by Kenneth Copeland

If your car won’t start, don’t be so prone to get angry, slap the steering wheel and spout some kind of Christianized profanity at it, such as “Dad-Gummit!” The spirit behind that kind of reaction is the same one behind swearing.
It’s destructive to act that way even when you aren’t directing your anger toward other people because it’s a form of practicing bad temper. If you practice anger and ill temper, they will stay on the surface and activate before you have the opportunity to stop them. Don’t express anger even against material objects. Instead take authority over that anger and say, “No, you don’t. I’m not yielding to you. You get back under control right now.”
That will be easy to do when you’re practicing God’s presence because you know He is lovely, kind and gentle; and you will not want to offend him by displaying an ugly attitude toward anything at any time. Granted, you won’t be able to make all the changes you want to make in the first hour and a half. It takes time to do this. But you can make the decision in the next moment and a half and then walk it out moment by moment.

Proverbs 4:7-9
KJV—Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore
get wisdom: and with all thy getting
get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall
promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour,
when thou dost embrace her. She shall
give to thine head an ornament of grace: a
crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

Amp—The beginning of Wisdom is, get
Wisdom—skillful and godly Wisdom! For
skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal
thing. And with all you have gotten get
understanding—discernment, comprehension
and interpretation. Prize Wisdom
highly and exalt her, and she will exalt and
promote you; she will bring you to honor
when you embrace her. She shall give to
your head a wreath of gracefulness; a
crown of beauty and glory will she deliver
to you.

Moffatt—At any cost get knowledge—
never leave her, and she will guard you,
love her, and she will take care of you, prize
her, and she will promote you, and bring
you to honour, if you will embrace her, she
will adorn you with charm and crown you
with glory.

NIV—Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get
understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt
you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
She will set a garland of grace on your head
and present you with a crown of splendor.

Proverbs 16:16
KJV—How much better is it to get wisdom
than gold! and to get understanding rather
to be chosen than silver!

Amp—How much better it is to get skillful
and godly Wisdom than gold! And to
get understanding is to be chosen rather
than silver.

Moffatt—Better get wisdom than gold,
better choose knowledge than silver.

NIV—How much better to get wisdom
than gold, to choose understanding rather
than silver!

Proverbs 24:14
KJV—So shall the knowledge of wisdom
be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it,
then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation
shall not be cut off.

Amp—So shall you know skillful and godly
Wisdom to be your life; if you find it, then
shall there be a future and a reward, and
your hope and expectation shall not be
cut off.

NIV—Know also that wisdom is sweet to
your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope
for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

2 Chronicles 1:12
KJV—Wisdom and knowledge is granted to
thee; and I will give thee riches and wealth,
and honour, such as none of the kings have
had that have been before thee, neither
shall there any after thee have the like.

Amp—Wisdom and knowledge are
granted you, and I will give you riches, possessions,
honor and glory, such as none of
the kings had before you, and none after
you shall have their equal.

Moffatt—Wisdom and intelligence I give
you, and I will add riches, wealth, and honour
such as no king before you ever had,
and no king after you will ever have.

NIV—Therefore wisdom and knowledge
will be given you. And I will also give you
wealth, riches and honor, such as no king
who was before you ever had and none
after you will have.

Proverbs 2:6-7
KJV—For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of
his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
He layeth up sound wisdom for
the righteous: he is a buckler to them that
walk uprightly.

Amp—For the Lord gives skillful and godly
Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge
and understanding. He hides away sound
and godly Wisdom and stores it for the
righteous—those who are upright and in
right standing with Him; He is a shield to
those who walk uprightly and in integrity.

Moffatt—For it is the Eternal who supplies
wisdom, from him come insight and knowledge,
he has help ready for the upright, he
is a shield for those who live honestly.

NIV—For the Lord gives wisdom, and
from his mouth come knowledge and
understanding. He holds victory in store for
the upright, he is a shield to those whose
walk is blameless.

Proverbs 3:13-18
KJV—Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
and the man that getteth understanding.
For the merchandise of it is better than
the merchandise of silver, and the gain
thereof than fine gold. She is more precious
than rubies: and all the things thou canst
desire are not to be compared unto her.
Length of days is in her right hand; and in
her left hand riches and honour. Her ways
are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths
are peace. She is a tree of life to them that
lay hold upon her: and happy is every one
that retaineth her.

