Jeremiah 2

Saying to a tree, ‘You are my father,’
And to a stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’
For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face.
But in the time of their trouble
They will say, ‘Arise and save us.’ v.27

Read chapter 2
We have some evolutionist back in that day too! Just as evolutionist say today that we all came from some pond of sludge that then formed rocks and trees and eventually humans, so the Jeremiah points out the same thing by calling a tree their father and a stone their mother.  This was and is just another religion as they have no factual proof that life came from non-life- it's a blind faith to believe evolution just as much as believing in creation.    This tree and stone spoken of here in Jeremiah most likely were images that were made out of wood and marble.  They became their idol gods instead of the one true God.  Yet when trouble comes it will bring many of them to their senses, though it may be too late as they cry out to God finally.  You may not see someone today literally having a family tree of pictures of trees and rocks as their great grandparents, but if they boil down to what they believe about their creation, they'd have to admit that is what they believe.
How do you understand who your ancestors are all the way to the beginning of the world?

Jeremiah 1

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
    before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” v.5

Read chapter 1
Jeremiah was a boy when he was first called to be a prophet, as we see so many of God's messengers throughout scripture called in their youth.  He did not want to be a prophet either.  What an encouragement here for Jeremiah!  Right before he's about to go out and do God's work, and it's not easy work- we'll see all the persecution he endures for forty plus years, God sits down with him so-to-say and tells him how much He loves him and the plan He's had for His life that He knew before Jeremiah was even conceived.   What a sweet encouragement to Jeremiah to know that he wasn't a mistake, that he did have purpose by God and not just by what he did with his life, but before he had a chance to even prove himself.  God chose Jeremiah for a specific point in history to do a specific work and that as a prophet to the nations.  (This verse also really helps to figuring out when life begins for the abortion vs. pro-life movement-it's not just when one is born, but in the womb.)  God formed you in the womb too- He's your Creator.  God hasn't made you a prophet like Jeremiah was but He did create us to be like His Son Jesus Christ- and just like Jeremiah it is up to us to except this sonship or not.  So sit down with God and let Him tell you how much He loves you, hear of His purposes for His children which is in His word.

Amos 9

The Lord, the Lord Almighty—
he touches the earth and it melts,
    and all who live in it mourn;
the whole land rises like the Nile,
    then sinks like the river of Egypt;
6 he builds his lofty palace[a] in the heavens
    and sets its foundation[b] on the earth;
he calls for the waters of the sea
    and pours them out over the face of the land—
    the Lord is his name. vv.5-6

Read chapter 9
After Amos has declared this judgement of the Lord on Israel, he reminds them how great their God is and the confirmation of it.  "The least token of God’s displeasure is sufficient to put the whole frame of nature out of order" Benson's Commentary. That just by His touch the earth can melt.  That He sits on high and controls the elements of the earth.  He that has power over the unlimited natural resources of the earth can surely do what He has denounced upon Israel through Amos.  The book of Amos may be hard to take, assuming God is unfair and horrible, but it's because we want God to play favorites.  To show only enemies His judgement and not His people who have sinned greatly does make God to be unfair and hypocritical.  "Therefore, the message of this book can have the impact of a sudden fist in the face. If you really think that you are in a privileged position, especially with God, this book comes with brutal, shocking, breath-taking force. The tendency in human hearts is either to regard ourselves as favored individuals or the exact reverse -- to say that we are such poor creatures and such miserable failures that God would never look at us, that other people have all the right to God' s favor. I think this tendency is universal among us. We are always saying to ourselves, 'Why should this happen to me?' when tragedy strikes, or when someone else is honored, we say, 'Why shouldn't it happen to me?'" (Raystedmand.org; Bible expositor).
This judgment doesn't last forever as we see the last half of this same chapter of how God will restore Israel.

