The Joy of Being Mentored.

Human resource is an integral part of success. As you go up you need people to support your ladder of success. The saying goes, “Be good to people on your way up, because you will meet them on your way down.” No man has ever made it in his/her own however talented. God gives His servants people to support their endeavors because no single individual knows everything. One is an expert in this, and another an expert in that. You need to bring all their ideas on board to build your tower. Hence, the adage, “Together we are rock but singly you are sand”. Sand has never supported a foundation by itself. Christ Jesus taught, “Therefore whoever hears these words of mine and does them, I’ll liken him to a wise man that built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and floods came, and wind blew and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that hears not these words of mine, and does them not, shall be likened to a foolish man who built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” (Mathew 7:24-27).
Almighty God puts this precious resource into your life to bless your life, and as you prosper you also bless other lives. And to lead a people you must be a leader. And to be a leader one must learn leadership skills from the leader. It takes following those who have gone before us to enter a city. This is called mentoring.
The Scripture teaches, “That the heir, as long is a child, differs not from the servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father”(Galatians 4:1-2). This is also true of Father God: those whom He calls, He puts under the tutoring of men and the Holy Spirit until they fulfill His purpose on earth. Therefore, to ascend to greatness, mentoring is part and parcel of the process. A mentor is simply a guide or adviser. She/he is someone used by God to pull you up from a lowly life. You need someone who has been there to take hold of your hand and lead you to the top of the mountain. It takes following the King to enter the palace gates.
In our calling, we are all called forth as little children but it takes tutoring and lessons from those who have gone before us to realize our dreams. Greatness is a product of growth. During our growth, we follow the leaders who have gone before us to be like them if not better. The Scripture reminds us that, “He that walks with the wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed”. (Proverbs 13:20). It takes following the wise to be wise. And the wise are also the great of the earth. They lead the way for others to follow onto their footsteps. The Scripture therefore warns that, “_____He that follows vain persons is void of understanding” (Proverbs 12:11). But cursed is everyone that follows after strong drinks. The Scripture laments, “Woe to them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow after strong drinks; that continue until night till wine inflame them” (Isaiah 5:11).

And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. 1 Kings 17:7

At a critical times, God sent Elijah to the brook to be sustained while ravens brought bread to him. However, after a while the brook dried up, so God gave him another instruction. The brook dried up but God never dried.
Simply put, our trust must be on God not on the blessings of God. Once our trust is resting solely on God then no matter what happens to the blessing, the job, money, business and relationship will not bring us down because God will always make a way for us.
Thank God for the brook (BLESSING), but keep your trust in God. Remember, WHEN THE BROOK DRIES UP, GOD NEVER DRIES. HE WILL ALWAYS SHOW UP FOR THOSE WHO TRUST IN HIM.
IT IS GOD THAT SUSTAINS US THROUGH THE BROOK. AND HE CAN DECIDE WHICH BROOK OR MEANS TO SUSTAIN US.
SELAH

YAHWEH IS ON YOUR SIDE TODAY

PST EMAMUZO PETER

Good evening to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you.

Today was nothing like I had imagined it would be. Mind you, we did not really have any ‘plans’ for today with the exception of taking the dog to the vet and me helping my brother on the computer. The rest of the day really was not accounted for. HOWEVER … leave it to us to figure out a way to fill out a day without even trying.

Started with hubs getting sick last night and I ended up taking the dog to the vet. Missed my turn and had to turn around on a busy highway. On the way home, I was not really in a hurry, just driving and when I pulled up to the house, there was a random car in my driveway… no clue who or why … except it was my brother … right on time. Brain fart 101. Totally forgot he was coming, even though my stepson and I had just discussed it.

Get inside to help my brother in a computer/tech assistant nightmare for his new job. 2.5 hours later, we think we figured it out. In the middle of that, we get a notice that hubs needs blood work before his appointment tomorrow…we forgot. No worries, plan to go to the new park on the west side, drop kids off, go to get blood work, pick up lunch, have a picnic in the park, then go home after playing. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. What a funny plan. Dropped kids off, no problem. Get to the lab; they were closed. Then they opened the doors, only to tell us that they were still closed. Stopped and got lunch for the kids, drove to the lab’s second office. Get to that lab only to be told, sorry can’t help you; go to the hospital. By now, hubs is starving … haha … go get a sandwich, then the hospital; he gets labs, and I get a cold sandwich. While at the hospital, get notified that the dog is ready to be picked up … the vet is in the opposite direction of the park, and then meds need to be picked up also; fortunately meds and vet are in the same town. By now it is going on 3 p.m.; no time to go back and play at the park. A completely full day…but wait…I am not done yet; we get home and because it is supposed to rain tomorrow…take advantage of the good day and mow. Finish mowing at 9 pm. All of this because I did not make plans. Haha.

