In Proverbs Reconstructed, Gus Dallas has rearranged Proverbs into about 380 different topics. He writes "Proverbs is re-arranged and developed in a manner for extracting the much-needed wisdom on an as-needed basis" "Many have been instructed to "read one Proverb a day." But that does not work. Since we absorb information in a filing system sort of way, not too many people can retain the eclectic information given in each proverb. The format is such that a person cannot learn very easily because the author deviates from topic to topic with no given direction on how to navigate through the pages. Nearly every chapter and verse is grouped with many different subjects and situations, making it very difficult to comprehend." "So, now you can absorb the information because it has been broken down into subjects and is further separated into good verses opposed to bad verses. The value for each verse is that we can learn from the verses which edify us and verses which admonish us." "Pastors are encouraged to use the information as a reference tool help to prepare sermons, counseling sessions, marital ceremonies, and public forums. Parents are encouraged to use the information for themselves as well as to tutor their children as they encounter challenges and/or celebrations of life, from bullying to friendships, educational struggles to learning successes, and many other emotional encounters, all of which aid spiritual growth."
The author declares "Reconstructed is ultimately the best way to access the scriptural gifts from our heavenly Father offered in Proverbs in order to improve our lives." Although some may automatically scream "How can Gus Dallas believe his version of Proverbs is better than King Solomons?" However, if we are really REALLY honest with ourselves, for most of daily life, Proverbs Reconstructed into 380+ topics is MUCH more useful than random topics here and there. Now, we might find some of Dallas' topics weird or unusual or unhelpful and wish the categories were a bit more useful, but still, categories are better than randomness! Try finding "anger" verses in the Book of Proverbs! How many are there? It would be nearly impossible! So I believe, even though it may have some shortcomings and there is room for improvement, Dallas' book is a HUGE SUCCESS!!!
I will be referring back to this book again and again and will probably rarely if ever refer back to the Bible's version of Proverbs again. You can disagree with me, but your reason for disagreeing is probably not so much based on usefulness but on holding the Bible as "the Word of God" and in high esteem. Many like to think that God wrote and arranged the Bible and that His order must be the best. But perhaps Proverbs was just a gathering of Solomon's intelligent sayings that some humans put together in no particular order or in a poem-like order and the goal was not to dissect the topics like we do today.
Here is a list of Dallas' topics: (Notice some topics are duplicated in the Kindle ebook version? That is because the first topic "Answer" is for "good" answers, while the second "Answer" are for "bad" answer verses. Remember, "good" and "bad" refers to "the verses which edify us and verses which admonish us")
Abomination Adultery Adversity Advocate Anger Answer Answer Anxiety Age Animal Ant Apple Argue Associations Associations Atonement Authority Bear Behavior Blameless Blameless Blessed Blessed Boasting Borrower Bread Bribes Brother Burden Chastening Contempt Christian Christian Commands Commands Commandments Commitment Confidence Confidence Confusion Contend Contention/Argue Contentions Correction Correction Corrupt Counselors Counsel Countenance Countenance Court Covet Covet Creation Crown Curse Death Death Deceit Deeds Deer Delight Delight Deliverance Disciple Desire Desire Devise Evil Devise Devotion Diligent Discernment Discernment Discipline Discretion Discretion Dishonor Dog Ear Employment Enemy Enemy Envy Eternal Life Evil Evil Exalted Eyes Eyes Faithful Faithful Faithless Father Father Favor-High Esteem Fear Fear Of The Lord Fear Of The Lord Feet Feet Fight Followers Followers Folly Folly Fool Fool Friend Friendship Gain (By Greed) Gamble Generation Generosity Gift Give Giving Glory Glory Gluttony God Gold Gossip Gossip Grace Greed Guilty Hands Hands Happy Harlot Hastens Hates Hatred Hear Hear Heart Heart Heed Hell Help Honor Honor Hope Hope Horse Horse Humble Hunger Hypocrite Iniquity Iniquity Instruction Instruction Integrity Iron Isolates Jealousy Jesus Joking Joy Joking Judges Judgment Judgment Just Justice Justice Just Man Kindness King Knowledge Knowledge Lazy Labor Labor Law Law Lazy Learning Lender Lender Lies Life Life Light Light Lion Lips Lips Listen Listen Lord Lord Love Love Lust Lying Man Man Meddles Medicine Memory Mercy Mouth Mouth Mother Mother Murder Name Name Neighbor Neighbor News Obey Offended Partiality Partiality Patience Patience Peace Peace Perceptive Perish Perverse Plans Plans Pleasure Poor Poor Poverty Praise Prayer Prayer Pride Pride Profit Prophecy Prudence Punishment Pure Rages Reap Rebellion Rebuke Rebuke Refuge Rejection Rejoice Rejoice Repentance Repentance Reproach Reproach Revenge Reward Reward Riches Riches Righteous Righteous Rod Rod Ruler Ruler Sacrifice Sacrifice Satisfied Satisfied Salvation Salvation Saved Scoffer Scoffer Scorners Secret Seek Servant Servant Shame Shame Shepard Sickness Silver Simple Sin Sin Sinner Sleep Sleep Snare Son Son Sorrow Soul Soul Sow Sow Spirit Spirit Strength Strength Strife Strife Sun Suffer Teach Tent Test Thief Thoughts Thoughts Thorns Tongue Tongue Tradition Transgressions Transgression Treasure Treasure Trials And Tribulations Trials And Tribulations Trouble Trouble Trust Trust Truth Understanding Understanding Unfaithful Unjust Upright Upright Valued Vengeance Vents Violence Vow Walk Walk Water Ways (Goodness-Paths) Ways (Darkness-Paths) Wealth Wealth Whisperer Wicked Wicked Widow Wife Wife Wine Wink Wisdom Wisdom Wise Wise Witness Witness Woman Woman Words Words Work Work Worry Worship Wrath Wrath Zealous
My disclaimer - I received this book from the publisher but I always give brutally honest reviews. I want you to be able to choose the best book based on stars because I know you have limited time and energy to read.
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