Amos 8

“The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord,
    “when I will send a famine through the land—
not a famine of food or a thirst for water,
    but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
12 People will stagger from sea to sea
    and wander from north to east,
searching for the word of the Lord,
    but they will not find it. vv.11-12

Read chapter 8
The time was coming of God's silence on Israel.  They would go in to captivity and no longer hear the word of God through priests or prophets (and they didn't have Bibles to read then either).  There would be a famine of God's word for 70 years.  Imagine when theres a famine of bread, none can be found in the stores, all morsels in homes are eaten up, peoples hunger starts turning them to violence or craziness- we see this around the world every day on the news in countries experience famine of basic needs like food and water.  
Yet is there a famine of God's word today?  The average American home has at least one Bible in it, yet even though they have it it's never opened so it's never heard.  People are creating their own famine of God's voice because they're choosing not to listen or hear what He has said.  And I'm not just talking about nonbelievers, I'm talking about those who profess Jesus as their Savior.  Listening to George Barna, Christian poll-taker and sociologist,

As he talks about biblical illiteracy, he says, “How else can you describe matters when most church-going adults reject the accuracy of the Bible, reject the existence of Satan, claim that Jesus sinned, see no need to evangelize, believe that good works are one of the keys to persuading God to forgive their sins, and describe their commitment to Christianity as moderate or even less firm?”¹ That’s a majority of church-going adults.

If God's word, the Bible, were missing would you notice?  If the Bible was illegal in our country and your bible was confiscated, would your life change? If so, how?  Would you wander the earth searching for God's word?

Amos 7

And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?”  And I said, “A plumb line.”  Then the Lord said:

“Behold, I am setting a plumb line
In the midst of My people Israel;
I will not pass by them anymore. v.8

Read chapter 7
What is a plumb line?  I mean I don't think they had plumbing in their homes for their toilets and showers the way we do today and I don't think it's a line of fruit either.  What it is is a line with a weight on one end to find the vertical measure.  When you hold or place one end of the cord at a point and let the other end with the weight drop you get a straight vertical line.  Today a leveler is used to make sure walls are level when a building is being built.  Think of when you've been in a house or a building where the room seems to slant as you walk across the room or it appears like an optical illusion if it's really live or not, it's probably because a plumb line or level wasn't used.   
So is God talking here to the Israelites about building a level house?  No.  But what He is referring to is testing His people by measuring them by this standard and that standard is truth, what makes a perfect line.  God's divine measure is what is going to test the people for what they truly are, not just what they appear to be.  Are they an optical illusion appearing straight or appearing slanted?  Jesus Christ is the plumb line.  He is our standard.  By Him the world will be tested.
Are you living as an optical illusion?  When you're being measured for testing in school you want to know what the standard is like how many pages you must write.  So our standard by God is through Jesus Christ,  have you met this plumb line?

Amos 6

Woe to you who are at ease in Zion,
And trust in Mount Samaria,
Notable persons in the chief nation,
To whom the house of Israel comes! v.1

Read chapter 6
Now we see Amos go to the upper class to declare judgment.  We see them live in luxury during this time of great calamity around them and even of their own people yet live as if nothing is wrong.  They put far off when their day of doom will be (v.3), they lie and sit on their fine furniture, eating find foods, doing things without any purpose (vv.4-5).  Sound familiar?  I first thought of the holocaust and wondered how much the rest of the world knew what was going on but didn't do anything about it and continued to live their lives in their own comfort.  These people Amos is speaking to in Zion and Samaria didn't even care for their brethren in affliction due to the gap between the two kingdoms.  McLaren's Exposition says of these people:

They are living in a fool’s paradise, shutting their eyes to the thunder-clouds that begin to rise slowly above the horizon, and keeping each other in countenance in laughing at Amos and his gloomy forecasts. They ‘trusted in the mountain of Samaria,’ which, they thought, made the city impregnable to assault. No doubt they thought that the Prophet’s talk about doing right and trusting in Jehovah was very fanatical and unpractical, just as many in England and America think that their nations are exalted, not by righteousness, but by armies, navies, and dollars or sovereigns.

Can you relate to this position of these people today?  How so?  How can you choose to live not just in your comfort or ignorance?

Amos 5

Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!
For what good is the day of the Lord to you?
It will be darkness, and not light.
19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion,
And a bear met him!
Or as though he went into the house,
Leaned his hand on the wall,
And a serpent bit him!
20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light?
Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it? vv.18-20

Read chapter 5
How would you describe what the Day of the Lord is?  Is it Sunday?  Is it the same thing as praying for thy kingdom come?  This passage in Amos sure doesn't make the day of the Lord sound like a "good time."  The day of the Lord appears to be of the time when God comes in in justiceness and wrath on those who are unfaithful to him.  
Amos here is talking to the ten northern tribes of Israel still and this is before their destruction and exile into captivity.  The day of the Lord here could be the time when the Lord did punish them for their sins.  "Some of those who were sinning against the LORD were wishing for Him to come and visit His people. They were hoping to have blessings showered upon them by God. However, their rebellion and idolatry against Him meant that when He would visit them, all He would do is punish them for their sins. Therefore, they should not have been hoping for the day of the LORD to come, for it would only bring wrath and destuction upon people like them" (Precepts.wordpress.com, Nathan Johnson). 
This could also be the yet future day of the Lord as we read in Revelation 1:10 (called the Lord's Day) and all that we see happening in Revelation chapters 1-19; surely which is a time of darkness and not light as you read those chapters.  Yet we have to realize who are the ones destroyed in the day of the Lord then, those who do not know or obey God, who openly rebel.  And this is not people today who may be deceived or ignorant, but this takes place after the Kingdom when all men will know who God is and the day of the Lord or tribulation will be the final testing.  So though Amos is saying to the Israelites who were God's people to fear the day of the Lord, we as believers today do not need to fear this future day of the Lord, only the unfaithful.
How do you understand the day of the Lord when you hear it talk about or mentioned?  What we desire first today is Thy Kingdom Come! 

Amos 4

“Come to Bethel and transgress,
At Gilgal multiply transgression;
Bring your sacrifices every morning,
Your tithes every three days.
5 Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven,
Proclaim and announce the freewill offerings;
For this you love,
You children of Israel!”
Says the Lord God. vv.4-5

Read chapter 4
Irony.  Jesus uses it as we see in the four gospels, so also we see it in the Old Testament.  Irony is to use words to convey a meaning that is opposite of it's literal meaning.  Amos is speaking to the women of Israel for their crudeness.  He calls them cows in verse one, which at first made me laugh although it's not like calling them fat as someone would make fun of someone this way today.  Calling them a cow of Bashan were rich, big, headstrong animals.  These women were leading astray their husbands by how they obliterated the laws of God.  They would go openly sin and sacrifice the next day to make up for, ask for forgiveness later way of thinking.  Tithes were to be every three years according to the law (Deut. 26:12), than every three days as says here.  Leven bread was not to be consumed on the alter either as God says with irony to go ahead and do that.  People will rather give lavish in sacrifices and gifts, than change their heart toward the Lord.
Do you give lavishly or sacrifice in order to try to make up for sins?  Don't be a cow of Bashan, be a man or woman after God's heart.

