Archive for the ‘Proverbs 25’ Category

Proverbs 25:27 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 24, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 25, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 25:27 – It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor.

Dwelling on the honors you deserve can only be harmful. It can make you bitter, discouraged, or angry, and it will not bring the rewards that you think should be yours. Obsessed for what you should have received may make you miss the satisfaction of knowing you did your best.

A little honey goes a long way! Its sweetness exceeds most foods, so that a small amount can satisfy your taste and appetite. Indulging in more than a little will bring nausea and sickness (Pr 25:16). In the very same way, desiring or seeking praise from men, in order to bring yourself more glory, is not glory. It is disgusting, nauseating, and shameful!

Here is a great proverb with a valuable lesson. As in many proverbs, human conduct is compared to a natural fact. Solomon used the universal knowledge of honey’s sweetness to condemn the ambition and desire of men to seek their own praise. Stated in a pithy way, these few words are helpful, intriguing, and powerful for learning divine wisdom.

In our artificial society, many are ignorant about honey. They are addicted to dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose, corn syrup, and other popular sweeteners, which stimulate rather than satisfy appetite. When did you last eat some honey? But to the informed, honey is a luxurious food God created for our benefit (Pr 24:13).

The LORD described Canaan, Israel’s land of promise, as a land flowing with milk and honey (Ex 3:8; Deut 8:7-9). Even the manna He gave Israel for forty years tasted like wafers made with honey (Ex 16:31). No one will deny that honey is sweet. It is twice as sweet as sugar! In recipes calling for sugar, only one-half the amount of honey will work.

Seeking compliments, praise, or glory is as foolish as gorging on honey – it quickly becomes revolting! Wise men avoid praise, even though most today are obsessed with it (II Tim 3:1-5). Trying to increase your glory and popularity will be disgusting to others watching you. What you thought was sweet will become nauseating. Any honor you must seek is not truly honor, for it is not real or sincere, and those giving it are offended by it.

Moses was one of Israel’s greatest leaders, but he was the meekest man on earth – he did not want glory (Num 12:3). God defended this humble man by severely punishing any who accused him of pride (Num 12:1-15; 16:1-40). Wise men and holy women will both seek to be meek (Matt 5:5; Jas 3:13; I Pet 3:4), as did Paul in following Jesus Christ (II Cor 10:1). He only gloried when forced to do so for the profit of others (II Cor 12:11).

Have you ever heard a backdoor compliment – when a person thanks God for making him so gifted? Have you ever given yourself one? Shame! Can you restrain yourself in a group and not speak unless others ask you? The apostolic rule is to reject the vanity of glory for yourself and make others and their things more important than you (Phil 2:3-4).

If you crave praise and glory, then wait for others to give you some, so you can know it is sincere and deserved (Pr 25:6-7; 27:2). If you have to wait a long time, be assured you did not deserve any! Why do you even want praise, you conceited and selfish wretch? Praise someone else! It is more blessed to give than to receive, especially in this matter.

When a person tells you about an event in their life, is it your typical response to raise a similar event or connection from your life, and overlook the precious point being made by the person? Shame! You are gorging on honey, and you do not even know it. Shame! Shut up about yourself. They do not want to know about you, or they would have asked.

The only real approval that matters is God’s approval. Reject the praise of men for the praise of God, and it will keep you from a horrible snare (John 5:44; 12:43). Diotrephes could not reject man’s honor, so beloved John severely censured him (III John 1:9-11). Remember that anything highly esteemed by men is an abomination to God (Luke 16:15).

If you examine yourself in the mirror of Scripture, you will see enough blemishes and deformities to keep you humble and avoid glory from men (Jas 1:21-25). Humble yourself under God’s mighty hand, and He will exalt you at the right time (I Pet 5:6-7). Fall at the feet of Jesus Christ, and He will lift you up to greater glory (Rev 1:17-20).

 

Proverbs 25:08 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: July 25, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 25, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 25:8 What you have seen with your eyes do not bring hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?

Slow down! Haste makes waste! And haste can put you to shame! If you are in a conflict, do not react hastily. Do not rush to action. Calm down; sit down; slow down. Consider every angle carefully, or you will miss the obvious and be put to shame by your enemy.

Conflict and strife are parts of life in a sinful world. They evoke strong passions, which cause men to rush to action. People in a fight want to rectify a situation immediately, but such haste in a conflict easily leave men exposed to the wiser reaction of an opponent. The human heart and its demand for haste must be ruled and stopped (Pr 16:32).

A passionate response is usually a poor response. It is better to let passions cool before planning any action. The mind is usually not fully engaged, when the heart is pounding and the emotions are raging. Cool off first, before you do anything or even plan anything. “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (Jas 1:19-20).

A multitude of counselors makes for safety in war (Pr 20:18; 24:6). What blessed wisdom! And they cannot be any counselors; they must be wise, experienced, and sober. They should be uninvolved third parties, who can think objectively and wisely. They should have experience in battle, and they do not need to be close friends. Friendship blinds eyes and stops ears, so seek counselors who will not be inflamed with you.

Unless you are very careful, small conflicts will escalate quickly into much larger wars (Pr 17:14). Responding foolishly without due deliberation is the mark of a fool, and such a reaction usually deserves punishment (Pr 18:6). Forcing wrath will bring forth more strife, just as surely as the churning of milk brings forth butter (Pr 30:33). Slow down!

Kings go to battle slowly. Jesus said, “Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace” (Luke 14:31-32).

If you have ever slept on a conflict, with a mind toward fearing God and loving wisdom, you woke in the morning with a very different perspective than what you went to bed with. This is wisdom. By allowing some time to pass, your passions cooled, your mind had time to clear foolish emotions, and the Holy Spirit could direct you. Amen.

Proverbs 25:15 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 25, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 25, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 25:15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

Can you win a person in authority? Gentleness will defeat power. What works best with a hard or angry person? Submissive yielding will defeat revenge. Here is precious wisdom to be successful in relationships. Instinctive responses will seldom work.

Wisdom includes ability to persuade those in power, which is very useful knowledge. The main authorities in life are parents, husbands, employers, government, and pastors. They are moved more by patient reverence than by bold debate. Though your cause might be important and right, wisdom calls for careful and respectful appeals.

Here is great wisdom for dealing with those over you. You may need to persuade a boss of your cause or dissuade one from punishing your offences. The proverb here deals with persuasion, but the same wisdom serves in dissuasion as well (Eccl 10:4). This rule, learned and remembered, will give great and peaceful skill for dealing with authorities.

The world teaches the opposite of this wisdom, and the results are horrible. Demanding your way and expecting an authority to cater to your needs and opinions is proud rebellion and creates bitterness. Rather than moving the one in authority toward your cause, it will force him to solidify his position and punish your insolent insubordination.

Human nature is proud, rebellious, and selfish. It assumes all men are created equal and having many rights. But the Bible rejects such arrogant presumption. No two men are created equal, and they are put in the five offices already listed that give them power over other men. God created the offices of authority, and exalting them makes a society great. Disrespect of authority is a widespread problem in our profane and rebellious world.

Solomon wrote as a monarch, when a king and princes had great authority. They had the power of life and death, and there was no separation of powers, threat of a hung jury, meddling media, or any other limitation to ruling. The example in the proverb is a prince. Solomon gave you divine wisdom to help you persuade a powerful authority to consider your person and your cause. Much of life involves convincing others, so the lesson is key.

Forbearing is putting up with disagreement or poor treatment. It is patient longsuffering in the face of adversity. It is used here to describe a patient approach with authority. If you seek to persuade an authority to change, you must wait for them to consider your cause. Impatiently demanding their change will totally work against you. Wait for them.

A soft tongue is a metonym for gentle and respectful speech (Pr 15:1). It is so effective that it is described as being able to break the bones of a prince. Rather than arguing or debating your case, a meek and reverent appeal works far better. Aggressive and harsh words ignore their important office and attack the integrity of their authority. Instead of soberly considering your cause, they will defend their position and rank by rejecting you.

The lower you go in humility, and the higher you lift a person for their rank, the greater leverage you have with them. To the degree you protect yourself and dilute this reverent, gentle, and patient approach, you give up leverage. Wisdom is profitable to direct!

David skillfully used this wisdom appealing to King Saul for mercy (I Sam 24:1-22; 26:1-25). And Abigail, a beautiful woman with great understanding, used it to persuade David against revenge, when he was passionately angry against her husband (I Sam 25:1-42). Read these three chapters and focus on the choice of words of David and Abigail.