But … with all that chaos and nonsense that went along with the chaos, there were plenty of laughs, a few arguments, some severe rolling of the eyes and lots of blessings. Even with the chaos, things got done respectfully; kids got to go to their favorite park and have McDonald's, the dog is now talon-free and clean and we got notified that our appointment was moved up by half an hour. All positives.

Just because something does not roll down the hill the way that you think it will or should, does not make it bad or a negative. There were plenty of negative aspects to today, but not one of them overshadowed a millimeter of the positives. Each day we have a choice to make: see the positive or see the negative. If you see the positive, it is a great day; if you see the negative, you have a choice … focus on the negative or look for a positive in or from the negative. If you focus on the negative, you will have a bad day; however, if you look for a positive within the negative or because of the negative, you will have a good day.

As you prepare for bed tonight, I urge you to look back on your day and see what kind of day you think you had. Look at each component and how many negatives come to mind first…then how many positives? If you are seeing the negatives over the positives, try realigning your sights so that the positives come to mind first. It makes for a much more peaceful mindset. I will confess that it takes some time and practice, but it can be done.

Be blessed and good night.

**You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. – Matthew 5:14-15

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.
2 Divide your portion among seven, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may befall the land.
3 If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain upon the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
4 He who watches the wind will fail to sow, and he who observes the clouds will fail to reap.
5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
6 Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY, AUGUST 16TH, 2026
TOPIC: THE GAINS OF GOD'S COVENANT I

AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

MEMORISE: "Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do." Deuteronomy 29:9

BIBLE READING: DEUTERONOMY 28:1-14
1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.
11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

MESSAGE:
In Proverbs 31:1-9, one of the things King Lemuel's mother taught him was that there were certain things that kings should not do. She told him that kings should not give their strength to women, nor should they follow the ways that destroy kings, nor should they drink wine or strong drink. If a fellow does the things that kings shouldn't do, it is expected that such a person would either never become a king or would be dethroned if he or she is already a king.

To fully enjoy the gains of any covenant with God, you must be ready to fulfil its terms and conditions by surrendering totally to Him and obeying all His instructions. Once you decide to serve God with all your life and do whatever He says, sooner or later, people will come to you and say, "Tell us your secret; how are you flourishing in every area of your life?!"

Many people attribute the remarkable progress of RCCG to my academic background; however, they are unaware that we are reaping the benefits of the founder's covenant with God. God called the founder of the church, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, a man who never attended school, and told him that if he could meet certain conditions, He would establish a church through him that would spread around the world. God helped Pa Akindayomi, and before his death, he fulfilled all the conditions that God gave him. Today, the RCCG is present in over 195 nations worldwide.

The church is where it is today because of God's covenant with my Father in the Lord. God cannot be mocked. Anyone who obeys the terms of His covenant will reap its gains. In today's memory verse, Moses told the Israelites that if they kept God's commandments, they would prosper in all that they did.

Prosperity is a major gain that those who keep God's covenant will enjoy. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all enjoyed abundant prosperity as a result of God's covenant with Abraham. Father Abraham was described as a man who was blessed in all things (Genesis 24:1), Isaac was described as being very great (Genesis 26:13), and Jacob was described as a prosperous man (Genesis 30:43).

Beloved, God has given His children all things to enjoy richly (1 Timothy 6:17). However, you must fulfil the terms and conditions of God's covenant with His children to truly enjoy prosperity in all areas of your life. May your life reflect the gains of God's covenant abundantly, in Jesus' name.

KEY POINT:
Anyone who obeys the terms of God's covenant wil reap its gains.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 40-43

HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD
1 When we walk with the Lord
in the light of His word,
what a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2 Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smiles quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt nor a fear,
Not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3 Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly Repay;
Not a grief or a loss,
Not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and Obey.

4 But we never can prove
The delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favour He shows,
For the joy He bestows,
Are for them,
Who will trust and obey.

5 Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we'll walk by His side
In the way;
What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey..

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY, AUGUST 16TH, 2026
TOPIC: THE GAINS OF GOD'S COVENANT I

AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

MEMORISE: "Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do." Deuteronomy 29:9

BIBLE READING: DEUTERONOMY 28:1-14
1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.
11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

MESSAGE:
In Proverbs 31:1-9, one of the things King Lemuel's mother taught him was that there were certain things that kings should not do. She told him that kings should not give their strength to women, nor should they follow the ways that destroy kings, nor should they drink wine or strong drink. If a fellow does the things that kings shouldn't do, it is expected that such a person would either never become a king or would be dethroned if he or she is already a king.

To fully enjoy the gains of any covenant with God, you must be ready to fulfil its terms and conditions by surrendering totally to Him and obeying all His instructions. Once you decide to serve God with all your life and do whatever He says, sooner or later, people will come to you and say, "Tell us your secret; how are you flourishing in every area of your life?!"

Many people attribute the remarkable progress of RCCG to my academic background; however, they are unaware that we are reaping the benefits of the founder's covenant with God. God called the founder of the church, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, a man who never attended school, and told him that if he could meet certain conditions, He would establish a church through him that would spread around the world. God helped Pa Akindayomi, and before his death, he fulfilled all the conditions that God gave him. Today, the RCCG is present in over 195 nations worldwide.

The church is where it is today because of God's covenant with my Father in the Lord. God cannot be mocked. Anyone who obeys the terms of His covenant will reap its gains. In today's memory verse, Moses told the Israelites that if they kept God's commandments, they would prosper in all that they did.

Prosperity is a major gain that those who keep God's covenant will enjoy. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all enjoyed abundant prosperity as a result of God's covenant with Abraham. Father Abraham was described as a man who was blessed in all things (Genesis 24:1), Isaac was described as being very great (Genesis 26:13), and Jacob was described as a prosperous man (Genesis 30:43).

Beloved, God has given His children all things to enjoy richly (1 Timothy 6:17). However, you must fulfil the terms and conditions of God's covenant with His children to truly enjoy prosperity in all areas of your life. May your life reflect the gains of God's covenant abundantly, in Jesus' name.

KEY POINT:
Anyone who obeys the terms of God's covenant wil reap its gains.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 40-43

HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD
1 When we walk with the Lord
in the light of His word,
what a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2 Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smiles quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt nor a fear,
Not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3 Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly Repay;
Not a grief or a loss,
Not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and Obey.

4 But we never can prove
The delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favour He shows,
For the joy He bestows,
Are for them,
Who will trust and obey.

5 Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we'll walk by His side
In the way;
What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey..

THE PILGRIMS GUIDE

MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2026

THE MIRACULOUS FILLINGS FROM GOD

A WORD FROM THE WORD:

"And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts." 2 Kings 3:16-17 KJV.

From the context of our foundational Scripture we saw that Jehoshaphat the King of Judah, in alliance with King Jehoram of Israel, were stranded in the wilderness with their troops, who could not find any water as they prepared for war against Edom. They were afraid that severe thirst would kill them and their men even before the fight with Edom. They consulted Elisha the prophet of God who got a word from God for them.

What was needed was water, it did not matter whether it will come without rain or without a river providing it. There are miraculous things that will happen for those who know how to seek God and follow His direction. God wants to instruct and direct His children. He says 'I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.' (Psalm 32:8 ESV).

As you listen to Him, He will guide you into outstanding results, even if it requires breaking protocols.

PRAYER BULLETS:

ABBA Father, thank You for Your promises. Guide me, O Shepherd of my soul into the miraculous, even to the breaking of protocols.

FURTHER READING:

Isaiah 48:17; Proverbs 3:5-6; Ephesians 3:20.
_________________________________________

Amaobi Nwachukwu 2026.

If you're blessed by this, please, do share with others.

And if you'll like to partner with us, kindly check page 3 of our hard copy edition or better still send us a WhatsApp message or call on +234 8098421967.

#ThePilgrimsGuide.

Good morning to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you.

Today looks to be a potentially soggy day again. I checked the weather on my phone and it was a muddy puddle. This brings me to my funny story for you today.

Yesterday, my husband and I had a meeting with our VA lawyer in a new town. Because of all the storms and flooding issues, the crowd was much smaller. We actually got to ask a couple of questions when we sat down with him. We did not feel rushed. As good as that was, it was not the highlight of the trip. While waiting for our turn, we met some new friends. Two of which just happened to be authors. One of which just happens to run a podcast. Hmmm. Any thoughts on why we went to ‘this’ meeting with the lawyer and not the meeting place? I wonder if Someone knew who we were going to meet.

One of these two individuals’ spouses has memory issues. The other is applying for their survivor’s benefits with the lawyer’s help. I wonder Who designed this meeting?

Since I have been retired, I have been hyper-focused on making sure that I take care of my husband and keep his medical stuff straight and on track. I have been hyper-focused on keeping our lives as smooth as possible. So hyper-focused that when my littles from across the pond arrived, I was not the fun American grandma. I was grumpy grandma. That changed yesterday.

On our way home from the lawyer, I was thinking about all this rain, the flooding, and then I thought about the muddy puddles in my yard. I decided on the way home that we were going to play in the muddy puddles. God gave them to us, why not play in them? So, when I got home, I changed into shorts, kicked off my shoes, and challenged the grandkids to a splash fest. I do not know how long we played, but we all needed showers when it was over with … and that is after washing off with the garden hose. I even got the other grandma to play in the muddy puddle. We all were muddy puddle winners.

Too often, the enemy gets grown-ups to think they have to be adults all the time. When in fact, Jesus tells us that we are to come to Him as children. In all these storms, there have been ugly skies, so dancing in the rain has not been possible … however … splashing in the muddy puddles … well now, that is an awesome stress reliever.

Today is His day. Today we are going to his house to worship him, whether in a church or a prayer closet. Today we are going to thank Him for his blessings and for the trials. Today, we give God the glory and enter His presence as children. Will you join me on the heavenly playground of muddy puddles?

Be blessed.

**And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 18:3-4

PROVERB OF THE DAY

(Proverbs 16)

1. The preparations of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

2. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
But the LORD weighs the spirits.

3. Commit your works to the LORD,
And your thoughts will be established.

4. The LORD has made all for Himself,
Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.

5. Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD;
Though they join forces,fn none will go unpunished.

6. In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.

7. When a man’s ways please the LORD,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8. Better is a little with righteousness,
Than vast revenues without justice.

9. A man’s heart plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps.

10. Divination is on the lips of the king;
His mouth must not transgress in judgment.

11. Honest weights and scales are the LORD’s;
All the weights in the bag are His work.

12. It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For a throne is established by righteousness.

13. Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And they love him who speaks what is right.

14. As messengers of death is the king’s wrath,
But a wise man will appease it.

15. In the light of the king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain.

16. How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

17. The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

18. Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.

19. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

20. He who heeds the word wisely will find good,
And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.

21. The wise in heart will be called prudent,
And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

22. Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.
But the correction of fools is folly.

23. The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.

24. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

25. There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

26. The person who labors, labors for himself,
For his hungry mouth drives him on.

27. An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning fire.

28. A perverse man sows strife,
And a whisperer separates the best of friends.

29. A violent man entices his neighbor,
And leads him in a way that is not good.

30. He winks his eye to devise perverse things;
He purses his lips and brings about evil.

31. The silver-haired head is a crown of glory,
If it is found in the way of righteousness.

32. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

33. The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the LORD.

PROVERB OF THE DAY

(Proverbs 16)

1. The preparations of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

2. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
But the LORD weighs the spirits.

3. Commit your works to the LORD,
And your thoughts will be established.

4. The LORD has made all for Himself,
Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.

5. Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD;
Though they join forces,fn none will go unpunished.

6. In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.

7. When a man’s ways please the LORD,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8. Better is a little with righteousness,
Than vast revenues without justice.

9. A man’s heart plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps.

10. Divination is on the lips of the king;
His mouth must not transgress in judgment.

11. Honest weights and scales are the LORD’s;
All the weights in the bag are His work.

12. It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For a throne is established by righteousness.

13. Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And they love him who speaks what is right.

14. As messengers of death is the king’s wrath,
But a wise man will appease it.

15. In the light of the king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain.

16. How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

17. The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

18. Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.

19. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

20. He who heeds the word wisely will find good,
And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.

21. The wise in heart will be called prudent,
And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

22. Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.
But the correction of fools is folly.

23. The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.

24. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

25. There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

26. The person who labors, labors for himself,
For his hungry mouth drives him on.

27. An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning fire.

28. A perverse man sows strife,
And a whisperer separates the best of friends.

29. A violent man entices his neighbor,
And leads him in a way that is not good.

30. He winks his eye to devise perverse things;
He purses his lips and brings about evil.

31. The silver-haired head is a crown of glory,
If it is found in the way of righteousness.

32. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

33. The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the LORD.