Amos 3

Surely the Lord God does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. v.7

Read chapter 3
My old roommate hates surprises.  She thinks it's the worse thing to throw someone a surprise party.  When she was little she made her best friend tell her about the surprise party her parents were throwing her and she got mad at them for doing so.  I'm the opposite of her in that I would love a surprise birthday party.  But apart from surprise parties I do like to know what's going on as surprise happenings can cause stress easily.  We may not know when something is exactly going to happen but we can at least prepare for knowing it's coming soon.  Like when the weatherman says we're about to have the worst snow storm in twenty years this coming weekend, you start preparing beforehand.  Well the same goes with God.  He has revealed everything He's going to do to His mediators, who in turn reveal God's counsel to whom it is sent.  If He hasn't told them, he isn't going to do it, at least not until He tells them.
So in verses three through six God has just finished confirming with Israel that He is God omnipotent, He is the sovereign and Only God.  This leads to confirming that He is not going to do anything unless He reveals His secret counsel to mediators.  There are many things hidden that have now been made known.  Here the secret is what God's about to do to the tribes of Israel that Amos is going to tell them before all it takes place.
Do you know what God has said?  He's not a God that plays tricks on us or surprise attacks us.  Don't be ignorant of His words that you may prepare for what's to come laying up treasures in heaven.

Amos 2

Thus says the Lord:

“For three transgressions of Judah, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they have despised the law of the Lord,
And have not kept His commandments.
Their lies lead them astray,
Lies which their fathers followed. v.4

Read chapter 2
After reading God's judgment on the nations in chapter one, now we read God's judgement through Amos on God's chosen people, Judah and Israel.  They are held at a different standard.  They were more guilty for their sins than those of other nations for they had the light, they had the truth, they had God's direct words to them.  They not only took for granted but abused their advantage they had of God's revelations to them. They had the law of the Lord, they knew what it was and they not only didn't keep it rather they despised it.  They despised grace, truth, justice, mercy.  The so deceived themselves by believe their own lies.  Lies that had gone on for hundreds of years that no one knew what was the truth or the lie.
Do you have the word of God, the Bible?  Do you know it?  Do you believe it? Or do you despise it because you don't agree with some things God says?  Have you ever been so caught up in a lie that you start believing it's true?  

Amos 1

“The Lord roars from Zion,
And utters His voice from Jerusalem;
The pastures of the shepherds mourn,
And the top of Carmel withers.” v.2

Read chapter 1
Amos the prophet was a sheep breeder as we see in the first verse of this book.   This is stated to show Amos' nothingness, how God chooses the weak things of the world to confound the mighty.  He was speaking God's words from the vision God gave him that he being only a sheep breeder could go confidently before the people.  
The book of Amos is a prophesy against Israel (the ten northern tribes) yet in this first chapter it is against the surrounding nations because of their cruelty and inhumanity of universal consciousness for all mankind with or without the law of God.  The LORD roars.  Roar from God in scripture we see is connected with the end of genteel dominion.  Here this roar of the Lord goes on to speak of the destruction of the surrounding nations of Israel  before Israel goes in to captivity.  But there is another roar of the Lord in scripture that we are all longing for today.  In Jeremiah 25:30, "Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and say to them: ‘The Lord will roar from on high, And utter His voice from His holy habitation; He will roar mightily against His fold. He will give a shout, as those who tread the grapes, Against all the inhabitants of the earth."
This roar will bring in His kingdom on the earth.  It will put an end to all worldly governments and bring in His rule over the whole world.  Just like the verse in the popular song "My God's Not Dead, He's surely alive, He's living on the inside, ROARING like a lion."  Oh how we await His roar over the whole earth!
How can you be like or relate to Amos by being a nothing yet possessing God's word to proclaim to others His message?

Proverbs 31

Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies v.10

Read chapter 31
The well known Proverbs 31 women.  Many women have commented that she's standard too high to live up to, but I think that's their own insecurity talking.  As you go through verse by verse you will see that this isn't some perfect woman that you can't relate to but this is your every day woman: she has a husband, has kids, she works, she takes care of the house, she's an all purpose woman just like we'd say of most of our own moms were or are, but she has something different about her still.  We also have to remember who's talking here: Solomon's mom.  And who's his mom?  Bathsheba, the woman who David and her had an affair.  She was a woman who knew a lot about sin and heartache and brokenness and also of God's grace and mercy.  She had been redeemed and learned a lot the hard way and now instructing her son not to make the same mistakes she did that caused so much pain.  The sum up of all these "tasks" this virtuous woman does seems to be faithfulness.  Faithfulness to her husband, her kids, her servants, her work.  Doesn't mean she never messes up just means she never gives up.
Are you intimidated by the Proverbs 31 woman?  Why?  What is it this woman has that sets her above just any wife with kids and a home to take care of?  Read through this chapter slowly and note how you can be or seek to find this virtuous woman too!