Child, a respectful and kind letter to parents will work far better than arguing or pouting. Both of these actions indicate you are a spoiled brat and deserve nothing. Thank your parents for their goodness to you, and declare your love and obedience to them. Humbly state your request. Remember to patiently wait for their answer. They do not owe you!

Wife, a reverent and submissive appeal to your husband, carefully chosen for timing and location, will work far better than haughty demands, presumed rights, or sexual deprivation. Remember, he owes you nothing on the spot. Patiently wait for him to consider your request. Sarah and Bathsheba called their husbands lord, and they obtained great requests from powerful men. Godly women give up their “rights” to gain freedom!

Employers and government should be treated the same way. A grievance for poor working conditions or an undesirable assignment is received much better when made with respect and patience than with demands, insubordination, or threats. Everyone knows state troopers respond better to respectful answers than arrogant ones.

The godly application of this wisdom will bring peace and prosperity into your life, and it will exalt godly authority in the earth by its careful and patient respect for those in positions of rule. The lesson here was penned by a brilliant king for your profit. Believe it. May the Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of princes, be given all the honor due unto Him!

Proverbs 25:16 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 25, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 25, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 25:16 If you find honey, eat just enough-too much of it, and you will vomit.

Moderation in all things. Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Extreme use of anything is abuse. God and Solomon want you to maximize the use of things in life by not overusing any of them. This is an important rule of wisdom and success for your life.

God created honey as a sweet gift for taste, and it is good for your body. Yet too much can overwhelm your senses and make you sick. When you find something pleasant, use it prudently for its intended purpose, lest it be a snare to your soul, or you end up hating it.

Every man’s honey is different. What is sweet to your taste but tempts you to overindulge in it? What is your honey? It is your duty to identify those pleasures that captivate you the most and be temperate with them (I Cor 9:25). What is your honey? Eat only a little.

Honey is good and pleasant (Pr 16:24; 24:13). Honey is not forbidden; it is God’s gift. Be thankful for it. But too much is not good (Pr 25:27). How can something so good make you vomit? By proving that excess is bad! Excess, which is too much, shows good things have limited uses. Use them until sufficient, to their intended purpose, and not beyond.

God richly gives His children all things to enjoy (I Tim 6:17), but all those things must be used in moderation (Phil 4:5). He is not watching from a distance to see how we treat His gifts, as many imagine. The Lord is at hand. He made man upright and gave him gifts, but he has sought out many inventions (Eccl 7:29). And one such invention is excess!

This generation loves excess. They are proud to be X-treme! Christians should avoid any immoderation. God’s gifts of food and drink have been abused to destroy souls. Gluttony and drunkenness overcharge men’s stomachs and hearts (Lu 21:34). Young men gorge until they vomit; drunkards do the same and sleep in it. They sin against this proverb.

The wisdom here is mainly moral and spiritual, yet it also contains nutritional advice. Honey and other simple or refined carbohydrates are a principal cause of obesity and other maladies affecting health. With prosperity supplies an endless variety and amount of sugars and carbohydrates, an excessive society can gorge to a diabetic epidemic!

Consider other pleasant gifts of God to grasp the lesson. God gave bread to make hearts strong (Ps 104:15), but overeating bread, cereal, pasta, cookies, cake, chips, crackers, pizza, and other grain products destroys the heart. God gave wine to make hearts glad (Ps 104:15), but drunkenness is a sin of excess that can cause horrible heartache (Eph 5:18).

Solomon commended eating and drinking for strength, rather than pleasure. There is pleasure in eating, but it cannot dominate. And he commended nations with policies and examples of temperance (Eccl 10:16-17). The all-you-can-eat buffets may be a nice blessing for variety, but they are a curse for the man given to appetite. You should eat to satisfy hunger and promote health. Can you believe, “Enough is as good as a feast”?

What about marriage? It is a great gift from God for companionship and love, but you should live without it consuming your life (I Cor 7:28-35; Ps 73:25-26). What about hobbies and entertainment? They can be pleasant diversions, but too much emphasis and they bring poverty and waste precious time (Pr 21:17; Eph 5:16).

What about bodily exercise? It has a little profit, but extremes will cost you your soul by leaving more important matters undone (I Tim 4:8). What about righteousness and wisdom? Can you have too much of these things? Yes, indeed, when misapplied! The Preacher warned against excesses of either, like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day (Eccl 7:16).

