Archive for the ‘Proverbs’ Category

Spiritual Training 30 May 2013

Posted: May 30, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Romans, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Romans 13:10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefor love is the fulfillment of the law.

Christians must obey the law of love, which supersedes both religious and civil laws. How easy it is to excuse our indifference to others merely because we have no legal obligation to help them, and even to justify harming them if our actions are technically legal!

Lets Bring it home: But Jesus does not leave loopholes in the law of love. Whenever love demands it, we are to go beyond human legal requirements and imitate the God of Love.

Wisdom for the Soul-Proverbs 29:25

Posted: May 29, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 29, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trust in the Lord is kept safe.

Do you care what others think of you? It is a dangerous trap! You can be pushed into sin by fearing others. If you let them affect decisions, you will be tempted to compromise. Put your trust in God and His word only, and you will be safe (Pr 18:10; Ps 119:128).

Fearing man is the opposite of fearing God. It is worry about pleasing men and obtaining their agreement, friendship, and favor, rather than God’s. You are afraid of their displeasure or rejection, so you do what you can to keep their approval and stay friends. Instead of measuring your life by Scripture, you are concerned about popular opinion.

We often call this fear of man peer pressure. The source of it is your peers – your equals in similar positions in life, the same age group or social set. It is pressure, because the approval they give or withhold forces you to alter your beliefs or actions in order to keep your standing with them. Peer pressure pushes you to live like the world (Rom 12:1-2).

The fear of man can come from many sources. Employees can fear their bosses beyond the basic respect of employment. Pastors can fear their members disapproving of a sermon and reducing support. A person can fear a spouse and the domestic tension he or she can create. Scholars or church councils can intimidate a pastor to compromise truth.

Aaron feared the people in Moses’ absence and made the golden calf (Ex 32:22-24). King Saul lost the kingdom for fearing the people and sparing Agag (I Sam 15:24). Herod feared the people, his wife, and his friends, so he killed John (Matt 6:6-11). Pilate feared the people and his political relationship with Caesar (John 19:11-16). Peter denied Jesus Christ by fearing others (Matt 26:69-75) and also compromised the gospel (Gal 2:11-13).

On the other hand, David was not discouraged by his oldest brother’s accusation (I Sam 17:28). Daniel did not fear the lions’ den, for he kept up his daily habit of prayer in spite of the new law (Dan 6:10). His three friends were not afraid of Nebuchadnezzar or his fiery furnace (Dan 3:16-18). Peter and the apostles boldly defied the Jews after Pentecost (Acts 5:29). And Joseph of Arimathaea boldly asked for the body of Jesus (Mark 15:43).

Most Christians today fear men more than God. They are like the weak rulers of the Jews. The Bible says, “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (Jn 12:42-43).

It is impossible to be a true believer and have fear or respect for the approval of men. Jesus warned His hearers, “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (John 5:44.) There were many like these, who were intimidated by the opinions or persecution of others (John 7:13; 9:22).

What are remedies for the fear of man? Be confident in Scripture over men (Job 32:6-14; Ps 119:98-100; Is 8:20). Avoid corrupt or sinful friends (Pr 9:6; 22:24-25; Ps 101:3; I Cor 15:33). Trust the Lord to protect you (Dan 3:16-18; Heb 13:6). Consider the ignorance and incompetence of natural man (Ps 39:5; 62:9; I Tim 6:20). Do not enter associations, as an individual or church, which will bring pressure (II Chron 18:1; II Cor 6:14-18).

Remember that God or truth will never be popular. In fact, anything the world accepts and does not despise is an abomination in God’s sight (Luke 6:26; 16:15). Think about Noah! Would you rather be popular or dry? Think about Daniel! Would you be willing to eat bean soup and water while your peers are gorging on the king’s meat and wine?

Recognize and embrace persecution. It is evidence you are following Jesus Christ, and it is the means of His great approval (Isaiah 51:7-8; 66:5; Matt 5:10-12; John 16:2; Acts 5:41; II Tim 3:12; I Pet 4:12-16). If they hated Jesus Christ, they will surely hate you (John 15:18-25). But no weapon formed against you will succeed (Is 54:17). Believe it!

Young person! You are the most vulnerable. Do you understand and despise peer pressure? It is the young fools of this world pushing you to turn away from God and holiness to pursue their folly and sin. Can you mock their speech, their habits, their dress, and their fads? Do you hate their fornication, rebellion, and cliques? Fear the Lord!

Are you ashamed to be known as a Christian? Can you boldly carry a Bible in school? To work? Do you eagerly give thanks for food before the heathen? Can you easily turn down invitations to join them in worldly amusements? Are you confident to explain that Sunday is the Lord’s Day? Do you confidently wear modest clothing?

Parent, do you fear your children? Do you fear their faces, their moods, or their rejection? Stand up for righteousness and trust the Lord! Eli compromised for his sons and lost everything (I Sam 2:30; 3:13). Joshua put his foot down for his whole house, and he has been quoted for 4000 years for his courageous zeal as a father. Do your job (Pr 29:15,17)!

Husband, do you fear your wife? Does interrupted domestic tranquility cause you to compromise? Abraham was God’s friend for commanding his household to keep the way of the Lord (Gen 18:19). You are to rule over your wife (Gen 3:16). She has neither your office nor ability to know the will of God (I Cor 14:34-35). Do the consequences of Adam listening to his wife, or Abraham to his, cause you to tremble? They should!

Christian woman! Are you intimidated by fashion trends? Do you keep pace with society’s rush to conceal less and reveal more? Can you dress up and cover more, even when others dress down and cover less? What is it that keeps you from valuing a meek and quiet spirit over well-set hair and a new outfit and accessories (I Pet 3:3-4)? Is it peer pressure that keeps you from dressing less than your most flattering in order to be holy?

Pastor, preach the word (II Tim 4:2)! Do not look at the faces of your people for approval (Jer 1:17). Be insistent, pressing, and urgent, both in and out of season (II Tim 4:2). Many men have gone before you that were not afraid of rack or stake. Are you worthy of their noble company? Let them be the witnesses that mold your ministry (Heb 12:1-4).

Pastor, reject the “seeker sensitive” compromisers. The time has come when men will no longer endure sound doctrine, but you are to insistently preach the word anyway (II Tim 4:1-5). God has not called you to grow your church numerically. Do not do anything to increase your membership that even approaches compromise. God has called you to grow your church spiritually. You are to please God, not men (Gal 1:10).

Do you fear enemies, teachers, or ancients? Or all three? By meditating on and keeping God’s precepts, the psalmist was confident against all three kinds of men (Ps 119:98-100). These verses should be required memorization for young men and ministers. Or is it friends that intimidate you? Then make sure your friends all love the truth (Ps 119:63)!

Trust the LORD by esteeming every word of God (Ps 119:128) and knowing no man can harm you (Pr 16:7; I Pet 3:13). You will give an account of your life to God one day, not man (Eccl 12:13-14; II Cor 5:10-11). Fear Him, Who can do real harm (Luke 12:4-5).

Proverbs 21:19 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 22, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 21, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 21:19  Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.

Young man! Being single is bad, and you are frustrated and lonely, but marrying an odious woman is worse. Save yourself! Marrying a difficult woman can give you more grief than you can imagine. Do not get near a woman that likes to debate or has a temper.

The Bible is not just theology. God created women and ordered how they should behave, and Solomon had seen and felt the pain of bad wives, so they warned you often to avoid certain women (Pr 12:4; 14:1; 19:13; 21:9,19; 25:24; 27:15-16; 30:21-23; 31:10-12).

Solomon knew what he wrote about. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines (second-class wives). The grief of a contentious and angry wife for one day can cure a man of desiring marriage. Solomon had 1000 women! God inspired this expert to give you marriage advice: do not marry a disagreeable woman. Marriage can be worse than being single.

Young man! Do you like camping in a hut in the woods by yourself? If you do not, you are normal. Most men would dread such a lonely situation. But remember, such camping is better than living in a fine home with luxurious furnishings and fare, if the woman in that house with you is a critical, negative, overbearing, tense, or easily-irritated woman.

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.

Young man! These odious women – hateful and repulsive – will deceive you (Pr 30:21-23). They will lure you into marriage, and then it is too late. Solomon warned that they can appear nice when courting and dating, but then the marriage trap shuts on your neck. You need to be very wise by knowing both positive and negative traits to measure.

Remember the rule of ten. Any hint of a difficult or overbearing spirit before marriage will be ten times worse afterward. Test her. Ask her to do something she dislikes. If you see her face fall, detect negative body language, or even smell irritation, run for the woods. Be single for life rather than married to her. Let her be single until she grows up.

No wonder the apostles responded the way they did when Jesus taught His strict rules about divorce. In light of little room for divorce, it would be better not to marry. They were afraid of getting trapped in a marriage with a contentious and angry woman. Young men should consider the grave seriousness of marriage and carefully examine a prospect.

There are many agreeable, cheerful, gracious, submissive, sweet, and reverent women. They can make you feel like a king in seconds, and marriage to them is royal bliss. They are warm, kind, charming, and pleasant. They have no harsh or rough edges. Reject any woman that is even slightly critical, moody, opinionated, or questioning. She does not deserve a husband. You do not deserve such pain. You deserve a real woman. Find one.

The odious woman cannot smell herself. She thinks she is helpful by prodding, asking questions, stressing over details, giving reminders, expecting perfection, or disliking a choice. If you were to ask her, she would say she is a good woman and wife. If you were to ask her mother, she would praise her as well (Ezek 16:44). But all others must hold their noses at the smell her husband cannot hide to his own shame (Pr 27:15-16)!

Here is the first rule to save you. Only consider or date a girl or woman that has an independent fear of God. Do not be influenced by her looks or kindness (Pr 31:30). This girl or woman loves God and will live by the Bible in every part of her life with or without your help. She loves Jesus Christ, godly living, hard preaching, and hates worldliness. She will treat you for her entire life the way the Bible tells her. You win!

Here is the second rule to save you. Learn the character traits of godly women from the Bible and expect all of them. Look for extreme diligence or hard work (Pr 31:13-27). Look for graciousness, especially in speech (Pr 11:16). Look for great respect to her parents (Eph 6:1-3). Look for love and kindness to others without any critical edges (I Cor 13:4-7). Look for a forgiving spirit that overlooks the faults of others (Col 3:12-15).

Young man! Your future is at stake. Learn the warnings in these proverbs about odious women. Believe them. Fear the pain of marriage to such a creature. Be prudent. Test a prospect, and watch her reaction closely. Is her mother a charming, desirable, and gracious woman, or not? Ask married men their opinions, for their sense of smell is finely tuned. Do not rush to marriage. Never take a chance with a fifty-year, horrible fate!

Christian girl or woman! Learn to love your place and role in the world – you were made for a husband (Gen 2:18; I Cor 11:9; I Tim 2:13). Get rid of your own opinions, for your desires are to be your husband’s (Gen 3:16). Learn and maximize graciousness, and you will always be loved (Pr 11:16). Learn the wisdom of Abigail (I Sam 25:21-35). Godly women do not contend with their husbands; they submit, obey, and reverence them (Eph 5:22-24,33; Tit 2:3-5). Godly women are not irritable or negative (Pr 31:26; I Pet 3:1-4).

Christian parent! It is your duty to train your children from Solomon’s proverbs to learn wisdom for great marriages and great families. Boys should be taught and shown by clear examples the differences between a gracious woman and an odious woman, so they will know what kind to marry. Girls should be shown and taught the same differences and required to live the godly way, so that some noble prince of a Christian man will want to marry them. Lead and rule their marital decisions in light of this wisdom for their profit.

 

Proverbs 20:03 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 22, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 20, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 20:3 – It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

A person who is truly confident of his or her strength does not need to parade it. A truly brave person does not look for chances to prove it. A resourceful woman can find a way out of a fight. A man of endurance will avoid retaliating. Foolish people find it impossible to avoid strife. Men and women of character can. What kind of person are you?

Stop fighting! Life is too short. Peace is too precious. Noble men end fights and conflict. Love and unity are godly and profitable. Are you a peacemaker? Do you hate quarrels, strife, and trouble? Do you love quietness, rest, and harmony? End every fight you can.

Godly men hate fighting; they back out of conflicts involving themselves; they help bring peace when others are fighting. It is a credit to their reputations and religion. It is their glory (Pr 19:11). But fools, being void of godly character and integrity, provoke others in various ways to continue conflict and strife. They are obnoxious nuisances in the world.

Worldly men believe fighting is manly, because they cannot think higher than junkyard dogs. It takes far more character, discipline, and strength to resist fighting than it does to give in to the childish emotions and devilish urges that call for it. God surely inspired this proverb. Men think honor must be defended by fighting, but God honors the man who will not fight! Only proud, wicked beasts feel they must strike another blow at another.

The Pharisees, religious fundamentalists for man’s basest lusts, taught, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,” by applying a civil law to personal offences (Matt 5:38). But Jesus praised the godly man, who turns the other cheek to the man who smites one (Matt 5:39). Only base fools think they must protect their person and reputation by biting others for any hurt. Great men end controversies, forgive injuries, and befriend even enemies.

Where is fighting and strife in your life? Is it in your marriage, because neither spouse will back down and make peace? Learn the lesson of this proverb and do something honorable – humble yourself and make peace. Is there conflict between you and your children? You are the parent! Take the high road and end the conflict by making peace.

How honorable are you? Can you return a soft answer to an angry man, even when he is wrong (Pr 15:1)? Are you a little child in malice (I Cor 14:20)? Can you forgive everyone, even those quarreling with you (Col 3:12-15)? Do you hate bitterness and love tenderheartedness (Eph 4:31-32)? Can you recognize that most fighting for “principle” is really only for pride (Pr 13:10; 21:24)? Are you willing to be defrauded (I Cor 6:7)? Do you follow your heavenly Father and seek good for your enemies (Matt 5:43-48)?

If you know you offended someone, even long ago, go to them to restore the relationship (Matt 5:23-26). God will not accept your worship until you do this. If someone has offended you, the best choice is simply to forgive and forget it (Pr 19:11; Col 3:13). But if you cannot forgive them, then gently confront them alone about it (Matt 18:15-18).

Consider the greatest mediation, peacemaking, and reconciliation in history. The holy and just God of heaven was angry at all men for their sins (Ps 5:4-6; 7:11; 11:4-6). And men were filled with pride and contempt against Him, for they had chosen to follow His enemy the devil instead (Ps 10:4; 14:1-3; Eph 2:1-3). The blessed God in infinite wisdom sent the Man Christ Jesus, who stepped between both parties and took their full rage, forever making peace between God and His chosen children (Eph 1:3-14; Rom 5:6-11).

Please remember that these emails are going to over 100 people. I used BCC to keep your email address private. I just want to share my own personal walk with you, and yes, please hold me accountable for my actions. I love you all with the love of Jesus and there is nothing that you can do about it.

Proverbs 16:13 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 22, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 16, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Proverbs 16:13 Kings take pleasure in honest lip; they value a man who speaks the truth.

Put those in power who know how to speak to the purpose. Your lips can promote you. Your speech can win love. Even powerful men appreciate gracious and truthful words. Good speech is a large part of wisdom. A gracious man will rise high among men (Pr 22:11), and a gracious woman will be highly prized (Pr 11:16).

Godly speech will quickly exalt you. Good answers will cause others to want to kiss you (Pr 24:26). The right word at the right time is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl (Pr 25:11). A wise reproof to an appreciative hearer is like jewels of fine gold (Pr 25:12).

Your mouth can promote you in position and friends, or it can ruin you in every relationship of life (Eccl 10:12). No matter how good and virtuous your heart and mind, they are revealed best by gracious and truthful speech. Kings were great and powerful in Solomon’s time, but their approval and affection could be won with righteous words. Give God the glory for this wonderful proverb and its valuable lesson for godly speech.

As a proverb, you are to understand the kings under consideration are noble and righteous kings. Profane and wicked kings have little regard for good things, including wise and virtuous speech. Many kings were foolish enough to appoint court jesters and evil counselors! But even pagan kings could appreciate humble and wise words, as Pharaoh listening to Joseph and Nebuchadnezzar listening to Daniel (Gen 41:38-45; Dan 1:18-21).

Consider the power of this proverb. It does not use winning the favor of friends, family, neighbors, or colleagues. It teaches winning the approval and affection of glorious monarchs – a plural number of them at that! Kings had enormous glory, power, and wealth. They held the power of life and death. Their favor was a great blessing (Pr 16:14-15; 19:12; 20:2). Daniel continued through the reigns of several Babylonian kings, a Median king, and into the reign of Cyrus the Persian (Dan 1:18-21; 5:29-31; 6:1-3,28)!

Consider this proverb’s details. Godly kings delight in good speech: they love right words spoken at the right time (Pr 10:20; 15:23; 16:24; 25:11). But not only do they delight in the words, they also love the man that speaks them! The good words and discreet speech please their minds; the speaker wins their hearts (Pr 12:14; 14:35; 24:26). Solomon knew his father David in his youth had won Prince Jonathan this way (Pr 22:11; I Sam 18:1-5).

Reader, would kings love you? Are your words appropriate, cheerful, compassionate, discreet, edifying, encouraging, few, gentle, gracious, helpful, kind, merciful, modest, prudent, righteous, sober, thankful, true, and wise? Or do you argue, backbite, boast, complain, criticize, dominate conversations, flatter, talk foolishly, show disrespect, exaggerate, jest, lie, murmur, repeat yourself, slander, swear, tattle, or whisper?

Promotion is as close as your mouth. King Solomon said death and life are in the power of your tongue (Pr 10:31; 12:18; 18:21). Which will it be for you, death or life? If you want great men to delight in your speech and love your person, then teach your mouth the wisdom of the book of Proverbs (Pr 10:19; 15:28; 16:23; 17:27-28). Joseph, David, Daniel, and Mordecai were able to win the favor and love of kings of all kinds by it.

Better relationships for women are as close as your mouth. Abigail won the heart of David in just a few minutes, in spite of the fact he was filled with furious and murderous thoughts (I Sam 25:23-35). The virtuous woman, good enough to satisfy a queen mother for her son the king, has speech of wisdom and kindness (Pr 31:26). God identified Sarah as a great woman for her humility and reverence to call Abraham lord (I Pet 3:5-6).