Proverbs 30

Surely I am more stupid than any man,
And do not have the understanding of a man.
3 I neither learned wisdom
Nor have knowledge of the Holy One. vv.2-3

Read chapter 30
Agur is now talking.  There is nothing known of him.  His name means "I shall fear."  Some say it is another name Solomon used.  Whether this is Solomon or not, he speaks here in this chapter about the transformation of God's wisdom; the power that it has to make one stand more in awe of Him.  

Agur speaks of himself as wanting a righteousness, and having done very foolishly. And it becomes us all to have low thoughts of ourselves. He speaks of himself as wanting revelation to guide him in the ways of truth and wisdom. The more enlightened people are, the more they lament their ignorance

Socrates even said he was wise only as far as he knew that he knew nothing.   We can never stop knowing God.  We will never exhaust reading and studying God's word.  As we grow in knowledge and wisdom of Him we realize we want to know Him more and more.  We desire less of ourselves and more of the Holy One and realize how little we actually comprehend.  As God becomes greater in our live we become less as John 3:30 says, "He must become greater; I must become less."
As you get to know God, have you realized your ignorance of Him?  Seems paradoxical but  amazingly true.

Proverbs 29

A fool vents all his feelings,
But a wise man holds them back. v.11

Read chapter 29
Choose your words wisely.  Everyone knows someone who's a talker, someone who always has something to say about a matter no matter what the matter is.   Well that's who the proverb is talking about here.  A fool is someone that doesn't know when is appropriate to hold their tongue.  I often respect more and desire thoughts of those that keep silent for a while as if they are pondering the matter and taking time to listen and digest it all first.  Being wise isn't saying everything you know, it's knowing everything you say.  Knowing with the power of your words you can either build someone up or tear them down.  Your words have the power to praise God and to curse men.  In James chapter three he talks about the tongue being a little member of our body that can start a forest fire; the tongue is a beast no man has been able to tame.  Holding back our words we practice self-control and humility.  Now it's not ever to speak but knowing when to speak for "the heart of the righteous studies how to answer" (Proverbs 15:28).   So don't just blurt the first thing that comes to mind, but take time to listen first and determine if your words will help or hinder the situation.  Practice listening more today and you'll be surprised observing how others choose to use their words either as a fool or a wise man (this includes listening to your spouse, your kids, the news).

Proverbs 28

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered. v.26

Read chapter 28
We can't trust ourselves.  We can't just "follow your heart" as the old saying goes.  Even the prophet Jeremiah said this in Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can understand it?" 
So how then do we know how to walk wisely if we can't trust our own hearts?  It's to seek godly wisdom from others and of course from God Himself.  We need to distrust our own judgement, strength, and merit.  We need to realize how we have been deceived by our own heart in the past and learn how we must walk to avoid foolishness.  Sometimes our response has been slighting the advice of others because we're so caught up in our own righteousness of what we want.
Make the testimonies of the Lord your counselors and don't neglect the wisdom of those around you.  When has your heart caused you to be foolish?  In what area of your life do you need to ask and seek godly counsel?