Consider sex. It is one of life’s sweet pleasures – tasted and enjoyed in marriage only, and then only within godly constraints. If it is emphasized out of place, its desires will consume the single person, and it will distort a marriage into selfish practices. The wonderfully pleasant expression of love can easily become a painful ritual of bitterness.

The proverb may also be applied to friends (Pr 25:17). Too much of even friends is too much! If you are obsessive in relationships, you will lose friends, because they cannot bear or keep up with your excess. The good gift of friendship pressed to excess will turn to hatred, and then you have ruined another precious blessing by your overindulgence.

Excessive indulgence in any pleasure dulls the appetite and enjoyment of that thing, so that you need greater and greater amounts to give you the original pleasure. The more fine food you eat, the less you enjoy that special dinner out. The more you travel for business, the less you enjoy the getaway with your wife. It is a simple lesson of experience that too much of anything steals much of its pleasure (Pr 27:7).

Viewing women other than your wife, which is a sin, will reduce pleasure from your wife. It will not enhance her or your appreciation of her. Once you start this sin, you will need greater stimulation to get the same pleasure you once easily had with her. Having dulled your senses and enjoyment, you must then dip deeper into the sewer of excess and drink longer to find the original sinful pleasure. Sin lies, as it takes you down to hell.

Christian reader, what is your honey? In moderation it is good, but in excess it is sinful? Is it eating, family, drinking, working, marriage, hobbies, exercise, sex, or something else? What is it? You will have the greatest temptations to be intemperate with those things that are sweet and pleasant to you. What is your honey? You must identify these weights or sins, so you can lay them aside to successfully run your race (Heb 12:1-4).

Once you identify your honey in life, how much pleasure should you seek in using it? Until you are sick? Oh no, you have gone way too far. Godly temperance and moderation avoid excess, so you must stay safely back from the sinful line. In fact, sincere persons will consider metaphorically cutting their throats, cutting off hands, or plucking out eyes in order to avoid even the temptation to excess (Pr 23:2; Matt 18:8-9).

There is honey for the Christian that has no limit, and it is free, and you may delight in its fatness (Is 55:1-5)! It is the wonderful facts of the gospel. Lady wisdom also offers bread, wine, and a furnished table (Pr 9:1-5), and there you will not be sick or disappointed by eating as much as you can. Fill yourself today with both the gospel and wisdom.

You should also seek to be filled with all the fullness of God, in which there is great blessing (Eph 3:14-19). You can also in good conscience desire the best gifts in the church and serve better than any of them (I Cor 12:31)! Choose good honey. O Lord, fill me with your Spirit, until I am filled to overflowing, and then give me a little more.

Proverbs 25:02 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: February 26, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 25, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 25:02 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

God has infinite wisdom of all things. He gloriously acts without revealing His purpose, seeking counsel, or exposing matters to public scrutiny. Kings are much different. Since they understand very little in comparison, they should act only after diligent examination and deliberate consideration. It would be folly for them to act in an arbitrary way, pretending to be wise as God. And all human rulers should follow their prudent example.

The world moves according to God’s secret will, of which we know little (Deut 29:29). He does not seek counsel or reveal these matters (Job 26:14; Rom 11:33), and there are many such things with Him (Job 23:14; Ps 139:17-18). Only by revelation of Scripture and passage of time do we learn this will. But we have been given His revealed will, the Word of God, by which we are to govern our lives and verify all decisions (Deut 29:29).

The LORD deals privately with men, in their souls, and only rarely exposes them to the judgment of others. He often afflicts men in their beds and chastens them in their thoughts (Job 33:14-33). He told Abimelech during the night not to touch Sarah (Gen 20:3), and He told Laban to be gentle with Jacob (Gen 31:24). David knew to use these private times with the Lord (Ps 4:4; 42:8; 63:6; 77:6; 119:147-148; 139:17-18).

He forgives us daily, of sins large and small, without exposing them to any. For this we should be very thankful, and we should also see His great glory in such gracious concealment. And when we have opportunity to overlook and conceal personal offences against ourselves, it is also our glory (17:9; 19:11). But it is our duty, with the authority He may have given us in a particular role, to search out matters and deal with them according to the wisdom of Scripture.

A noble king must gather all the facts, call wise counselors, examine witnesses, review precedents, consider consequences, and deliberate before drawing a conclusion and making a judgment. Solomon did very wisely in dealing with the two harlots (I Kings 3:9-28). Ahasuerus did so regarding Vashti’s rebellion (Esther 1:12-21), but he failed in hastily approving Haman’s personal vendetta against the Jews (Esther 3:8-15).

