5.12- A wise man’s words are able to “spur” us to improve our lives.

5.12-

A wise man’s words are able to “spur” us to improve our lives.

All truth is God’s truth.

Ecclesiastes 12

⁹ But then, because the Preacher was wise, he went on teaching the people all he knew; and he collected proverbs and classified them. ¹⁰ For the Preacher was not only a wise man but a good teacher; he not only taught what he knew to the people, but taught them in an interesting manner. ¹¹ The wise man’s words are like goads that spur to action. They nail down important truths. Students are wise who master what their teachers tell them.

¹² But, my son, be warned: there is no end of opinions ready to be expressed. Studying them can go on forever and become very exhausting!

Psalm 119.

¹²⁶ Lord, it is time for you to act. For these evil men have violated your laws,

Psalm 108.

Psalm 109 Living Bible (TLB)

109 O God of my praise, don’t stand silent and aloof ² while the wicked slander me and tell their lies. ³ They have no reason to hate and fight me, yet they do! ⁴ I love them, but even while I am praying for them, they are trying to destroy me. ⁵ They return evil for good, and hatred for love.

⁶ Show him how it feels!^[a] Let lies be told about him, and bring him to court before an unfair judge. ⁷ When his case is called for judgment, let him be pronounced guilty. Count his prayers as sins. ⁸ Let his years be few and brief; let others step forward to replace him. ^9-10 May his children become fatherless and his wife a widow; may they be evicted from the ruins of their home. ¹¹ May creditors seize his entire estate and strangers take all he has earned. ^12-13 Let no one be kind to him; let no one pity his fatherless children. May they die. May his family name be blotted out in a single generation. ¹⁴ Punish the sins of his father and mother. Don’t overlook them. ¹⁵ Think constantly about the evil things he has done, and cut off his name from the memory of man.
¹⁶ For he refused all kindness to others, and persecuted those in need, and hounded brokenhearted ones to death. ¹⁷ He loved to curse others; now you curse him. He never blessed others; now don’t you bless him. ¹⁸ Cursing is as much a part of him as his clothing, or as the water he drinks, or the rich food he eats.
¹⁹ Now may those curses return and cling to him like his clothing or his belt. ²⁰ This is the Lord’s punishment upon my enemies who tell lies about me and threaten me with death.
²¹ But as for me, O Lord, deal with me as your child, as one who bears your name! Because you are so kind, O Lord, deliver me.
^22-23 I am slipping down the hill to death; I am shaken off from life as easily as a man brushes a grasshopper from his arm. ²⁴ My knees are weak from fasting, and I am skin and bones. ²⁵ I am a symbol of failure to all mankind; when they see me they shake their heads.
²⁶ Help me, O Lord my God! Save me because you are loving and kind. ²⁷ Do it publicly, so all will see that you yourself have done it. ²⁸ Then let them curse me if they like—I won’t mind that if you are blessing me! For then all their efforts to destroy me will fail, and I shall go right on rejoicing!
²⁹ Make them fail in everything they do. Clothe them with disgrace. ³⁰ But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising him to everyone. ³¹ For he stands beside the poor and hungry to save them from their enemies.

Our Father in heaven has endorsed the words of His Son Jesus in an emphatic way.

Mark 9.

9 Then he added, “Believe me, there are some of you standing here who will know nothing of death until you have seen the kingdom of God coming in its power!”

^2-5 Six days later, Jesus took Peter and James and John with him and led them high up on a hill-side where they were entirely alone. His whole appearance changed before their eyes, while his clothes became white, dazzling white—whiter than any earthly bleaching could make them. Elijah and Moses appeared to the disciples and stood there in conversation with Jesus. Peter burst out to Jesus, “Master, it is wonderful for us to be here! Shall we put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah?”

^6-7 He really did not know what to say, for they were very frightened. Then came a cloud which overshadowed them and a voice spoke out of the cloud, “This is my dearly-loved Son. Listen to him!”

^8-11 Then, quite suddenly they looked all round them and saw nobody at all with them but Jesus.

John 5.

³⁹ “You search the Scriptures, for you believe they give you eternal life. And the Scriptures point to me! ⁴⁰ Yet you won’t come to me so that I can give you this life eternal!

Hebrews 1.

1 Long ago God spoke in many different ways to our fathers through the prophets, in visions, dreams, and even face to face,^[a] telling them little by little about his plans.

² But now in these days he has spoken to us through his Son to whom he has given everything and through whom he made the world and everything there is.