Proverbs 27

As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. v.17

Read chapter 27
To sharpen something means to make it better or more efficient.  To sharpen iron or any metal it needs to be sharpened with a metal stronger than itself.  Sharpening is done in an abrasive way to grind away other material built up on the iron.
So with friends.  A good friend doesn't just agree with everything you say and do, but challenges one another out of love to be "better" so to say.  It hurts some times.  It's hard to take constructive criticism, but in the end it will make us stronger and sharper.  It's not always easy to speak up and be the sharpener either.  Both the sharpener and the one being sharpened are changed.  It's not a one time sharpening either, but something that has to be done regularly just like our kitchen knives.
Do you have a friend that loves you with hard love?  Do you hard love any of your friends?  

Proverbs 26

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. v.27

Read chapter 26
I immediately thought of Haman in the book of Esther who builds the gallows to have Mordecai hung on them but then Haman ends up being hung on his own gallows he built (Esther 7:9-10).   Digging a pit or rolling a stone, that's tiring labor.  Such hard work do people put in and do to harm others when often times all that hard work was for nothing and turns back on them.  This metaphor is of a hunter digging a pit to trap an animal and sometimes the hunter would fall in himself.  Yet on the flip side I see today many people digging their own pit trapping themselves.  How often do we hear the phrase "he/she hasn't hit rock bottom yet" meaning they keep digging themselves in a hole unable to get out and won't realize they need help getting out of the pit till they can't go any deeper.  They are getting deeper and deeper in to whatever sin that it's consumed them so much.  The sin they thought they could handle is now rolling back on them and crushing them.  Have you ever seen it worth the effort people go to try to harm others?  Are you or someone you know in a pit that you or they don't know how to get out of or even care to?  

Proverbs 25

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. v.2

Read chapter 25

This is one of my favorite verses in scripture and one I have up on a wall in my living room.  This verse was and continues to be a good challenge to me in reading and studying scripture.  It is God's glory to conceal or hide a matter in His Word.  There are a lot of things plain and obvious what God says about a topic but there are a lot of topics that aren't just black and white to the naked eye and takes studying and searching through the Bible to figure out and understand God's answer.  So it is the glory of kings to search out those answers; to study and find God's answer like it is hidden treasure.  The more we search the more we go in to the depths of buried treasure and discoveries not known to all men.  How sweet it is to discover a hidden waterfall or a buried timecapsul and what it's contained with.  So too the excitement of finding the things God has hidden in His word for us.

So be a king or queen and search out what God has hidden and you will find many precious treasures!

Proverbs 24

A wise man is strong,
Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;
6 For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,
And in a multitude of counselors there is safety. vv.5-6

Read chapter 24
Who would win in a battle against evil: Spiderman, Batman, or Iron Man?  I know nothing about superheroes than their names and special power really, and I don't really have a favorite, but I will say I'm impressed with many qualities when I was looking up about superheroes as I was reading this proverb.  Spiderman is only in high school and is a genius, smarter than most superheroes.  Iron Man's power is literally the power of knowledge.  One blogger wrote about Iron Man, "While Iron Man has more knowledge in Technology and Science, Batman is an all-rounder in everything. He's clever, has great detective skills, good scientific knowledge and has a great IQ too. These all make Batman the smartest superhero of all time."  So just as this proverb says in verses five and six a strong man, if wise, is strong indeed.  Better is it to be wise than mighty.  Being surrounded by others who are wise will help you be wiser.  So where does your strength lie?  Is it one of wisdom in superhero fantasy or superheroes of the faith?  Is it sizing up your muscles to the guy next to you or growing in wisdom to combat the real enemy-Satan?

Proverbs 23

Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it swirls around smoothly;
32 At the last it bites like a serpent,
And stings like a viper. vv.31-32

Read chapter 23
To "not look on the wine" is to not look in lust at it for it will lead to overindulgence that causes hurt to the persons mind, character, body and soul-- "a sting like a viper."  "Drunkenness causes arguments and fights.  It causes stupidity and regrets.  Wine is the subtle poison of the serpent, which affects the whole body, and produces the most fatal consequences" (Pulpit Commentary).
The obvious description of a drunken person:  They see strange things (v.33).  They say dumb perverse things (v.33).   They can't feel pain (v.34).  But in the morning all that woe, sorrow, regret is back so they crave another drink to numb it again (v.34).  We are warned before we even begin to drink.  "Who that has common sense would contract a habit, or sell himself to a sin, which tends to such guilt and misery?"
Why do you choose to drink or not to drink?

Proverbs 22

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it. v.6

Read chapter 22

Nearly three thousand years ago, the wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, wrote a book to young men and to parents concerning training their children. The word “children” appears in his book 16 times, “child” twice. He even speaks directly to children four different times. As any parent, he was deeply interested in instructing his own sons, so the address “my son” appears 23 times. He speaks to parents in general concerning their children many more times. (Michael Pearl, 3,000 Year Old Child Training Book Discovered, No Greater Joy Ministries)

The book of proverbs isn't so theologically deep that one needs a Bible scholar to explain it, it is written to the simple who desire wisdom, knowledge, understanding.  It's written to the childlike heart.  It's a 3rd grade level reading, not collegiate.  Even in this chapter the first verse about having a good name is something to teach our children for what they want to be known for in how they choose to act.  Are you a parent that needs direction in training your children?  Why not start with the book of Proverbs.  What are ways you were raised that you do and don't want to repeat?

Proverbs 21

Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman...
Better to dwell in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman. vv.9,19

Read chapter 21
Two times in this chapter it speaks about the harsh attitude of a wife and a handful of other times throughout the book of Proverbs.  Solomon writing this had 1,000 wives (700 wives and 300 concubines), so definitely experienced contentious women (and I can
can't say I blame them for being so). Going around and getting another wife wasn't obviously the answer to fixing Solomon's struggle with one of his many wives, but something he didn't learn before he was ever married about what to look for in choosing a wife.  If any man reading this has been in a marriage where they would rather be all alone in a cold tent outside than in a warm home with abundant provisions, than I'm guessing it was due to contentions with your wife.  Letgodbetrue.com describes the contentious and angry woman honestly as so:
What is a contentious woman? One that likes to contend – who likes to argue, criticize, disagree, fight, oppose, or question. She is full of questions, reminders, and suggestions – all to help, of course. Rather than dote on you, she will nag; rather than sweetly agree, she will question and suggest alternatives – until you wish you were single in the woods.

What is an angry woman? She cannot rule her spirit and likes to fight. She is easily angered, dissatisfied, irritated, negative, or resentful. She can find something negative about any event, and she frets and talks most about that. She is not satisfied. She is hardly ever content, seldom your sweet lover, but always irritated and stressed about something.

Do you relate as a woman to these characteristic to your husband?  Unmarried men, learn the character of godly women as you seek a wife.  Women (married or single), understand how we can so easily hurt our husband and practice how to be a godly woman that does him good and encourages.  Learn how to communicate anger or any feelings in not an irritable or negative way.  I for one don't want my husband wishing he lived in the wilderness than with me and if he ever does that I'm not the one that drives him there, but rather be the only one he takes with him!

Proverbs 20

It is honorable for a man to stop striving,
Since any fool can start a quarrel. v.3

Read chapter 20
In our culture today it seems honorable in the eyes of many men to fight, but in the eyes not only of God but other men it is more honorable, shows more self discipline and great wisdom to stop or not prevent the quarrel.  Anyone can start a quarrel so easily by pushing someone's buttons.  It's like the person who always needs drama in their lives or they're bored, they pick fights just to pick fights.  One version translates it: "Whoever is a fool showeth his teeth."  He's trying to entice the fight.
Who's that person in your life that always seems to start fights or arguments? They become that person that no one wants to invite so that it can be a pleasant time.  When those arguments do happen do you help break it up?  Or if you're the one involved, do you fight till you've won or are you able to control your pride and stop the striving?