God told Moses how authority should deal with hearsay (Deut 13:12-18). They should inquire about it, make search, and ask diligently. If their investigation showed the matter to be true and certain, then they were to execute the appropriate judgment. The same procedure was to be followed in matters of conflicting testimony (Deut 19:15-21). Job, the perfect and righteous man that he was, followed this godly procedure (Job 29:16).

Every authority should copy the noble king. Parents should search out matters regarding their children. Children do not have rights; they have responsibilities and privileges. If there is reason to be suspicious, or even if there is not, wise parents will make diligent inquisition and search to confirm or convict. A sin nipped in the bud, before it is a full grown poisonous plant, is much easier to correct for both parent and child.

The father who does not search out things, but hides his head in the sand, is no father worthy of the name. And He will be brought to painful shame (29:15,17). The father who believes all that he hears without careful investigation exalts simplicity (14:15). David foolishly let Adonijah go so far in rebellion without questioning him that it cost him his life (I Kgs 1:6; 2:10-25). Let every father reading this proverb be a noble inquisitor.

The purpose and wisdom of human rulers is to examine all matters carefully, in order to properly rule and protect their subjects. God never intended careless and/or overbearing rule when He ordained the five spheres of human authority. Rule was not given just for the pleasure of the one reigning, but also for the protection and perfection of those under the reign. Righteous Job even considered the contentions of his servants (Job 31:13-15).

It is this honorable aspect of Christian authority that every magistrate, master, father, husband, and pastor should also include in the discharge of their office. While the degree of service to those under authority varies from position to position, it is an important part of using your God-given authority in a holy way. For example, masters rule in employment situations for the profit of the company and themselves; but they are also bound to use that rule equitably and fairly (Eph 6:9; Col 4:1).

Our Lord Jesus operates at a level we cannot explain or even define. He divides between the joints and the marrow, and between the soul and the spirit (Heb 4:12-14). All things are naked and opened to Him, but He Himself dwells in a light that no man can approach unto (I Tim 6:16). He searches our reins and hearts (Rev 2:23). Rather than have Him discover our secret sins while trying to hide them, let us open our hearts before Him and beg Him to make merciful examination (Job 34:31-32; Ps 26:2; 139:23-24).

Proverbs 25:21-22 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: January 25, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 25, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 25:21-22 – If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

God’s form of retaliation is most effective and yet difficult to do. Paul quotes this proverb in
Romans 12:19-21. In Mathew 5:44, Jesus encourages us to pray for those who hurt us. By returning good for evil, we are acknowledging God as the balancer of all accounts and trusting him to be the judge.

Proverbs 25:28 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: December 25, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 25, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 25:28 – Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

Even though city walls restricted the inhabitants’ movements, people were happy to have them.  Without walls, they would have been vulnerable to attack by any passing group of marauders.  Self-control limits us, to be sure, but it is necessary.  An out of control life is open to all sorts of enemy attack.  Think of self-control as a wall for defense and protection.

Your success depends on ruling your spirit. Great men rule their spirits. They resist temptations to react or overreact. They restrain their emotions and manage them for good.

How safe are you from trouble? If you do not rule your spirit, you are vulnerable to say or do things that could cost you dearly. You may already be damaged by such actions.

Your spirit is your inner self, which controls your actions. When you do not rule your spirit, you are exposed and vulnerable to all sorts of folly and trouble. Like a defenseless city without walls in former times of marauding armies, so is the man who does not rule his own spirit and diligently keep it in the way of virtue, truth, and wisdom.

Your spirit includes your affections, appetites, and passions. A wise and noble man rules his spirit by his conscience and mind. He locks it down with chains of self-denial to keep ambition, anger, lust, pride, or revenge from breaking forth. He guides it by a mental commitment to hold fast honor, humility, righteousness, and virtue. He rules his thoughts, his desires, his inclinations, his resentments, and keeps them all in disciplined order.

A fool lets his spirit control his actions. He does not resist impulses from his spirit; he lets his spirit direct him; he forfeits the fight for character and godliness. He cannot do what he should; he cannot stop doing what he should not. Such men are often angry, generally foolish, often depressed, or always procrastinating, among other faults and sins. They never grow up, for they are controlled by childish passions of a depraved heart.

