He was known all over the world 🌍🌍 for his amazing stunts. Jean Francois Gravelet who became popularly known as Charles Blondin was a French acrobat and a tightrope walker. He is famously known as the man who walked across the Niagara Falls on a rope. On July 15,1859 Charles Blondin pushed a wheelbarrow across the Niagara Falls on a rope whilst blindfolded. When he safely got to the other side, the crowd who were watching went wild with cheers. Then Blondin asked them if they believed he could walk back across the Falls again with the wheelbarrow but this time with a human being in it. All the people said "yes, we believe you can do it". Blondin then asked for a volunteer, but the crowd went silent 😶. It is one thing to believe in something and a totally different thing to TAKE ACTION based on your beliefs. Many people have dreams ✨ but because of fear 😨 of the unknown, they don't take action. Whether you intend to become an entrepreneur or not 🚫, every vision or dream ✨ requires stepping 🪜 out into the unknown. It requires faith to be successful. The Bible says "faith without corresponding ACTION is dead"(James 2:26). Many people dream ✨, only those who take action succeed. You may have failed before but don't let that define you. Step 🪜 out again. Success is for the courageous. Have a lovely day 💝❤️💜.

Guidelines for living. August 27, 2026 Why You Should Cultivate Excellence in Your Life Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 The greatest accomplishments in life - believe it or not - are made not by the smartest people in the world but by those who didn't know enough to quit. They were the ones who kept trying, kept plodding, kept practicing, who kept investigating until they stumbled onto success. That fact was driven home to me when I was studying in the university. There were two men in my classes who were geniuses. Their IQs were way up there. At the end of a class, they slapped their books shut and generally didn't open them. They were smart. Frankly, I was among those who had to dig it out. People thought I was really gifted; no, I just knew how to work and to study. My parents spent hard earned money and sent me to school to study, not party. I knew why I was there and I made the most of the opportunity. Learning to apply myself was something I happened to grow up with, but everybody didn't have a dad who cut the handles off of brooms, making them short enough for me to use as a kid, or has you work alongside him. But you can learn to work. You can develop discipline yourself. You can set goals and eventually reach them. One of my heroes was Sir Edmund Hillary, who along with his Sherpa guide, Tensing, crested Mount Everest for the first time. Awesome achievement, and that before a lot of high-tech gear which climbers use today. When asked how he accomplished this when others had failed, he replied that when he was tempted to turn back, he took just one more step. William Carey, the father of modern missions, said that his greatest ability was to plod in the face of adversity. When Thomas Edison had tried 10,000 ways to produce an incandescent globe and hadn't succeeded, he was urged to quit. He responded that he had found 10,000 ways that wouldn't work. And he would eventually find one that did. He did! I've sometimes wondered how many determined, stubborn individuals we have today with that same tenacity. The foundation of our modern achievements was laid by thousands of unknown individuals who lived in obscurity and died unknown, who faithfully contributed to what has enabled us to send men to the moon, to circle the globe with communication, and to accomplish great and mighty things through technology and science. They laid the foundation; we have built upon their research, hard work, and trial and error. Their strength and energy, like a gradually falling barometer, were meted out in hard work, years of often-unrecognized service, and yes, blood, sweat and tears. But they did not quit. They did not look for something with less work and more money attached to it. I've been told that in an European Cathedral, high in the rafters where no one ever goes, are some intricate carvings of exquisite beauty, done by a master craftsman whose name has long since been lost to posterity. Why did he take time to do some of his finest work, using an abutment of wood that will never be seen by the public? He valued excellence. He took seriously the admonition of the Bible that instructs: "Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom" (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Cultivate excellence. Make it a passion. Refuse to let the world and our culture shove you into the mold of mediocrity. Thank God for teachers who inspire excellence, for mothers who have the patience to bring the best out of their children, for dads who have the patience to teach a little boy how to do something. Do it, friend. Someday, you will be very glad you did. Resource Reading: Ecclesiastes 9:1-10

THE REALITY OF DEATH WHERE WILL YOU GO WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR VERY LAST BREATH? “And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.” — Hebrews 9:27 Death is one of the realities that every human being eventually faces. We can avoid talking about it. We can stay busy. We can accumulate possessions. We can build businesses. We can pursue careers. We can become famous. We can become wealthy. We can travel the world. We can take care of our bodies. But eventually, every earthly journey comes to an end. One day, every heartbeat will stop. One day, every breath will cease. One day, the opportunities of this present life will come to an end. And when that final breath comes, there is one question that matters more than almost anything else: WHERE WILL YOU GO? Not: “How much money did I have?” Not: “How successful was I?” Not: “How many people knew my name?” Not: “How beautiful was my house?” Not: “How many possessions did I leave behind?” The question is: “AM I READY TO MEET GOD?” --- 1. DEATH IS NOT RESPECTFUL OF AGE Death doesn't ask whether you're young or old. It doesn't ask whether you're rich or poor. It doesn't ask whether you're famous or unknown. It doesn't ask whether you're prepared. Death comes to kings and ordinary people. The Bible reminds us that our earthly lives are temporary. Psalm 90:12 says: > “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” Our time on earth is precious because it is limited. You don't know how many mornings you have left. You don't know how many sunsets you have left. You don't know how many birthdays you have left. You don't know how many times you will hear the voice of someone you love. Therefore: Don't waste the life God has given you. --- 2. YOUR LAST BREATH WILL NOT BE THE END OF EVERYTHING For the Christian, death is not the end. Jesus said in John 11:25: > “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” Jesus Christ conquered the grave. The resurrection of Jesus means death does not have the final word. For those who belong to Christ, there is the hope of resurrection and eternal life with God. That is why Paul could write in Philippians 1:21: > “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.” This doesn't mean we should seek death. It means that the believer can face death knowing that Jesus has already conquered the grave. --- 3. BUT THE BIBLE ALSO WARNS US ABOUT JUDGMENT We cannot preach only the comforting parts of Scripture. The Bible tells us: Hebrews 9:27: > “Each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.” There is accountability before God. Our lives matter. Our decisions matter. Our relationship with God matters. The Bible speaks about a final judgment. Revelation 20:12 describes the dead standing before God and being judged. This should awaken us. Not merely frighten us. Awaken us. Because God's warning is an expression of His mercy. God doesn't warn us because He wants humanity to perish. He warns us because He calls people to repentance and salvation. --- 4. YOU CANNOT TAKE YOUR POSSESSIONS WITH YOU You may spend your entire life collecting things. But when your final breath comes, everything you accumulated remains behind. You cannot put your bank account inside your coffin. You cannot take your house into eternity. You cannot take your automobile. You cannot take your career. You cannot take your social-media followers. You cannot take your earthly reputation. The question is not: “What did I own?” The question is: “Whom did I belong to?” --- 5. JESUS ASKED A QUESTION THAT SHOULD SHAKE EVERY HEART Jesus said in Mark 8:36: > “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” Think about that. You could theoretically gain everything this world has to offer— and still lose the most important thing you possess. Your soul. You can be successful and spiritually lost. You can be admired and spiritually empty. You can have possessions and have no peace with God. You can fool people. You can even fool yourself. But you cannot fool God. God sees the heart. --- 6. THE MOST IMPORTANT PREPARATION FOR DEATH The most important preparation isn't buying a cemetery plot. It isn't writing a will. It isn't organizing your possessions. Those things have their place. But the most important preparation is: BE READY TO MEET JESUS. Jesus said in John 14:6: > “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Salvation is found in Jesus Christ. Not in our accomplishments. Not in our morality. Not in religious performance. Not in trying to make ourselves worthy. We need the grace of God. We need forgiveness. We need Christ. --- 7. SALVATION IS NOT SOMETHING WE EARN Ephesians 2:8–9 teaches that we are saved by grace through faith—not because of our own works. This is incredibly important. You cannot make yourself worthy of salvation. You cannot become good enough to force God to accept you. The Gospel is that Jesus Christ came for sinners. He died for our sins. He rose from the dead. And He calls us to repentance and faith. Salvation is God's gift. But we must receive that gift. --- 8. REPENTANCE MEANS TURNING TOWARD GOD Repentance isn't simply saying: “I'm sorry.” Biblical repentance means turning away from sin and turning toward God. It means surrender. It means: “Lord, I don't want to live my way anymore. I want Your way.” It doesn't mean you will never stumble. It means you stop making peace with sin. You stop treating rebellion against God as something you don't care about. You bring your failures to Christ. You confess them. You receive His forgiveness. And you keep walking with Him. --- 9. DON'T WAIT UNTIL YOUR LAST BREATH One of the most dangerous lies is: “I'll get right with God later.” Later may never come. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Next year is not guaranteed. Another decade is not guaranteed. Your next breath isn't something you can demand. Therefore: DON'T WAIT. If God is calling your heart today, respond today. If you need to repent, repent today. If you need to forgive someone, forgive today. If you need to return to Christ, return today. If you've been running from God, come home today. --- 10. THE CROSS IS GOD'S ANSWER TO OUR SIN At the cross, Jesus took upon Himself the judgment deserved by sinners. He suffered. He bled. He died. And then He rose again. The cross tells us two things simultaneously: Sin is serious. And: God's love is astonishing. Romans 5:8 tells us that God demonstrated His love for us through Christ dying for us while we were still sinners. Think about that. Jesus didn't wait until we became perfect. He came to save sinners. --- 11. THERE IS HOPE FOR THE PERSON WHO FEELS TOO FAR GONE Perhaps someone reading this thinks: “I've failed God too many times.” “I've sinned too much.” “God could never forgive me.” Listen carefully: The Gospel is not: “Fix yourself and then come to Jesus.” The Gospel is: “Come to Jesus.” Bring Him your brokenness. Bring Him your shame. Bring Him your failures. Bring Him your regrets. Bring Him your fears. Bring Him your past. Bring Him your sins. And surrender them to Him. Jesus is the Savior. You don't have to save yourself. --- 12. WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN YOUR LAST BREATH COMES? One day, every one of us will face that moment. The room may become quiet. The sounds of this world may fade. The things that seemed so important may suddenly seem insignificant. And the question will no longer be theoretical. It will become personal: “WHERE AM I GOING?” For the person who belongs to Christ, there is hope. Jesus promised eternal life. Jesus promised resurrection. Jesus promised that He would never abandon His people. And ultimately, Scripture points us toward a future where death itself is defeated. Revelation 21:4 gives this glorious promise: > “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.” That is the Christian hope. Death does not get the final word. Jesus does. --- 13. THE FINAL CHOICE Every person must ultimately answer the question of what they will do with Jesus. Will you reject Him? Ignore Him? Postpone Him? Or surrender your life to Him? Jesus calls: Come home. Come to the cross. Come to forgiveness. Come to grace. Come to salvation. Come to eternal life. --- FINAL APPEAL My friend, don't wait for your final breath to think about eternity. Think about eternity now. You still have an opportunity to seek God. You still have an opportunity to repent. You still have an opportunity to pray. You still have an opportunity to forgive. You still have an opportunity to love. You still have an opportunity to serve. You still have an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus. And most importantly: You still have an opportunity to surrender completely to Jesus Christ. The question isn't merely: “WHEN WILL I DIE?” The deeper question is: “AM I READY WHEN I DO?” And an even more important question: “DO I BELONG TO JESUS CHRIST?” Because when your final breath comes, your earthly story will be finished. But your eternal destiny will not be. So make sure your heart is right with God. Make sure your hope is in Christ. Make sure your faith is genuine. Make sure you are walking with Jesus. And when that final moment comes, may you be able to say: “JESUS CHRIST IS MY LORD AND SAVIOR.” “MY HOPE IS IN HIM.” “I AM READY TO MEET MY KING.” --- DEEP PRAYER FOR SALVATION, REPENTANCE, AND ETERNAL LIFE Heavenly Father, I come before You with humility, reverence, and a sincere heart. Thank You for giving me the gift of life. Thank You for every breath. Thank You for every day You have allowed me to see. Father, forgive me for the times I have taken life for granted. Forgive me for the times I have focused more on this temporary world than on eternal things. Forgive me for my sins. Forgive my rebellion. Forgive my pride. Forgive my selfishness. Forgive the things I have said, thought, and done that have dishonored You. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Lord Jesus Christ, I recognize that I cannot save myself. I cannot earn eternal life. I cannot make myself righteous. I need You. I need Your mercy. I need Your grace. I need Your forgiveness. I need Your blood to cleanse me. I need Your resurrection power to give me new life. Jesus, I surrender myself to You. Take control of my heart. Take control of my thoughts. Take control of my desires. Take control of my words. Take control of my decisions. Take control of my future. Teach me to hate what You hate and love what You love. Give me a genuine desire for holiness. Give me a genuine desire for Your Word. Give me a genuine desire for prayer. Give me a genuine desire for Your presence. Help me not merely to talk about Christianity. Help me truly follow Jesus. Holy Spirit, examine my heart. Reveal anything in me that needs to change. Expose the things I have tried to hide. Give me courage to repent. Give me strength to turn away from sin. When I stumble, keep me from running away from God. Teach me to run toward God. When I am tempted, give me strength. When I am discouraged, give me hope. When I am afraid, give me peace. When I feel condemned, lead me back to the cross. When I fail, teach me to confess and repent rather than surrender to despair. Father, prepare me for eternity. Don't let me become so comfortable with this temporary world that I forget the eternal world. Teach me to number my days. Teach me to live wisely. Teach me to love people while I still have time. Help me forgive those who have hurt me. Help me ask forgiveness where I have hurt others. Help me make peace where peace is possible. Help me use the remaining days of my life for Your glory. And when my final breath eventually comes, may I not be trusting in my possessions, my accomplishments, my religious performance, or my own goodness. Let my confidence be in Jesus Christ alone. Jesus, You are my Savior. You are my Lord. You are my hope. You are my resurrection. You are my life. And when I stand before You, let me be found trusting in You. Father, prepare my heart for that day. Until then, help me live every day with eternity in view. Let my life be a testimony. Let my words point people toward Jesus. Let my actions demonstrate Your love. Let my testimony give hope to the broken. And let me never forget: THIS LIFE IS TEMPORARY. ETERNITY IS FOREVER. JESUS IS THE WAY. JESUS IS THE TRUTH. JESUS IS THE LIFE. Father, I place my life and eternity into Your hands. May I live for Christ. May I die in Christ. And may I spend eternity with Christ. In the mighty, precious, holy, and victorious name of Jesus Christ, AMEN. 🙏✝️❤️🕊️

August 26 🌿 “WHO GOD IS TO ME” MY HOPE 📖 Psalm 71:5 (LLV) — “For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You have been my trust since my youth.” Hope is often spoken of as something we wish will happen. “I hope things get better.” “I hope everything works out.” “I hope tomorrow will be easier.” But biblical hope is different. It is not a wish. It is confidence placed in Someone. “For You are my hope, O Lord GOD.” The psalmist does not say, “My hope is that my circumstances will improve.” His hope is God. Then he looks backward. “You have been my trust since my youth.” There is something beautiful about faith that has lived long enough to remember. Years bring memories. Some joyful. Some painful. Some we would gladly live again. Others we are simply grateful to have survived. But when we look back, we can often see something we could not see while we were living through them. God was there. Through