fuel. So quarrels disappear when the gossip ends. Add fuel to the fire and the blaze goes on. So add an argumentative man to the mix, and you’ll keep strife alive. Gossip is so delicious, and how we love to swallow it! For slander is easily absorbed into our innermost being.” (Proverbs 26:20–22 TPT)

“When you run out of wood, the fire goes out; when the gossip ends, the quarrel dies down. A quarrelsome person in a dispute is like kerosene thrown on a fire. Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you want junk like that in your belly?” (Proverbs 26:20–22 MSG)

I want to begin with a question: What are you doing with your words? Are they fueling a fire, or are they quenching it?

These verses remind us of the incredible power of the tongue. Such a small part of our body, yet capable of so much harm when not put under control. Harsh words stir up anger, hatred, and bitterness, while gentle and kind words promote love, patience, and peace. Proverbs tells us clearly: quarrels die down when gossip ends. Gossip is one of the biggest killers of friendships, and it has no place in the life of a believer.

Sometimes we disguise gossip as “sharing so someone can pray,” but deep inside, we know our true motive. Instead of spreading words that wound, we should take the matter to God in prayer. When gossip, slander, and quarrels are removed, our relationships become healthier and filled with peace rather than strife.

Verse 21 warns that an argumentative spirit only fuels the fire. Some people live for debates, always needing the last word, but this kind of attitude only stirs up more conflict. As children of God, we are called to be peacemakers, not fire-starters. The Bible repeatedly urges us to put away envy, malice, hurtful talk, and slander:

“So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. You’ve had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God’s pure kindness. Then you’ll grow up mature and whole in God.” (1 Peter 2:1–3 MSG)

“And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them. Lay aside bitter words, temper tantrums, revenge, profanity, and insults. But instead be kind and affectionate toward one another. Has God graciously forgiven you? Then graciously forgive one another in the depths of Christ’s love.” (Ephesians 4:29, 31–32 TPT)

“If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.” (James 1:26 NLT)

The Message version of verse 22 calls gossip “cheap candy that is junk in our belly,” while The Passion Translation says it infects our innermost being. Either way, gossip is spiritual junk food—it does nothing to nourish us and only leaves us weak. Let’s make the decision to turn away from gossip, refuse to spread slander, and instead let our words be gracious gifts that encourage and bring life.

I leave us with David’s prayer in Psalm 141:3 (NKJV):
“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.”

May that be our prayer today.

Thank you for joining me today! 😊 I’d love to hear how Proverbs 26 spoke to you—share your thoughts or reflections in the comments below so we can grow together.

✨Here are some reflection questions to ponder on:

Reflection Questions:

  • Are my words bringing peace and healing, or are they fueling conflict?
  • Do I ever disguise gossip as “sharing a prayer request”? What can I do differently?
  • In moments of disagreement, do I add fuel to the fire, or do I seek to calm the situation with gentle words?
  • How can I invite God to “set a guard” over my mouth this week?

Proverbs 22 & 23 – Seeds, Surrender & a Secure Future

Sep22

Good day everyone, and welcome back to our journey through the book of Proverbs! 😊

Each chapter of Proverbs overflows with timeless wisdom, and today we’re diving into Proverbs 22 and 23. My prayer is that as we reflect together, God’s Word will bring encouragement, guidance, and fresh revelation for your daily walk with Him.

Proverbs 22:4 (TPT)

“Laying your life down in tender surrender before the Lord will bring life, prosperity, and honor as your reward.”

Do you desire life, prosperity, and honor? This verse tells us how to receive them—through surrender. Not just a one-time act, but daily surrender, where we yield every part of our lives to God. It means giving Him control, choosing to obey His leading, and trusting His way above our own.

Jesus reminds us in John 10:10 that He came to give us abundant life. He also says in John 12:25 (TPT):
“The person who loves his life and pampers himself will miss true life! But the one who detaches his life from this world and abandons himself to me, will find true life and enjoy it forever!”

So here’s the question for today: Are you laying your life down in total surrender before the Lord? This is truly the best way to live. When we surrender, we hand over control to God, fully trusting that His way is always best.

Proverbs 22:8 (TPT)

“Sin is a seed that brings a harvest; you’ll reap a heap of trouble with every seed you plant. For your investment in sins pays a full return—the full punishment you deserve!”

Every sin is a seed, and sooner or later it will produce a harvest. Romans 6:23 (TPT) reminds us: “For sin’s meager wages is death, but God’s lavish gift is life eternal, found in your union with our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.”

Nothing good can ever come from sin. This is why we must run from it and pursue holiness. The more we spend time in God’s Word, in prayer, and in fellowship with other believers, the less room sin has to thrive in our lives.

Genesis 4:7 (TPT) warns us: “Sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you [to overpower you], but you must master it.” With God’s help, we can master sin instead of letting sin master us.

Proverbs 22:19 (TPT)

“For I’m releasing these words to you this day, yes, even to you, so that your living hope will be found in God alone, for he is the only one who is always true.”

Hallelujah! Our living hope is found in God and God alone. He is the one true God, the only one who never changes and never fails.

Proverbs 23:17–18 (TPT)

“Don’t allow the actions of evil men to cause you to burn with anger. Instead, burn with unrelenting passion as you worship God in holy awe. Your future is bright and filled with a living hope that will never fade away.”

It’s so easy to get frustrated or even envious when we see the wicked prosper, but God calls us to something higher. Instead of burning with anger, we are to burn with passion for Him. Our motivation is not what others are doing, but the truth that in Christ, our future is secure and our hope will never fade.

The Life Application Study Bible commentary on this verse says:

“How easy it is to envy those who get ahead unhampered by conscience or moral responsibility. For a time they do seem to prosper even though they disregard what God wants, but they have no real future. To those who follow Him, God promises a hope and a wonderful future, even if it isn’t achieved in this life.”

As we wrap up today’s reflection, I pray we daily choose surrender over control, righteousness over sin, and worship over envy, that in doing so, we’ll discover that our hope, our future, and our very lives are secure in the hands of our faithful God.

Thank you for joining me today! 😊 I’d love to hear how Proverbs 22 and 23 spoke to you—share your thoughts or reflections in the comments below so we can grow together.

✨Here are some reflection questions to ponder on:

  • Am I truly surrendering my life to God each day, or am I still holding on to control?
  • What seeds am I sowing with my words, actions, and thoughts—seeds of sin or seeds of righteousness?
  • When I’m tempted to compare myself to others, do I let envy creep in, or do I fix my eyes on the secure hope I have in Christ?