Proverbs 19

Chasten your son while there is hope,
And do not set your heart on his destruction. v.18

Read chapter 19
Now I'm not a mother (yet), but even when I babysit I hate disciplining children.  It's hard.  It's a lot of work and energy, and I only watch kids for a couple hours- I can't imagine the constant being on top of it as a parent.  Yet it is so necessary.  Children crave boundaries and may push those boundaries to test the limits, but it helps them feel secure knowing their limits.  Boundaries and disciplines when they are young help them when they are older practicing self-control in other areas of life, especially when their parents aren't controlling their boundaries any more.  I wasn't disciplined much as a child, not because I was always good but my parents gave me more freedom than boundaries, possibly not knowing how to discipline me.   What I missed out on of not having discipline and boundaries has been a hard thing to learn and practice as an adult that I wish I would have learned as a kid. 
Denise Glenn, founder of a ministry for mothers called Motherwise, notes and encourages parents:

It is time consuming. It's exhausting. It's emotionally draining. But if you will invest in the hearts of your children, if you'll love them enough to discipline them, the fruit of their lives watching their lives as they have internal boundaries and can go about God's business in their lives is amazing, and it's worth it.

How do you discipline your children?  How were you disciplined as a child?  What help do you need to help you raise up your child(ren) with proper discipline?

Proverbs 18

A man who has friends must himself be friendly,[b]
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. v.24

Read chapter 18
Would you say you're more closer to your siblings or your friends when it comes to deep real relationship?  Most of us would say our friends.  Why is that?  We will have many friends throughout our lifetime, but there is always that one that is a constant friend through many season of life.  This doesn't mean bad relations with siblings, as I know many people who are good friends with their siblings, myself included; definitely more friendly after high school years.  Yet there seems to be a different kind of intimacy with a friend than with a sibling.  You don't necessarily get to pick who's going to be your sibling, but you do get to choose who will be your friend.
Following the Masoretic text translation of the Old Testament the first line ought to read "A man of many friends may come to ruin."  Why come to ruin?  Because with many friends means constant hospitality that will drain you, more surface level conversations, and when in need may be deserted.  It is not the multitude of friends that will help us, but the one who loves deeper than family.  May you seek Jesus Christ as your best friend whose love is constant no matter what and be blessed with one good friend on this earth too.  Who is your one friend that is closer than a sibling? 

Proverbs 17

He who has knowledge spares his words,
And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.

Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;

When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. vv.27-28

Read chapter 17
Think before you speak.  That's a phrase we hear or tell ourselves often after we've said something we've regretted.  It is wise discernment to know when to speak up about a matter and when to keep quiet and hold your tongue.  This doesn't mean let someone walk all over an issue and get their way, but to use judgement to see if your words would be beneficial or hinderance to the matter at hand.  In verse ten of this same chapter says, "Rebuke is more effective for a wise man than a hundred blows on a fool."  Even a fool is thought wise that can practice self-control of his words.  When a man of understanding does speak up about a matter they carefully use their words.  
When do you have a hard time bitting your tongue?  How can you practice holding your peace about a matter till you can speak carefully and wisely?

Proverbs 16

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

Read chapter 16
Life never seems as planned.  We make our lists, set our plans, write down our goals and then we ask God to bless them.  But when the lists don't get done, our plans get skewed, and we haven't met one goal we get frustrated, anxious, depressed, we give up, play the "if only" game.  Life. Is. Messy.  There is always going to be a curve ball of finances, relationships, health, sin, etc.  Now that's not to say God purposely changes whatever plan we make (that's what I've done in the past to my brother and father being extreme type A people that I just wanted to mess their plans up to see their response- I'm horrible I know). We have to remember that God doesn't work on our plan, we work on His plan. God and you might have the same end in view but how you get there is different route than what you planned.  Our sufficiency is from God and not of ourselves as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3.  Are you fighting God's direction of your steps with your own plans that are causing you feel disappointed?  How have you seen God's path for you be better than what you have ever thought of or planned?