doors that opened. Through doors that closed. Through prayers answered as we hoped. Through prayers answered in ways we did not understand. Through beginnings. Through endings. Through laughter. Through tears. God was there. And yesterday's faithfulness becomes today's reason for hope. The psalmist does not pretend the future holds no uncertainty. Later he prays, “Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.” He knows life changes. Strength fades. Tomorrow contains things we cannot predict. But God does not change with our seasons. The God who held us when we were young does not become less faithful as the years pass. So hope does not require us to know what happens next. Hope says, “I know who will be there.” Perhaps that is why this is the right place to finish our journey. We have called Him: My Rock. My Shepherd. My Light. My Refuge. My Strength. My Keeper. The One who walks with me. My Hiding Place. And now, after remembering all those things, we can look toward whatever comes next and say: You are my hope. A new beginning can face an unknown tomorrow because it remembers a faithful yesterday: I may not know what lies ahead, but I know the God who will be there. Reflection: When I look back over my life, where can I see God's faithfulness giving me reason to trust Him with what still lies ahead? Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have been faithful through every season of my life. Thank You for the times I recognized Your hand and for the times You were working when I could not see it. When tomorrow feels uncertain, help me remember yesterday's faithfulness. You have been my trust, and You remain my hope. Whatever years or days lie ahead, let me face them with confidence—not because I know what they hold, but because I know You will be there. In Jesus' name, Amen.

When Earthly Differences End Bible Text: Ecclesiastes 9:2 “All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked.” When you refuse to be equal with your fellow man, brethren, friends, colleagues, or relations in status, wealth, achievements, position, and accomplishments, remember this: you will certainly be equal with them in the grave. The grave does not recognize wealth or poverty, status or obscurity, position or power, achievement or failure. In death, every earthly distinction is stripped away. The rich and the poor, the influential and the insignificant, the celebrated and the unknown all pass through the same doorway of death. There, we are reminded that everything we possessed, attained, and accomplished on earth was temporary. The body returns to the dust, and the soul stands before its Creator. The grave may make us equal, but eternity reveals where our true destiny lies—before God, either in eternal separation from Him or in His eternal presence. Therefore, while we live, let us not allow pride, competition, wealth, status, or earthly accomplishments to make us despise or consider ourselves superior to others. For one day, the same grave awaits us all. “For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” — Genesis 3:19 What matters most is not how highly we are regarded among men, but how we stand before God when this earthly journey ends. God's Loving Heart.

Gods Creation, 100 / evolution, 0 GOD HANGS THE EARTH ON NOTHING Long before telescopes, satellites, or space travel, a statement was written that still stands untouched by time. In Book of Job 26:7, we read that God “hangs the earth on nothing.” No pillars. No animals. No mythological supports. Suspended. Exactly as it truly is. At the same time, cultures around the world were offering very different explanations. Hindu traditions spoke of the earth resting on elephants standing on a giant turtle. Greek mythology described Atlas carrying the world on his shoulders. These weren’t just stories. They were the best attempts of human reasoning trying to explain the unknown. And they were wrong. But the Bible was not. Job didn’t have a telescope. He didn’t have modern science. Yet he recorded a truth that aligns with what we now observe in space. The earth is not sitting on anything. It is held in place by forces God established, exactly as Scripture declared thousands of years ago. This wasn’t a lucky guess. This wasn’t poetic accident. This was revelation. As Second Epistle of Peter 1:21 explains, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. That is why the Bible stands apart. It doesn’t echo the errors of man. It speaks with authority because its source is not human imagination. The earth hangs on nothing because the One who created it holds it exactly where it belongs.