Few women today can even come close to these three women. They think they should be loved for spouting off opinions and having saucy retorts in conversation. They complain, criticize, and defend themselves until no one wants to be near them. Then they blame others for not being fair and understanding. If you cannot see the difference between Bible graciousness and modern women, read Solomon’s proverbs about speech again!

God gave Jesus Christ the tongue of the learned (Is 50:4). His words were always gracious and always true (Ps 45:2; Luke 4:22). No man ever spoke like Him (John 7:46)! He won God’s fullest and eternal approval, and He is sat down at the right of God’s throne ruling the universe at this very hour. He is the high King of heaven and prince of the kings of the earth. Will you win His approval and blessing by your speech today?

Proverbs 09:12 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 9, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 09, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 9:12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.”

Your future is in your hands – in your heart and mind – for good or bad. Your response to wisdom will drastically affect your life one way or the other. Great privileges have great responsibilities. Individual liberty has individual consequences. What will happen to you?

The great choice of life, which Solomon repeated often, is the choice of wisdom. If you choose her, you will be blessed; if you reject her, you will be punished. There is no escape; your choice will be repaid. You will bear the consequences. Your wisdom cannot benefit God, nor does your folly hurt him (Job 35:5-8). You alone will bear the results.

The Preacher of the New Testament, Paul warned, “Every man shall bear his own burden” (Gal 6:5). Do not be deceived; God is not mocked; whatever you sow, that is what you will reap (Gal 6:7-8). So dear reader, you must prove your own work, and then you may have rejoicing in yourself, without measuring by others at all (Gal 6:4).

The personification of wisdom continues from the previous chapter to this climactic verse. Lady Wisdom offers you a house and wonderful feast (Pr 9:1-5). What will you do with her invitation? This is the chance of a lifetime! Blessings beyond description are offered (Pr 8:11)! Or will you ignore her and choose certain death for yourself (Pr 8:36)?

After this dramatic conclusion, you are reminded again of the foolish and whorish woman, Folly, of which there are many in the world (Pr 9:13-18). This woman intends to destroy young men. She also has a house, prepared with a perfumed bed, but she takes her foolish and unsuspecting guests to hell with her (Pr 5:3-13; 6:23-35; 7:6-23; 9:18).

Today, dear reader, you must choose. And tomorrow you must choose again. Will you humble yourself before God’s perfect words of wisdom? Or will you reject them in the pride, stubbornness, and rebellion of your foolish heart? You cannot avoid the choice. What will it be? You will govern your thoughts, words, and actions by revealed wisdom, or you will reject it and allow your habits, lusts, the world, and others to direct your life.

What does the Bible mean to you? How important is it for you to learn and obey it? The great men of Bible history craved it and diligently followed it. Do you faithfully listen to the preaching of it by a man chosen by Jesus Christ, who does not entertain at all but rather declares God’s will without apology or compromise? If not, why not? If not, you must be a scorner. Remember the warning of the proverb, “Thou alone shalt bear it.”

Ezekiel wrote, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezek 18:20). Solomon warns, “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself” (Pr 14:14). If you backslide from wisdom, the Lord will fill your life with the painful results. But the man who rejects folly will be satisfied with personal blessings.

Moses warned, “Be sure your sin will find you out,” (Num 32:23). These eight words are as certain as gravity and death. No matter what you think of sin, it has consequences. No matter where you sin, God sees and knows all (Pr 15:3; Jer 23:23-24). No matter what precautions you take to protect yourself, they will absolutely not work (Pr 11:21; 16:5).

If you play with sin, you will suffer for it; if you choose godliness, you will be blessed. The way of transgressors is hard (Pr 13:15), and you will not know how hard until it is too late (Pr 1:20-32; Ps 36:1-3). When God swears in anger, there is no deliverance, even if you try to repent (Pr 29:1; Num 14:39-45; Ps 95:7-11; Heb 4:1; 10:26-31; 12:16-17).

Lot scorned wisdom, violating this proverb; he lost great potential blessings and riches; you last see him sitting in the mouth of a cave, ruined, with his two daughters pregnant by his own folly. But Abraham chose wisdom. God called him His friend, told him he was righteous, and covered him with many blessings in a very long life. Heaven is called Abraham’s bosom, and his Seed sits at the right hand of God and provides its million!

Last, consider this contrast from Jesus Christ: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). And another, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). Have you believed and been baptized Wisdom’s way?

Proverbs 7:21 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 7, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 07, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 7:21With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.

Women can overpower men – by words! Men crave hearing a woman’s praise, affection, and loyalty. A whore’s flattery is very dangerous. Wicked women use this power to entice men to sin; virtuous women use it to please, protect, and build up their husbands.

Solomon’s long parable about an adulteress seducing a young fool includes the power of her words tempting him to sin with her. Her speech is so powerful, she “caused him to yield” and “forced him” into sexual sin. He is fully guilty for sinning with her, but the wisdom of this proverb is to rightly grasp the danger and power of her flirting words.

In this perverse world, no matter how a woman dresses or acts, it is always the man’s fault for sexual problems. Sexual harassment occurs in only one direction for such weak minds and today’s courts. But the LORD and Solomon warned about women seducing and forcing men, and they were right. Women have power (Pr 6:24-25; 7:26; Eccl 7:26).

Whorish women create more sexual temptation for men than lewd men do for women (Pr 23:27-28). Only the basest of women are attracted to crude, forward, and lascivious men. Women are naturally protected by stronger inhibitions, need for commitment, families, laws, and social decorum. But what can protect men from a bold seductress? Proverbs!

Flattery is excessive praise used to seduce someone against his will. It is presenting a matter very favorably in order to make it more pleasant and to beguile the listener. Men love the praise of a woman, for winning the adoration, favor, and devotion of a woman is an instinctive drive placed in their hearts and loins by God. Evil women manipulate this desire in men to prey on them in their various schemes of seduction for selfish purposes.

Whatever inhibitions against sexual sin a man has – by religion, parental training, or noble character – he will often lose them due to the enticing and flattering speech of a desirable woman. The adoration of a woman is an elixir that only a few exceptional men can resist, and then only by the grace of God. Joseph may have resisted Potiphar’s wife, but he was an exception to the general rule of Scripture and human experience.

King Solomon often warned his son about the smooth and silky words of a whorish seductress (Pr 2:16; 5:3; 6:24; 7:5; 22:14). Wise men will take sober heed and avoid such women, before their lying words steal their souls and virtue. But here he has just described in detail the verbal approach of an adulteress enticing a naïve victim (Pr 7:13-20). His summary in this proverb states the case well. She forced the young man to yield!

Solomon described the whore as using an embrace, a kiss, and a bold, uninhibited face before her words (Pr 7:13). Then he gave a lengthy description of her much fair speech:

1. I am really a good girl: I am no whore: sleeping with me will not be sin (7:14).
2. I have made many preparations and have lots of things for a great time (7:14).
3. My motives are very noble in wanting to share a great time with you (7:15).
4. I have waited a long time and dreamed often of finding a man like you (7:15).
5. I am so glad I found you, because I do not want to be with anyone else (7:15).
6. It is so wonderful to be alone with you and feel the passion between us (7:15).
7. I have wanted to meet you for a long time; I have made preparations (7:16).
8. I have arranged things for the ultimate, perfect lovemaking between us (7:16).
9. I know special things you will love, that other boring women overlook (7:17).
10. I care about you more than any other woman, so I go to greater efforts (7:17).
11. We surely have a love between us that no one else has ever had before (7:18).
12. Let us fully experience the depths of this unique, special love we have (7:18).
13. No woman has ever felt as strongly about any man as I feel for you (7:18).
14. Our lovemaking will exceed all the lovemaking in the world’s history (7:18).
15. The comfort and pleasure we can find in each other will be wonderful (7:18).
16. Our love and pleasure will last all night – and all our lives – forever (7:18).
17. Don’t worry about any risk, for my old man is on a long business trip (7:19).
18. He loves business more than me: I need your love and body so much (7:19).
19. There is no risk of getting caught; I have figured everything out for us (7:20).
20. He has money, which he loves; we have a love his money cannot buy (7:20).

Young man, how strong was Samson? Was he stronger than any man? Indeed! He was stronger than you. But whores have slain many strong men (Pr 7:26). Delilah used words to destroy him, even though he knew she wanted to destroy him. Why could he not resist her? Because flattering words from a beautiful woman are too much for most men! Read about his weakness and helplessness before her manipulating flattery (Judges 16:4-21).

Young man, how wise was Solomon? Was he wiser than any man? Indeed! He was wiser than you. But whores have cast down and wounded many great men (Pr 7:26). Exotic women caused even Solomon to sin, against the good advice of his own proverbs (I Kgs 11:1-8; Neh 13:26). Among many nations there was no king like him, and God loved Him, but these women corrupted his great character by power over him (Eccl 7:26).

In avoiding the dangerous flattery of women, you must also guard against seducing words in notes, cards, emails, text messages, tweets, phone messages, letters, forums, or any other forms of communication. It does not matter how a woman’s words arrive in a man’s mind, they are powerful. She can communicate with you more easily today than ever before, and wisdom demands caution in all these new dangers of the 21st century.

Christian woman, guard your speech to men other than your father or husband. Be sober. Hate flirting or flattery. While praise is a wonderful thing, it is too powerful for you to give to men other than on rare occasions and with great discretion. But you should learn to use kind words and feminine adoration of your father and husband, for it can build a man’s soul and character to be the strong and noble creature God intended him to be.

Christian wife, why let the world’s women tempt your husband by your silence or prudery at home? A virtuous wife is skilful in all the arts of lovemaking (Pr 5:19; I Cor 7:1-5; Heb 13:4), including words that comfort, intrigue, arouse, and invite her husband. If you have not been taught such things, you need to read King Solomon’s Song! The book of Proverbs has lessons of wisdom, but his song describes two hot married lovers!

The subtle and damning nature of flattery is seen also in false religion, where good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of simple hearers to sell false doctrine (Rom 16:17-18; II Cor 2:17; 11:3-4,13-15; Col 2:4; II Pet 2:3,18). What is the protection? Look for the plain and simple churches of Jesus Christ with straightforward preaching of the Bible. Look for ministers who provide all things direct and honest (II Cor 4:2). Instead of pulpit manner, look for pulpit content. Instead of presentation, look for doctrine and instruction.

Proverbs 02:15 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: May 3, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 02, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 2:15 Whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways

The world is crazy! Its thinking is twisted. It is profanely wrong. When men reject God and the Bible, they invent crooked ways to live. And they love their insanity. If you try to correct them, they will hate you for it! Solomon’s warning is to save you from them.

Worldly men mockingly call Christians straight. And they are right! Christians call worldly men crooked, and they are right. Sin has twisted the heart and mind of man, so that worldly men rush headlong into crooked ways and down froward paths. Only the proper fear of God will save a man from the crookedness and frowardness of the world.

The long sentence here explains the saving virtues of wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding (Pr 2:10-17). These gifts from God will protect you from the evil and froward man (Pr 2:12), “whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths.” King Solomon is your personal counselor against the dysfunctional lifestyles of worldly men.

Crooked ways are lifestyles deviating from what is right; they are dishonest, wrong, and perverse. Froward paths are lifestyles that are unreasonable, unruly, perverse, and evil. Crooked and froward have very similar meanings. They mean wrong and perverse (Pr 3:32; 4:24; 6:12; 8:8; 11:20; 17:20; 21:8; Deut 32:5,20; Ps 18:26; 101:4; 125:5; Is 59:8).

Give God the glory! When men reject the obvious display of God’s existence in the natural creation, and they are not thankful for His kindness, He darkens their minds and turns them over to reprobate thinking, to do inconvenient things (Rom 1:18-32; Eph 4:17-19). You should read His mocking and taunting ridicule of idolaters in Isaiah 44:9-20!

How inconvenient is the lifestyle He gives them? Very crooked and froward! Very wrong and perverse! They profess themselves wise, just weeks after learning not to mess on themselves, yet they make images of bugs to worship, rather than their Creator (Rom 1:22-23). Consider one of the most crooked ways and froward paths of all. God confuses them to dishonor each other by vile perversions with the same sex (Rom 1:24-27)!

Then He gives them over to more thoughts and acts to dishonor their race (Rom 1:28-32). Fornication, covetousness, malice, envy, murder, deceit, whispering, backbiting, rebellious children, covenantbreaking, and implacability are a few of their ways and paths. They are “without understanding” and “without natural affection.” Not only do they do such things, they also take pleasure in being with and watching others do them.

Christian reader, if the truth were told, as you well know, your depraved heart and mind from Adam is as crooked and froward as any. Even Paul said, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing” (Rom 7:18). But there is a new man within, created in righteousness and true holiness, which you are to put on daily (Eph 4:24).

By God’s grace, you are not to conform to the world, but be transformed from it (Rom 12:1-2). God has called you to a different lifestyle! Paul called on saints to be “blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil 2:15). Reader, are you as different from the world as you should be? There should not even be a resemblance!

How can you be different? By wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding (Pr 2:10-11)! Where do you find such precious things? In God’s word! You esteem God’s precepts right on all subjects, and you hate every false way (Ps 119:128). There is no shortcut, and there is no cheating. The only wisdom on earth is in the Bible (Is 8:20)!

There was only one Man, Whose ways were perfectly straight, and His paths perfectly right. There was nothing crooked or froward in Him. Paul said Jesus was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Heb 7:26). What did this world do to Him? They mocked and tortured Him, before hanging Him by nails on a cross; and they would do the same thing again, if they had another chance. And they want the same for His followers.

