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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. 

You can say the wrong thing, and you can say the right thing the wrong way, or at the wrong time, or to the wrong person. Wisdom learns what to say, how to say it, when to say it, and to whom to say it. Truth is not enough. Do you know how, when, and to whom to speak the truth? Fools babble without regard to these four factors of godly speech.

Solomon taught often that speech is one of the most obvious signs of wisdom or folly (Pr 10:18-19; 15:28; 17:27-28; 18:6-7; 29:11; Eccl 10:11-14). A wise man or a fool can be easily discerned by his speech, which is measured by content, manner, timing, and audience. The key to this proverb is the qualifying adverb “aright.” A wise man speaks knowledge acceptably, but a fool prates on and on without knowing what he is saying.

This proverb is for your success. Fools destroy relationships and aggravate situations by talking far too much about far too little. They love the sound of their voice expressing their feelings and opinions, but no one else does, so they eventually lose all friends and opportunities for advancement. Those around them finally get tired of cringing every time they open their mouths and/or having to do damage control after they have spoken.

Wise men wait until they have something valuable to contribute, and they say only what is necessary, in the right way, at the right time, to the right audience. Others quickly learn to stop speaking and to listen when such wise men begin to speak. Because all their words are profitable and acceptable, others want them around, so they are promoted to positions of authority and influence due to their wise speech habits (Pr 16:13; 22:11).

What is godly content? The proverb says wise men speak knowledge. They do not give vain opinions, which fools love to do. They study before they speak (Pr 15:28). They crave the certain words of truth (Pr 22:17-21). They know speech contrary to Scripture is worthless (Is 8:20). They want to edify (Eph 4:29). Speak only if you have truth (Pr 16:23), when important to the hearers (Pr 29:11); cut your words in half (Pr 17:27-28).

What is godly manner? The proverb says wise men speak aright, which means rightly, correctly, properly. Gracious speech is acceptable speech (Pr 22:11; Eccl 10:12). The Lord Jesus spoke this way (Ps 45:2; Luke 4:22), and it is a commandment (Col 4:6). Gracious speech is agreeable, charming, courteous, gentle, kind, pleasing, polite, merciful, and thankful. Seek the love of others with each word (Pr 22:1; 24:26; 25:11).

What is godly timing? A wise man listens before speaking (Jas 1:19). He makes sure he knows a situation before talking (Pr 15:23; 18:13; John 7:24). He alters his speech for his audience (Pr 25:20; I Cor 9:19-23). He lets the more knowledgeable speak first (Job 32:4-7). He knows that haste in speech makes him worse than a fool (Pr 29:20), especially in the house of God (Eccl 5:1-7). Slow down! Listen first, think second, and speak last!

What is a godly audience? Not all deserve words of truth spoken graciously at the right time. Ignore fools after an initial rebuke (Pr 26:4-5). Avoid scorners altogether (Pr 9:7-8). The Lord Jesus taught this wise rule (Matt 7:6). Warn the unruly, exhort saints, comfort the feebleminded, rebuke sinners, and train children (Lev 19:17; I Thes 5:14; Heb 10:25).

Knowledge and truth do not allow speaking any way you wish. There are rules of wisdom and godliness for how you handle knowledge and truth God gives. Everything, including speech, must be done without offence in Jesus’ name (I Cor 10:31-33; Eph 4:15).


Under Gods Command

2nd Timothy 3:01-07

(1) But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 

(2) People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

(3) without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,

(4) treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God –

(5) having a form of godliness but denying its power.  Have nothing to do with them.

(6) They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,

 Because of the cultural background, women in the Ephesian church had received no formal religious training.  They enjoyed their new freedom to study Christian truths, but their eagerness to learn made them a target for false teachers.  Paul warned Timothy to watch out for men who would take advantage of these women.

(7) always learning but never able  to acknowledge the truth. 

This verse is not opposing study and learning; it is warning about ineffective learning.  It is possible to be a perpetual student and never graduate to putting theory into practice. But honest seekers and true students look for answers.  Remember this as you study God’s word.

Lets Bring it Home: New believers need to grow in their knowledge of the Word, because ignorance can make them vulnerable to deception. Seek to find God’s truth and will for you life.  Then do as he says.


Under Gods Command

Proverbs 14:11 The house of the wicked shall be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.

How successful is your family? How long will it last? What impact will it have for truth and wisdom? God and men will overthrow the house of the wicked, but they will bless and favor the estate of the righteous. Solomon watched families of wicked men come and go, but he saw the godly seed of the righteous continuing in prosperity for generations (Ps 37:34-40). Here is a proverb that condemns the wicked and encourages the upright.

The wicked build houses – solid, substantial, and permanent dwelling places – to get themselves a name (Ps 49:6-14). They trust their wealth, their intelligence, their strength, and their reputations to deliver them. The upright may begin with only a tabernacle – a fragile, temporary tent. But God will tear down the former and bless the latter. The great reversal of fortune is by the decree of the watchers, or angels – God favors the upright!

Sin is the ruin of families. If you want your family to endure and prosper, you need to pursue godliness and holiness like the upright man. You need to set the Lord first in each life in your house (Ps 101:3-8; 128:1-6; 144:11-15). But the wicked will not think about God at all; they want to do their own thing; they cannot sin enough (Ps 10:4; 58:3). The Lord has guaranteed by this proverb that He will overthrow such a man and his house.

Consider the house of Eli, priest of Israel. God had promised that his house would last forever as His chosen priests, but Eli would not stop his sons from sinning. So God overthrew his family in one day (I Sam 2:12-36; 3:1-18). His two foolish sons were killed in battle; Eli fell backward and broke his neck when he heard the news, and his daughter-in-law died in childbirth (I Sam 4:1-22)! The Lord overthrew the house of the wicked.

Consider Joseph. His brothers sold him into slavery at seventeen; he was falsely accused of attempted rape of his master’s wife, and he was thrown into prison. Surely his life and estate had reached rock bottom. But he had resisted his master’s wife’s advances. God raised him out of prison, put him on the throne of Egypt, and made each of his two sons a tribe in Israel – a double inheritance! The tabernacle of the upright flourished!

Other examples of houses being overthrown and tabernacles flourishing could be given, but there are greater reckonings that most ignore – death and Judgment Day. The beggar Lazarus had no house in this world, but he flourished in heaven, while the rich man that lived luxuriously in this world was overthrown and tormented in hell (Luke 16:19-31).

What can you do? Teach your children and grandchildren the Bible so they will fear God and keep His commandments, for His rules are the life, wisdom, and righteousness of your family tree (Deut 4:5-8; 6:4-9; 32:46-47; Ps 34:11; 78:1-8; Joel 1:1-3; Eph 6:4). Keep their priorities on Jesus Christ and heaven, lest they be belly worshippers that mind earthly things (Phil 3:18-19; Col 3:1-4; Heb 11:8-10,13-16). Pray for them every day.


Under Gods Command

2nd Timothy 3:01-05

(1) But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 

Paul’s reference to the “last days” reveals his sense of urgency.  The last days began after Jesus’ resurrection when the Holy Spirit came upon the believers at Pentecost.   The “last days” will continue until Christ’s second coming.  This means that we are living in the last days.

(2) People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, (3) without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,

(4) treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God –

Why is it so tempting to love pleasure rather than God?  Pleasure is something we can control; God cannot be controlled.  Most pleasures can be obtained easily; love for God requires effort and sometimes sacrifice.  Pleasures benefit us now; the benefits of loving God are often in the future.   Pleasure has a narcotic effect; it takes our minds off ourselves and our problems, Love for God reminds us of our needs and our responsibilities.  Pleasure cooperates with pride.  It makes us feel good when we look good in the eyes of others.  The love God we must lay aside our pride and our accomplishments.

 (5) having a form of godliness but denying its power.  Have nothing to do with them. 