The 𝐒𝐭. 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰'𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐞 took place beginning on 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟒, 𝟏𝟓𝟕𝟐, in Paris and spreading across France, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 30,000 French Huguenots. The Third War of Religion in France between Roman Catholics and Protestant Huguenots had come to a negotiated end in 1570. Henry III of Navarre and Margaret of Valois were married in Paris on August 18, 1572, and consequently, a large number of leading French Huguenots were in the city for the event. On August 22, while walking home, French Huguenot Admiral Gaspard de Coligny was shot in the street by an unknown assailant who escaped. He was severely injured, but recuperating at home when, at the instigation of Margaret's mother, Queen Catherine de' Medici (mother of King Charles IX), Henry, Duke of Guise and his men finished the job by stabbing Coligny and throwing him out of his window. This led to a widespread, semi-organized wave of violence against French Huguenot leaders and citizens. Bodies were thrown into the River Seine (over 1000 washed ashore in the coming days). Petrus Ramus, the philosopher, was killed in Paris, and Claude Goudimel, the composer who played a major role in the production of the Genevan Psalter, was killed in Lyon. The severed head of Coligny was sent to the Pope (but apparently not delivered), and the Pope rejoiced in the slaughter of the Hugenots, celebrating with a gold medal created for the occasion, and ordering a Te Deum to be sung to God in thanksgiving for the event. When Philip I of Spain heard the news, he "laughed, for almost the only time on record." English playwright Christopher Marlowe wrote a play to tell the story called 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑠 (1593), and the massacre has been retold in many other works of literature since. It was one of the most infamous atrocities ever perpetrated against Christians since the time of the Reformation.

Psalm 19:1-14 CEB Heaven is declaring God’s glory; the sky is proclaiming his handiwork. [2] One day gushes the news to the next, and one night informs another what needs to be known. [3] Of course, there’s no speech, no words—their voices can’t be heard— [4] but their sound extends throughout the world; their words reach the ends of the earth. God has made a tent in heaven for the sun. [5] The sun is like a groom coming out of his honeymoon suite; like a warrior, it thrills at running its course. [6] It rises in one end of the sky; its circuit is complete at the other. Nothing escapes its heat. [7] The LORD’s Instruction is perfect, reviving one’s very being. The LORD’s laws are faithful, making naive people wise. [8] The LORD’s regulations are right, gladdening the heart. The LORD’s commands are pure, giving light to the eyes. [9] Honoring the LORD is correct, lasting forever. The LORD’s judgments are true. All of these are righteous! [10] They are more desirable than gold—than tons of pure gold! They are sweeter than honey—even dripping off the honeycomb! [11] No doubt about it: your servant is enlightened by them; there is great reward in keeping them. [12] But can anyone know what they’ve accidentally done wrong? Clear me of any unknown sin [13] and save your servant from willful sins. Don’t let them rule me. Then I’ll be completely blameless; I’ll be innocent of great wrongdoing. [14] Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

PROVERB OF THE DAY (Proverbs 22) 1. A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. 2. The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all. 3. A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. 4. By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life. 5. Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them. 6. Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. 7. The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. 8. He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail. 9. He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor. 10. Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease. 11. He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend. 12.The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless. 13. The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” 14. The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there. 15. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him. 16. He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty. 17. Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; 18. For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, 19. So that your trust may be in the LORD; I have instructed you today, even you. 20. Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, 21. That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you? 22. Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; 23. For the LORD will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them. 24. Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, 25. Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul. 26. Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; 27. If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you? 28. Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set. 29. Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.

PROVERB OF THE DAY (Proverbs 22) 1. A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. 2. The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all. 3. A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. 4. By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life. 5. Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them. 6. Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. 7. The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. 8. He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail. 9. He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor. 10. Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease. 11. He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend. 12.The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless. 13. The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” 14. The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there. 15. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him. 16. He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty. 17. Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; 18. For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, 19. So that your trust may be in the LORD; I have instructed you today, even you. 20. Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, 21. That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you? 22. Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; 23. For the LORD will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them. 24. Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, 25. Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul. 26. Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; 27. If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you? 28. Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set. 29. Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.