God's Ancient Counsel for Today's Youth: Proverbs Topically Arranged

By Richard H. Neumann

This manual is not written by the author, but is compiled by him, to set forth the wisdom of God for young people in their daily walk through life. The Book of Proverbs is filled with heavenly counsel on a multitude of topics that are very important to a teenager’s earthly success. Each topic has selected verses from Proverbs, along with parallel Scriptures from other books of the Bible. Topics such as anger, character, friends, lust, laziness and much more, are there for your selection and meditation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 26, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664201194

Richard H. Neumann

He became a follower of Jesus Christ on July 18, 1971. From 1975 to 1980, he was trained to be a pastor at the Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music, now Cornerstone University. Following graduation, he went on to pastor four churches in Michigan, Ohio and New York. Since 2007 he has been deeply involved in serving the Lord at the Niagara Gospel Rescue Mission in Niagara Falls, New York, where he has ministered as Mission Pastor and presently as Executive Director. He has been married to JoAnn since December 24, 1973 and has two special daughters, Rachel and Amber, and three beautiful grandchildren.

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God’s Ancient Counsel

for Today’s Youth

Proverbs Topically Arranged

Richard H. Neumann

Copyright © 2020 Richard H. Neumann.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical,

including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written

permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

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not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and

such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0118-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-0119-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020914627

WestBow Press rev. date: 08/17/2020

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Preface

For decades now, I have desired to put a large portion of the Proverbs of Solomon into some kind of topical arrangement for young people. We have in the Book of Proverbs older, wiser people giving God’s heavenly advice to those who are starting out in life and experiencing the world around them. Few things are more needed today, for our youth, than a clear word from God on the practical issues of life. So many are floundering with no sense of direction, and no authority to guide them. God has given this special Book to be a critical source of help as young people seek to walk through their tough mazes of life.

I first got the idea for arranging the Proverbs in topics from Matthew Henry’s Commentary. This is what Henry did, and I could clearly see that this is one of the best ways to communicate this wonderful Book of wisdom; so I’m greatly indebted to him for his insight in pursuing such a discipline. I-have arranged the topics alphabetically to make your search easier. I’ve included a ‘Parallel Perspective’ to give you further insight from God. You’ll also soon note, that I didn’t cover every subject under each letter; only those topics that Proverbs highlights. My biggest hope, young person, is that you will glean the counsel that God has provided for you, so that your life will bring honor and glory to Him.

For His Praise and Purpose, RHN

Some Suggestions for Using this Work

‘Ancient Counsel’ is a classified listing of God’s Heavenly Wisdom for earthly living. Someone said, You don’t have to be listed in Who’s Who to know what’s what. I really like that statement! Even the lowliest person on earth, can be the wisest person, if they follow the Lord’s advice on practical living.

J.I. Packer stated, Wisdom is the power to see and the inclination to choose the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it. So often, we think we know what’s best for us; but the truth is, God is the ‘Wonderful Counselor’; only He knows the secrets of every heart (see Psalm 44:21; Proverbs 15:11). God is in the business of changing our values, beliefs, attitudes, behaviors and relationships to conform to His will. Is it not wise, to let the One who made us in our mother’s womb guide us throughout our pilgrim way?

I really do not know all the ways that our Lord will use this work in people’s lives, but I’d like to make a few suggestions for its use in the private, family and church setting.

As a young person, feel free to go to the table of contents and find the personal topic that ‘hits you where you’re at’. Read and think about all the verses that pertain to your present situation, and don’t forget to look up the parallel Scriptures too. Try memorizing one of the verses that stands out to you. Put it down on a card and take it with you to school, and most important, live it out in your life.

As a parent, spend time with your children reading God’s wisdom to them. Try to relate what God says to what they are facing in life. If they are struggling in a certain area, point them to the topic that will help. Of course, this work is not comprehensive, so you’ll have to consult other tools as well.

As a youth leader, use this book to guide your students to the mind of our Father on the matters they encounter in their world.

God bless you all!

A Special Appreciation

I want to offer my sincere gratitude to Mary Bugay who tirelessly and faithfully helped me in the development of this needed tool for our young people. I would give her the references of each topic to which the Book of Proverbs spoke, and then she laboriously typed them out. What a blessing that was to me, because I had started out doing it all myself. I came to realize the significance of Ecclesiastes 4:9 which states,

"Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their work."