The “form” or appearance of godliness includes going to church knowing Christian doctrine, using Christian clichés, and following a community’s Christian traditions.  Such practices can make a person look good, but if the inner attitudes of belief, love and worship are lacking, the outer appearance is meaningless.  Paul warns us not to be deceived by people who only appear to be Christians. It may be difficult to distinguish them from true Christians at first, but their daily behavior will give them away.  The characteristics described in 3:2-4 are unmistakable.

In many parts of the world today, being a Christian is not especially difficult-people aren’t jailed for reading the Bible or executed for preaching Christ. (However, this kind of persecution is very real for many believers.) Paul’s descriptive list of behavior in the last days describes our society-even, unfortunately, the behavior of many Christians.

Lets Bring it Home: Have you chosen to love pleasure, or to love God? How do you know? Check your life against Paul’s list.  Don’t give in to society’s pressures.  Don’t settle for comfort without commitment.  Stand up against evil by living as God would have his people live.


Under Gods Command

Proverbs 13:18 He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored. 

Failure or success? Poverty or riches? Shame or honor? Which do you prefer? Of course, you want success, riches, and honor! But it is far easier to desire them than to get them. There is a basic requirement to get them, and the vast majority of men will not meet this condition. They must humble themselves to regard criticism and accept instruction.

You are making a decision right now about your future. Some will presume they know the lesson, so they stop reading and go back to their little games. Others will read a little further and stop when the author implies they are likely a fool or scorner. Only a few will be thrilled to see an offer of honor and devour each word to gain the prize.

Most men are too proud, rebellious, and stubborn to take reproofs or accept instruction. They want to do things their way. They do not like to be told they are wrong. They love their own opinions.

There is a simple technique for success in a world doomed to failure. Find teachers that have the truth and wisdom of God and submit to their reproofs and instruction. It is that simple. God has revealed the wisdom of heaven to men. If you will find them and accept their correction and teaching, you can deliver yourself from failure, poverty, and shame.

Once you have a teacher, there is another obstacle in the way of success – your own thoughts, imaginations, and opinions. A man that arrogantly presumes he is right is worse than a fool. He is a scorner, and God will blind and punish that man. A fool is too lazy and distracted to learn, but a scorner refuses to be taught.

Learning requires change: either you must correct errors you have learned, or you must add new knowledge to your inventory. The first requires accepting reproofs, and the second requires accepting new ideas through instruction. Pride, rebellion, and stubbornness will not allow a man to do either of these two things. He is a certain loser!

A true teacher is an enemy of your thoughts and imaginations. He must destroy and pull down the strongholds of your mind, where you are holding false ideas and concepts. He must replace them with truth and wisdom, which you have not heard or accepted before. While the relationship is affectionate, the process is definitely conflict.

What keeps you from listening to your teachers – your parents and pastor? Are you too proud to accept correction? Too stubborn to admit you are wrong? Too rebellious to change by another’s order? These are marks of a scorner! You are doomed to poverty and shame, unless you repent immediately and humble yourself before God’s word.

Do you sleep in church? Do you resent being taught by a man younger than you? Do you attend the fastest-growing church in town to avoid preaching? These are marks of a fool! You are doomed to poverty and shame, unless you repent immediately and humble yourself before God’s word.

Jesus made the lesson very plain as He concluded the Sermon on the Mount. He said that hearing His doctrine and not doing it was like building your life on sand. The storms of time and eternity will wash you away! But a wise man will hear His sayings and build his life upon them. He will stand sure in both time and eternity!

Examine yourself in the light of this proverb. If you hear instruction and forget it before applying it to your life, you are a fool. You are heading for certain poverty and shame. If you hear correction and resent it, you are a scorner. You are heading for certain poverty and shame even faster. Wisdom is submitting to reproofs and accepting instruction, for that is the means of learning and growth. God and all good men will honor such a man.


Under Gods Command

2nd Timothy 2:23-26 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful, Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to acknowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

As a teacher, Timothy helped those who were confused about the truth.  Paul’s advice to Timothy, and to all who teach God’s truth, is to be kind and gentle, patiently and courteously explaining the truth.  Good teaching never promotes quarrels or foolish arguments. 

Lets Bring It Home: Whether you are teaching Sunday school, leading a Bible study, or preaching in church, remember to listen to people’s questions and treat them respectfully, while avoiding foolish debates.  If you do this, those who oppose you will be more willing to hear what you have to say and perhaps turn from their error. 

 



Under Gods Command

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. 

When God blesses a man to be rich, He also gives contentment, happiness, and peace, which amounts to a double blessing. Ordinarily, riches bring a measure of fear, greed, guilt, hoarding, labor, pride, vanity, or worry. Wealth can be more trouble than good. But the blessed God of heaven is able to give riches without their attendant sorrows.

Only fools think riches have no sorrow. Solomon wrote more than the book of Proverbs. He also wrote an inspired philosophy of life called Ecclesiastes, in which he documented the pain and trouble of wealth (Ec 2:17-23; 4:4-8; 5:10-17; 6:1-2). He called the troubles of the rich a sickness and evil disease, and he said this sorrowful condition was common.

Read this rich king’s comparisons. “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith” (Pr 15:16). “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith” (Pr 15:17). “Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit” (Eccl 4:6). Poverty can be better!

Rich men fear losing their riches: there are competitors to worry about; the propensity to consume takes their profits; they know death ends the good life; they dread the tax man more than a thief; and the thought of a foolish heir wasting their estate is horrifying. Similar factors apply to greed, guilt, hoarding, labor, pride, vanity, and worry.

Some men get rich as a result of time and chance – not from diligence, skill, strength, or wisdom (Ec 9:11). Of course, God rules all time and chance (Pr 16:33; Eccl 7:14). Some men are cursed with riches. Pharaoh is a great example (Ex 9:16). And it is called the prosperity of fools, when God blesses a fool with riches to deceive other fools (Pr 1:32). In both cases God arranged riches to increase, but He did not provide lasting joy or peace.

Promotion comes from the Lord (Ps 75:6-7). When God promotes a man to be rich as a blessing, He is kind enough to also give that man the spiritual gifts to be content, happy, generous, and secure in his wealth (Eccl 2:24,26; 3:13; 5:18-19). Such men are not dependent on their wealth, and they would be just as happy if it all went away from them. In fact, these men happily scatter their wealth by giving it to the poor (I Tim 6:17-19).

What are the lessons? Ambition without God’s blessing will fail (Ps 127:1). Riches bring trouble, so it is dangerous to desire them (Pr 23:4-5; I Tim 6:6-10). The only wealth you want is by God’s blessing, for He gives contentment and peace with it (Ec 5:19; Ps 4:7). A happy and successful life requires more than riches (Pr 16:16; 17:1; 28:6). While the wicked eat the bread of sorrows, the righteous man sleeps sweetly (Ps 127:2; Ec 5:12).


Under Gods Command

2nd Timothy 2:22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out a pure heart. 

Running away is sometimes considered cowardly.  But wise people realize that removing themselves physically from temptation often can be the most courageous action to take.  Timothy, a young man, was warned to flee anything that produced evil thoughts.

 (Don’t forget 1 Timothy 6:11: But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness)

Lets Bring it Home: Do you have a recurring temptation that you find difficult to resist? Remove yourself physically from any situation that stimulates your desire to sin.  Knowing when to run is as important in spiritual battle as knowing when and how to fight.


Under Gods Command

Proverbs 9:14 She sits a the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city

The danger is great. The temptation is powerful. The threat is everywhere. Though Lady Wisdom had offered fabulous blessings and security to men (Pr 9:1-12), a deceitful and seductive woman allures and invites men to their destruction (Pr 9:13-18).

Who is this other woman? Who is this competitor to Lady Wisdom? She is Lady Folly, Solomon’s personification of sin and worldly pleasure, who is represented by a foolish and whorish woman inviting men to commit adultery with her.

Proverbs 8 personified wisdom. Solomon introduced Lady Wisdom (Pr 8:1-9), listed her benefits (Pr 8:10-21), showed God possessing her before creation (Pr 8:22-31), and concluded with another appeal (Pr 8:32-36). In Proverbs 9, he compared Lady Wisdom’s offers of blessings to Lady Folly’s enticements to destruction. Compare especially the two invitations (Pr 9:4,16), the two meals (Pr 9:5,17), and the two results (Pr 9:11,18).

Personification is a figure of speech in which an abstract concept is represented by a person. The features of the concept to be learned are found in the actions or traits of the representation. For example, Lady Liberty, the statue welcoming immigrants to America, has seven spikes in her crown for the seven seas or continents of earth, holds aloft a torch to guide the way to freedom, holds at her side a tablet representing just laws, is clothed in a toga for the Roman republic, and stands on the broken chains of slavery.

The personification of folly – sin and worldly pleasures that destroy men – is represented by a foolish and loud woman, who leaves her husband and home to seduce strangers for adulterous liaisons (Pr 9:13-18). This attractive and tempting creature without morals or knowledge is a fatal snare for men. Seeking to seduce men as intensely as Wisdom tried to save them, the powerful language calls on men to embrace Wisdom and reject Folly!

What is the character of this woman? “She sitteth at the door of her house.” She is lazy, opposite Lady Wisdom’s diligence (Pr 9:1-3). She despises staying home for her husband and family, because she is discontent with marriage (Pr 7:11-12; I Tim 5:11-15; Titus 2:3-5). She is idle like the women of Sodom, whom God burned alive (Ezek 16:49-50). She has no conscience, for she calls strangers even from her husband’s house (Pr 30:20).

She sitteth “on a seat in the high places of the city.” She leaves her place at home to sit boldly in the city’s nobler places (Pr 7:11-12). She has no purpose there but to seek men. Good men avoided her house, and are going right on their way, but she finds them where they least expect her (Pr 9:15). Rather than use the city slums like a cheap prostitute, she enhances her appeal and finds nobler victims in the places of commerce and government.

How does this traitorous adulteress represent folly? Sin and worldly pleasure offer an escape from duty and labor. This wicked woman clamors for your attention, so she can distract you from your duties and destroy your character, reputation, and productivity. She lies about the pleasures of folly and sin by making them appear very enjoyable while hiding the horrible results and consequences for those that join her in worldly living.

Sinful living is avoided by faithfulness to one’s calling and rejecting any situations that create opportunities for the flesh (Rom 13:13). If David had been fighting with his men, he would not have even seen Bathsheba (II Sam 11:1). Sin and worldly pleasure will be encountered everywhere in this sinful world, so the whole armor of God must be worn every day, and the heart kept with all diligence, in order to stand (Pr 4:23; Eph 6:10-18).

False religion, best seen in the Great Whore of Rome and her Protestant daughters (Rev 17:1-6), rejects the business of holiness and truth, but sits at her doors to call men into her bed for spiritual adultery (Jas 4:4; Rev 2:20-23). She takes her seat in the religious community, though her doctrines and goals are from hell (II Thess 2:9-12; I Tim 4:1-3). There the innocent are snared by her beautiful appearance and warm embrace, not seeing that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell (Pr 9:18; 21:16).

Jesus Christ, the King of glory and the holy Groom of His church, calls to all His people in Rome and her daughters, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev 18:4). The Lord is jealous, and rightfully so! He hates spiritual adultery. Come out today, reader, lest there be no tomorrow! Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding (Pr 9:6).


Under Gods Command

2nd Timothy 2:16-20 – Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.  Their teaching will spread like gangrene.  Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth.  They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 

 19: Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

False teachers still spout lies.  Some distort the truth some dilute it, and some simply delete it by saying that God’s truth no longer applies.  But no matter how many people follow the liars, the solid foundation of God’s truth never changes, is never shaken, and will never fade.  When we follow God’s truth we will live God’s way.

20: In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.  If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Here Paul urged Timothy to be the kind of person Christ could use for his noblest purposes.

 

Lets Bring it Home: Don’t settle for less than God’s highest and best.  Allow him to use you as an instrument of his will.  You do this by staying close to him and keeping yourself pure so that sin and its consequences do not get in the way of what God could do in your life.  While God can redeem any situation, how much better it is to stay close to Christ and ready to be used by him at a moment’s notice.