But the next time they see Him, He will not be coming to die on the cross for His elect. He will be coming to ferociously destroy His enemies. There will be no quarter or mercy given in that day, as judgment is poured out on the crooked and froward. They will call in vain to their Mother Earth, even “the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Rev 6:16-17).

“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day” (II Thess 1:7-10).

Spiritual Training 01 May 2013

Posted: May 1, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Romans, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Romans 10:14-15 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

In telling others about Christ, an effective witness must include more than being a good example. Eventually, we will have to explain the content, the what and the how of the gospel. Modeling the Christian life is important, but we will need to connect the mind of the unbeliever and the message of the gospel. There should never be a debate between those who favor lifestyle evangelism (one’s living proclaims the gospel) and confrontational evangelism (declaring the message). Both should be used together in promoting the gospel.

Lets Bring it home: Is God calling you to take a part in making his message known in your community? Think of one person who needs to hear the Good News, and think of something you can do to help him or her hear it. Then take that step as soon as possible.

Proverbs 30:02 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 30, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 30, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 30:2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

These harsh and critical words are the key to wisdom. Can you humble yourself like this for God’s blessings? He knows you are foolish, so the sooner you admit it, the sooner He will bless you with wisdom. This is exactly how Solomon became wise.

When God offered young Solomon anything he wanted, he humbly said he was a child in understanding and asked for wisdom (I Kgs 3:5-9). God blessed this perfect request with very great blessings of understanding and much, much more as well (I Kgs 3:10-13).

The fastest way to wisdom is to be a fool; God resists the proud, but He will give grace to the lowly (I Cor 3:18-20; Jas 4:6,10). The fastest way to folly is to think yourself wise, for God will destroy the proud (Pr 26:12; Is 5:21; Ro 1:20-25; I Cor 1:19-21; Gal 6:3).

This proverb is the words of the prophet Agur (Pr 30:1), revealing his humble spirit and modest thoughts about teaching two students, Ithiel and Ucal. He used “surely” to strengthen his admission of his own ignorance, but what does “brutish” mean?

Brutish. Of or pertaining to the brutes, or lower animals, as opposed to man. In want of intelligence or in failure to use reason: dull, irrational, uncultured, stupid.

He opened instruction to his pupils by claiming to be more ignorant than any man, like a brute beast; and there is no false humility here, for he wrote by prophetic inspiration.

The prophet Agur and King Solomon are not alone, for the same spirit was also in Moses (Num 12:3), Elihu (Job 32:6-7), David (I Sam 18:23; Ps 131:1), Asaph (Ps 73:21-22), Jeremiah (Jer 1:6), Daniel (Dan 2:30), Amos (Amos 7:14-15), and Paul (Eph 3:8).

Do you detect a pattern? Great men of God do not claim to be wise, for their secret to success lies in their total humility before their Creator and Lord. This is God’s order for your thinking (Ro 12:16), as this brings Him the greater glory (I Cor 1:27). The great God of heaven respects the man poor in spirit and having a contrite heart (Is 57:15; 66:1-2).

Men today cannot grasp Agur’s words, and they would never say them. They are drunk on the lies of self-esteem and self-love, so they cannot and will not see themselves as they truly are. Let God by His Spirit and word humble you today and save you from such narcissistic folly and heresy. Man at his best state is altogether vanity (Ps 39:5)

Pride is a terrible crime and sin. God hates it, but He will give wisdom to the humble. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom” (Pr 11:2). “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom” (Pr 13:10). The great king Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way that God will abase the proud (Dan 4:37).

But God will bless the poor in spirit with riches of wisdom and other spiritual blessings (Matt 5:3; Luke 6:24). The man who says, “I do not know what to do,” can stand still and see God work for him (II Chr 20:12,17). Go to Him this way today and become wise! The crucial ingredient for you to become wise is to first be humble. God loves humility.

Many dream of hearing an offer like God gave Solomon, but they fail to realize that they have the offer in writing, in James 1:5, where God says to you, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (Jas 1:5). What a promise! Do you want wisdom? Ask for it! Now!

Humility about wisdom has its limits. No man knows anything as perfectly as he should (I Cor 8:2), but you should respond with confidence when answering questions or confronting enemies (Pr 22:17-21; Job 32:6-14; 33:1-3; 36:1-4; Luke 1:3; I Cor 14:20; II Tim 3:17). The truth and wisdom of inspired scripture is your confidence, not yourself.

Has there ever been a more humble or meek man than Jesus Christ? Never! Yet He had all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). He was lowly in heart, forbid promotional efforts, and never raised his voice in the street (Matt 11:29; 12:15-20). Where is He now? Exalted in glorious majesty and power at the right hand of God! Love Him and praise Him today, and follow His perfect example of humility unto honor.

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