Our mutual hope is that many of our youth will take to heart and life in their teen years, the practical wisdom of God, for it will save them a lot of heartache from making wrong choices and reaping disastrous consequences.

Once again, thank you Mary!

Some Further Help

To make your topical study even more rewarding, I want to suggest using this work with three other resources:

1. Naves Topical Bible – Old stand-by; Verses are typed out.

2. The Open Bible’s, ‘The Biblical Cyclopedic Index’ (Very Thorough with an outline and references under each topic)

3. Ken Anderson’s, Where To Find It in the Bible – The Ultimate A to Z Resource – This is the most contemporary work, with terms we use today – Very helpful!

Contents

Introductory Thoughts: (Start out Smart!)

Trust in God, not in yourself.

Get God’s Wisdom.

Choose Wisdom instead of Foolishness.

Realize God’s Knowledge and Complete Control.

Abominations to God

Adultery

Advice about Money

Advice/Advisors (See also Counsel)

Alcohol/Alcoholic

Anger

Appetite (See also Gluttony)

Arguments

Attention

Attitude

Beauty

Behavior (see Conduct)

Boasting (see Conceit & Pride)

Bribes

Business

Calloused Heart

Character

Cheating

Childhood

Communication(See Tongue, Speech)

Companionship(See also Friend)

Compassion

Compliments

Conceit (See Also Boasting, Pride) Conduct

Confidence (in God/in life)

Consequences (Good or Bad)

Contentment

Controversy (See Strife)

Conversation (See Tongue, Speech)

Correction/Discipline

Counsel (See also Advice)

Criticism

Deceit

Decisions

Dependability

Depression

Desire

Diligence

Disagreements

Discernment

Discipline

Discontentment (See Contentment)

Discord/Dissension

Drunkenness

Education

Emotional Life

Encouragement

Example

Faith

Falsehood (See also Deceit)

Family

Fathers

Fear of People (See Confidence)

Fool/Foolish

Forgiveness

Friend (See Companionship)

Frugal (Has a saving spirit)

Future Plans

Gangs

Generosity

Gluttony

Goals

Gossip

Government

Greed

Growing Old

Grudges

Guidance

Homeless (See Poor, Poverty)

Honesty

Honor (See Humility, Pride)

Hope (See Faith, Confidence)

Human Relations

Humility

Hypocrisy (See Honesty)

Idleness (See Lazy)

Idolatry (Examples of)

Immorality

Influence

Initiative (See Laziness)

Integrity

Jealousy

Justice

Kindness

Knowledge

Labor

Lazy/Laziness (See Labor)

Leadership

Lifestyle (See Conduct)

Love

Lust

Lying (See Honesty)

Marriage

Materialism (See Wealth)

Money (See Advice about Money, Generosity and Wealth)

Mother

Motivation

Neighbor

Old Age

Opinions

Optimistic

Parents

Patience

Peace (see Contentment) Planning

Pleasure

The Poor/Poverty

Praise

Prayer

Prejudice

Prestige (level of respect from others)

Pretense (mere show without reality)

Pride

Prudence (see Wisdom)

Rebellion

Rebuke

Religion

Reputation

Respect

Retaliation/Revenge

Scripture

Self-Control

Selfishness

Servanthood

Silence

Sovereignty of God

Speech

Stewardship

Stingy

Streets

Stress

Strife

Success

Tact

Temper

Temptation

Testing

Thoughts

Tongue (See Speech) Truth (See Honesty)

Understanding

Undisciplined (See also Lazy/Laziness)

Unintelligent

Unity

Unreliable

Value

Vanity

Vengeance/Vindictive (See Retaliation/Revenge)

Voice (See Speech)

Wealth

Welfare

Wife

Wisdom

Witness

Women/Women’s Rights

Work (See also Labor)

Youth

Introductory Thoughts: (Start out Smart!)

➢ Trust in God, not in yourself.

Proverbs 3:5-7 – ⁵ Trust in the

LORD

with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

⁷ Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the

LORD

, and depart from evil.

14:12 –¹² There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the