In Solomon’s time, a city depended on strong fortifications and gates, with great walls surrounding it, to repel incursions by ravaging bands of guerillas or foreign armies. If the bulwarks, gates, or towers were broken down and the walls taken away, a city was totally exposed to the incursions of any enemy that wished to plunder, pillage, or conquer it. If a city did not invest sufficiently in these means of protection, it could easily be captured.

A man without rule of his spirit is exposed and vulnerable like a defenseless city. His spirit is ready to sin with very little provocation, and he cannot marshal its power for any real good. He is helplessly, hopelessly, perpetually at the mercy of his enemies – foolishness, lust, and sin – which show no quarter, but regularly ravage his life. But the man who rules his spirit is greater than a man taking a city single-handedly (Pr 16:32).

Dear reader, what tempts your spirit? Are you quick to anger, a sure mark of a fool? Must you talk incessantly, another mark of a fool? Regarding money, are you an impulsive spender? Or a hoarding miser? Do you justify imprudent haste as optimism? Or do you call melancholy funks self-reflection? Which spirit do you have? Do you rule it? To the bulwarks! Raise the towers! Close the gates! Build the walls! Rule your spirit!

Do you talk too much? Or are you depressed and silent? Do you make financial choices impulsively? Do you criticize everyone? Do you jest and joke often? Does complaining come easily? Do you eat more than you should? Do you fail to read and pray daily? Do you let being discouraged destroy you? Does fear keep you from your duties?

Do you disrespect authority, especially civil rulers? Are you known for withdrawing and avoiding your family or friends? Do you forgive easily, or is it hard? Can you stop being an overbearing mother by making suggestions for everything your married child does? Do you mock rich men, because you think you know more than them (Eccl 10:20)?

Your life will be plundered and wasted, unless you take control and raise a defense. You will never amount to much. You will be a castaway, for an unruly spirit does not produce good things for God or man. You will plunge into sins of commission and omission. To the bulwarks! Raise the towers! Close the gates! Build the walls! Rule your spirit!

The greatest battle you will ever fight is the one against your own spirit. Your worst enemy is the depraved and selfish man inside you. It causes the most damage and keeps you from success in life. The most shameful loss is to live and die the victim of your own unruly spirit. And the most noble and rewarding victory is the one over your own spirit.

King Saul did not rule his jealous spirit, which even tried to kill his own son (I Sam 20:27-34). David did not bridle his lustful spirit, which boldly led him to adultery and murder (II Sam 11:1-27). And Samson, the strongest man ever, was helpless before his unruled passion for beautiful Delilah (Judges 16:4-21). Dear reader, do not let these heinous crimes make you confident in your life, for many lesser sins can also ruin a life.

Identify your spirit weaknesses – every man has them. What sins tempt you most? What causes you to fall quickest into folly? Confess your faults to the Lord. Confess to your family or friends. Ask them to tell you when they see a breach in a wall. Take charge of your spirit, and crush whatever folly it seeks, and do whatever wisdom it avoids. Now!

At the first sign of a bulwark or tower crumbling, pray for the mighty strength of your Prince Jesus. Do not trust your own strength; you need His. You cannot relax, for it will take control unless you rule it. By the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ you can rule it. Why wait one minute longer? Go to Him now! Raise the walls of a well-ruled and holy city!

Teach your children self-discipline, called temperance in the Bible. This will do them more good before God and men than academic training. This will make them as great as a man singlehandedly taking a city (Pr 16:32). You can start when they are very young by slowly denying them small things they want. The present world sees no need for it, since they believe in instant gratification with food, purchases, sex, speech, anger, sleep, etc.

Jesus Christ ruled His spirit and submitted to God’s will, in spite of being very amazed and intimidated by His coming crucifixion (Mark 14:33). Though tempted by the devil at various times, He never considered the devil’s suggestions (Matt 4:1-11). But not only that, He will provide grace and strength for those who ask (II Cor 12:9-10; Phil 4:13).

Proverbs 25:26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.    

Posted: September 25, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 25, Proverbs 25:26, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Christians are supposed to stand up for what is right. An attack on a Christian is actually an attack upon their Lord. For a Christian to be degraded by the wicked is like a beautiful spring of water that has been corrupted.

Christians’ words come from a pure heart which is sometimes spoken of as a river which never has an end. This river from within is pure, because it comes from God.

“Give way to the wicked” means setting aside your standard of right and wrong.  No one is helped by someone who compromises with the wicked.

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