Amp—Happy—blessed, fortunate [enviable]—
is the man who finds skillful and godly Wisdom,
and the man who gets understanding—
drawing it forth [from God’s Word and life’s
experiences]. For the gaining of it is better
than the gaining of silver, and the profit of it
than fine gold. Skillful and godly Wisdom is
more precious than rubies, and nothing you
can wish for is to be compared to her.
Length of days is in her right hand, and in
her left hand are riches and honor. Her
ways are highways of pleasantness, and all
her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to
those who lay hold on her, and happy—
blessed, fortunate [to be envied]—is every
one who holds her fast.

NIV—Blessed is the man who finds
wisdom, the man who gains understanding,
for she is more profitable than silver and
yields better returns than gold. She is more
precious than rubies; nothing you desire
can compare with her. Long life is in her
right hand; in her left hand are riches and
honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all
her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to
those who embrace her; those who lay
hold of her will be blessed.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Proverbs 3:9-10
KJV—Honour the Lord with thy substance,
and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and
thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Amp—Honor the Lord with your capital
and sufficiency [from righteous labors], and
with the first fruits of all your income; So
shall your storage places be filled with
plenty, and your vats be overflowing with
new wine.

Moffatt—Honour the Eternal with your
wealth, and with the best of all you make;
so shall your barns be full of corn, your vats
brim over with new wine.

NIV—Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops; then
your barns will be filled to overflowing, and
your vats will brim over with new wine.

Proverbs 10:2-6
KJV—Treasures of wickedness profit nothing:
but righteousness delivereth from
death. The Lord will not suffer the soul of
the righteous to famish: but he casteth
away the substance of the wicked. He becometh
poor that dealeth with a slack
hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh
rich. He that gathereth in summer is a wise
son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son
that causeth shame. Blessings are upon
the head of the just: but violence covereth
the mouth of the wicked.

Amp—Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,
but righteousness [moral and spiritual
rectitude in every area and relation] delivers
from death. The Lord will not allow the [uncompromisingly]
righteous to famish, but He
thwarts the desire of the wicked. He becomes
poor who works with a slack and idle
hand, but the hand of the diligent makes
rich. He who gathers in summer is a wise
son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son
who causes shame. Blessings are upon the
head of the [uncompromisingly] righteous—
the upright, in right standing with God; but
the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Moffatt—Ill-gotten gains are never a profit:
’tis honesty that ensures life for man. The
Eternal never stints an honest man: he
thwarts the craving of dishonest men. A
slack hand makes men poor: a busy hand
makes men rich. He who reaps in summer is
a man of sense: he who sleeps through harvest
does a shameful thing. God’s blessing is
upon the good man’s head, but the bad
man’s face shall be darkened with disaster.

NIV—Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,
but righteousness delivers from death. The
Lord does not let the righteous go hungry
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent
hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops
in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps
during harvest is a disgraceful son. Blessings
crown the head of the righteous, but violence
overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

I discovered that I did not need to find my
identity. I needed to learn what my father, A.W.
Copeland, knew.

At one time I rebelled against him. I dishonored
him. I didn’t give him authority over me. Oh, up to a
point, I did. I gave him authority and dominion while
I was in his presence. But when I got out of his sight, I
did whatever I wanted to do.

The things that my father taught me and practiced
in front of me were for my benefit. They were honorable
things. I finally came to the point where I realized
I was being stupid. I was out trying to learn things
the hard way that my father already knew. I realized
I could learn them from him and not have to pay the
price of learning them for myself.

I came to understand that I could start my own
life of learning after I had learned what my father
knew—and I could get his years of experience free of
charge and in a whole lot less time than it took him
to learn it.

The reason some children of successful men and
women are not worth much is that they don’t bother
to learn what their parents know about building a life
or a business. In some cases, their parents fail to instill
it in them. Often, children set out to learn for themselves
rather than let the Lord teach them.

I found out when I went to college that if I didn’t
learn from God, I wasn’t going to learn a thing in college.
I came to see that honor was the answer—honoring
God, honoring His Word and putting it first
place in my life. Please don’t take me wrong.

I am not underestimating the value of a college education. But
if what a person learns at the university does not conform
to the principles of God and His honor, then it
is not an education. It is really just a head full of nonsense—
useless facts and procedures.

Wisdom Will Put You Over

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the
man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise
of it is better than the merchandise of
silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She
is more precious than rubies: and all the things
thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left
hand riches and honour (Proverbs 3:13-16).
It is not knowledge that will put you over the
top—it is wisdom.

Wisdom is the God-given gift to know what to do
with knowledge. Wisdom gives understanding. There
is in God a wisdom understanding of honor.

When you have a godly understanding of honor,
it takes away the fear of acting on it. In the next chapter,
we will learn more about the kind of honor that
comes only from God.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries