Posts Tagged ‘king solomon’

Proverbs 27:26 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 27, 2015 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 27, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 27:26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.

Can you do economic analysis? God and Solomon expect you to. If you cannot, or will not, you are heading for financial poverty. You will not be alone, for many in this lazy generation think no more about the future than counting the days to their next paycheck. But your Creator inspired a divine library to help you prosper financially over them.

King Solomon, God’s preacher to you for practical wisdom and success, wrote an extended lesson to warn you about the ever-changing economic landscape (Pr 27:23-27). He knew men must prudently consider their means of income, for financial or business success never stays the same and even the most secure positions are soon lost.

In an agrarian society, maximizing the yield of fields to support an estate required careful examination of all species of livestock and plants used to generate food, clothing, and revenue. In this short section, he listed flocks, herds, hay, grass, herbs, lambs, and goats – a diversified business enterprise for sure. Diversification is prudent, but it is not enough.

For each animal and plant segment of operations, a wise man analyzed its vitality and yield, market prices for its product, and compared these to maximize total revenue with the least risk. This is no small task. Farmers may be lightly esteemed by many, but they are often sharp businessmen, even using futures markets to hedge their business plan.

This proverb identified lambs and goats, two segments of the business. Lambs are only the offspring of sheep, and goats with their peculiarities may not be an exciting venture, but they are both necessary. The lambs produce wool for clothing and grow into sheep, and goats can grow and produce milk on almost nothing, giving value to inferior land.

What is the lesson for you? You must analyze each part of your economic endeavors and alter your plans to maximize profit and minimize risk in a changing world. Is your industry growing or decaying? Is your company competitive within your industry? Is your position valuable in your company? Are your skills in demand and marketable? Could you or someone else add another business? What is the prudent expected return?

Do you know the market value of your house? Are you over-exposed to real estate fluctuations? Is it insured? Have you done everything to minimize taxes? Are your investments wise in light of worldwide economic changes and your government’s fiscal policies? Are you diversified? Are you financially liquid to take advantage of exceptional opportunities that might become available? These are some financial duties from God.

If these questions intimidate or confuse you, then you should consult with some wise counselors, either professionals or your successful friends, and let them help you analyze your economic situation. Solomon taught that there is safety in a multitude of wise counselors (Pr 15:22). With their assistance, you can keep the wisdom of this proverb.

What a blessing – the Christian scriptures! From the origin of the universe to its soon renovation, from the attributes of God to the details of salvation, the Bible deals with your whole life, including economic safety and success. Those ignorant of the Bible think it an outdated and impractical doctrinal textbook, but this proverb should open your eyes.

Thank God for inspiring Solomon to write you about the necessary parts of your life – making a living and building a family estate. Read the related commentaries of the verses surrounding this one (Pr 27:23-27). Exalt God’s word by hearing it preached or explained regularly, and by all means obey the wisdom God has conveyed to you for your profit.

Proverbs 24:05 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: February 24, 2015 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, great power, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 24, Spiritual Training, strength, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 24:05 – A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength;

Strength here is the ability to know and do good and the ability to detect and oppose wrong, in all areas of life. Wisdom gives a man this strength. A wise man is strong. A man of knowledge gains in strength. Fools are weak. They do not know what they should do, so they do not do it, nor can they understand or resist what they should not do.

Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) said, “Knowledge is power.” But he was only plagiarizing Solomon, who wrote these words 2500 years earlier. Give God the glory! The power and strength of wisdom and knowledge is before you, reader. Embrace the book of Proverbs!

Wisdom is the power to judge rightly in any situation. It is the ability to see trouble and danger, avoid their temptations and snares, and choose a superior course of action. Wisdom is founded on the fear of the Lord (Pr 1:7; 9:10), but it also includes the prudent management of matters in the natural realm. Wisdom is indeed strength (Pr 8:14; 10:29).

Folly is the confusion of not knowing right or wrong and defaulting to the lusts and instincts of the human heart. It cannot see trouble and danger, resist the snares and temptations of life, and choose the right thing to do. Folly rejects the fear of the Lord and trusts its own heart (Ps 14:1; 53:1). It shows itself by making numerous mistakes in simple matters of life (Pr 13:16; 14:8,18; 15:21; 16:22; 26:11). Folly is indeed weakness.

How much difference is there between wisdom and folly? King Solomon, after observing and analyzing all that is done in this world, concluded that wisdom is better than folly as much as light is better than darkness (Eccl 2:12-14). A poor, wise child is better than an old, foolish king, who will not accept correction (Eccl 4:13). Every young reader ought to rejoice at this wonderful opportunity to gain in strength by wisdom even over kings.

Consider a wise man and a fool each trying to cut down a tree with a dull axe. The fool swings and swings the heavy axe until he is exhausted and barely chips the meat of the trunk. The wise man sits down in the shade, sharpens the blade with a pocket file, and cuts the tree down with just a few well placed blows. This is Solomon’s illustration of the strength of wisdom (Eccl 10:10)! Give God the glory!

Of course, the fool shows everyone at the supper table his impressive forearms and biceps from swinging his dull club against one tree all day. The wise man quietly listens and eats, with twenty trees down, stripped, sized, split, and stacked! Ah, wisdom! Real strength is not the size of your arms but the amount of your wisdom! Without wisdom, no matter what the endeavor might be, you must put forth much more effort (Eccl 10:10).

Solomon valued wisdom much higher than physical strength (Pr 21:19; Eccl 7:19). He described how a poor wise man in a small city was able to defeat a great king besieging the city with great bulwarks (Eccl 9:13-18). Solomon wrote, “Wisdom is better than strength – wisdom is better than weapons of war.” Powerful! A wise king will always be able to defeat a foolish king, even with a smaller army and fewer weapons.

Such wisdom is displayed in the witty inventions of the world (Pr 8:12). It has been said, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” But only a wise man will consider an invention to save labor and difficulty. The fool continues on with excessive effort, blinded by habit, tradition, and his little mind. Continents and nations still display this stubborn ignorance.

Many enjoy a proliferation of machines and devices in your generation that multiply physical force and strength by factors of thousands. The great bulk of these inventions are the direct result of wisdom through the knowledge of God in the English-speaking countries of the last two centuries. The fear of the Lord is wisdom! Wisdom is strength!

But more importantly, wisdom is also strength of character. The man who fears the Lord and knows his God is able to withstand the temptations of sin and choose righteousness instead. Such a man has the directive power of God’s word to keep him strong in the very face of Satan’s and the world’s three attractions to sin against God (Ps 119:9; I Jn 2:16).

Joseph was a wise man. This handsome young man was in a foreign city on an extended business trip. He was both successful and anonymous in this distant city. A beautiful woman desired to make love with him. He strictly turned her down, calling such an adulterous affair “great wickedness, and sin against God.” The woman daily tried to seduce him. He ignored her. One day during business, when they were alone together, she grabbed him and begged for him to make love to her. He ran away without the delay of a single word or second (Gen 39:7-20). He was strong! He ended up on Egypt’s throne.

Samson was a foolish man. This physically strong young man traveled to foreign cities to admire their beautiful women. He was frequently in trouble with whores there. Finally, one seduced him, who had told him three times she would destroy him, but he told her all his heart anyway. She sold him to his enemies. They put out his eyes, bound him with fetters, and made him grind in prison. His life was over. Samson was weak, weak, weak!

Which man was stronger? Mighty Samson or slave Joseph? Solomon told of many strong men destroyed by strange women (Pr 7:26), and Samson was one of their victims. But Joseph was wise by knowing God, which gave him strength. It is a foolish simpleton who even goes near loose or wild women (Pr 7:7). Strength of character, a result of God’s wisdom, is an exceeding precious thing. Those who do know their God will do exploits (Dan 11:32), while the foolish rejecter of holy religion is destroyed by a mere woman!

A wise man knows to carefully consider matters before making decisions. He knows that wise counsel from others, and a multitude of them, can save him from serious trouble (Pr 24:6). Such wisdom provides strength. It helps a man do well and avoid trouble. Wisdom is strength, and some of it comes through counselors. Fools cannot see the danger, nor do they ask if others can see it. They rush ahead blindly (Pr 14:15; 22:3; 27:12). The great decisions of life, such as war, should only be made based on much counsel (Pr 24:6).

Strong men retain riches (Pr 11:16). Their estates are great and secure, filled with precious things. Consider the preceding context (Pr 24:3-4). There are many traps and snares in life to take a man’s money, but strong men are not touched. How? They are wise! They have the discernment and prudence to avoid the dangers and errors of money.

They avoid the pits of folly Solomon warns against with his proverbs. They avoid slothfulness, too much sleep, gluttony, drunkenness, excessive pleasure, waste, vain ideas of making money, foolish investments, talk about financial independence, political change, cosigning loans for friends, strange women, disrespect of authority, heavy spending, fraudulent business practices, neglect of business, and all the other lying vanities that take a man’s money from him. They are wise. They are strong.

Wisdom also knows answers to life’s questions, which stagger the fool. These answers are found in the Holy Scriptures (Is 8:20). So wisdom provides strength for any debate or discussion (Pr 15:28; 22:17-21; 24:26; 26:4-5; Ps 119:42). A man with the wisdom of God is not ashamed in any company: he knows the needed truth (Ps 119:46; Dan 3:16).

The strongest men are those who fear the Lord Christ, know the Scriptures well, walk in the Spirit, and pray for wisdom. These are the ultimate sources of wisdom, the basis for great strength (II Tim 3:15-17; Eph 3:16; 6:10; Jas 1:5). It is the salvation of your soul, your family, and your church to be established with strength in the truth (Heb 13:9), lest you instead be a child tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine (Eph 4:14).

All men want to be strong, but only a very few will seek strength at these sources. What will you choose this day, dear reader? Strength or weakness? Strength with all might is offered (Col 1:9-11). Humble yourself, and choose the fear and wisdom of God today!

Proverbs 29:23 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: January 29, 2015 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, honor, humility, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Pride, Proverbs 29, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 29:23 A man’s pride brings him low. But a man of lowly spirit gains honor. 

Are you going up or down in life? A simple factor will either lift you up or press you down – your pride. Arrogance will bring you low, but humility will get you honor. It is your choice what you decide today, but you cannot stop the certain punishment for pride.

Are you more a prince or a prisoner? Are you honored or hardly known? Every person wants a successful life, and this simple proverb tells you how. One of the greatest influences in your progress is your attitude about yourself. If you are haughty and proud, you are going down. If you are meek, modest, and reserved, you are going up.

King Solomon warned often against pride, though he had reasons to be proud. He had the most wisdom, wealth, and power, and he was attractive. But he blasted pride as an evil that destroys men’s lives. He warned his son and his citizens. The many repetitions in his book of wisdom declare loudly – this subject is important and tends to be overlooked.

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Pr 16:18). “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom” (Pr 11:2). “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility” (Pr 18:12). “Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him” (Pr 26:12).

How will pride take you down and humility bring you honor? Men hate arrogance, and they love graciousness (Pr 9:6-9; 11:2; 14:3; 21:24; 22:10-11). If you are conceited and haughty, you will not grow in favor with men; they will do what they can to cut you off from friendships and opportunities. If you are meek, modest, and submissive, men will appreciate and enjoy your spirit and do what they can to include and promote you.

How will pride take you down and humility bring you honor? Conceit and haughtiness lead to bad decisions, because you are too arrogant to hear others, and you are too confident to criticize your ideas (Pr 11:2; 12:15; 14:16; 16:25; 22:3; 26:12,16; 29:20). You are doomed! A humble man, who trusts the Lord, doubts his opinions and is eager to hear the views of others (Pr 3:5-7; 6:6; 11:14; 12:15; 15:32; 19:20). He will prosper!

How will pride take you down and humility bring you honor? If the first two results do not bring you down (they will eventually), the final result most surely will. God hates the proud, and it does not matter how much effort they make to protect themselves – He will destroy them (Pr 3:34; 6:16-17; 15:25; 16:2,5; 21:2; Job 40:9-14; Dan 4:37; Acts 12:21-23). But God will bless and exalt the humble in spirit (Pr 3:34; Is 57:15; 66:2).

Contrary to Solomon’s inspired wisdom, the world considers pride a virtue and defends conceit. From athletes to actresses to politicians, bloated egos and haughty words are the norm. Children are taught self-esteem and self-love until they are convinced the universe revolves around them. All ages now boldly announce, “I am proud of what I have accomplished,” though anything they are or have is a gift from God (I Cor 4:7).

All men should be taught to love and serve others, for that is the second commandment of only two that summarize the whole Christian religion (Mark 12:28-33). The heresy of loving and esteeming self is a symptom of perilous times (II Tim 3:1-2). Wisdom learns that making others more important than you is a rule for true godliness (Phil 2:3-5).

Every person has an internal enemy that promotes pride – called the pride of life (I John 2:15-17). The devil seeks to tempt your human default to pride. He told Eve she could be like God for eating the forbidden fruit (Gen 3:4-6). He dared Jesus Christ to prove He was God’s Son, trying to draw forth pride, but He found nothing in Him (Matt 4:5-7).

How can you check if you are proud? How cheerfully do you take correction? Can you quickly admit you are wrong and apologize? How easily do you forgive others? Do you criticize others verbally, for proud words come from a proud heart? Is it easy to serve others, especially those lower than you? Do you question whether you are right or not?

What is in your heart? Sinful thoughts of ambition and pride that condemned the devil (I Tim 3:6)? Or the childlike humility that led to Solomon’s greatness (I Kgs 3:6-9)? The greatest kingdom is Jesus Christ’s, but the greatest in it are the servants (Matt 23:10-12). If you humble yourself under God’s mighty hand, He will exalt you soon (I Pet 5:6-7).

If you want to pursue this subject further, and you should, review sermons an honest man of God has preached from the Bible against pride. Scripture has much to say against it, so faithful preachers must preach against it periodically. Remember, your future depends on you learning this lesson. Pride will bring you low, but humility will bring you honor.

The Man and King with the most right to pride was Jesus Christ, but He was known for incredible humility and meekness instead (Matt 11:29; Phil 2:5-8; II Cor 10:1). He never promoted Himself, though He had the most reasons to do so (Is 42:1-2; Mat 12:18-20). Of course, He is now honored above all in heaven, confirming Solomon’s proverb!

Proverbs 02:09 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: January 2, 2015 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 02, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. 

Here is treasure! Righteousness! Judgment! Equity! Every good path! Can you have all these in life? Yes! This is the best news you will get this year. If you will pursue wisdom, God will bless you with these things. The rewards are great; the requirements small. God offers this treasure for a little effort from you to obtain wisdom. Reader, go for it, today!

The Preacher, King Solomon of Israel, pressed his son to apply himself to the pursuit of wisdom and understanding (Pr 2:1-4), with the promised reward being the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of God (Pr 2:5). Upon this foundation and reward, Solomon then promised that God would add many blessings, including these special four (Pr 2:6-9).

What is righteousness? It is being right. It knows and does what is right. It is justice and uprightness. It knows and does what is acceptable and pleasing to God. It is having your mind conformed to the divine standard of God’s perfect mind and laws. And if your thoughts and actions please God, then they will certainly please other men (Pr 3:1-4).

What is judgment? It is the ability to judge correctly, to form accurate opinions, to arrive at the proper notion of things; it is discretion, discernment, wisdom, understanding, and good sense. It is what men mean when they say, “That person has excellent judgment.” It is the ability to analyze a matter correctly and arrive at the correct conclusion about it.

What is equity? It knows what is fair and equal for any situation, through seeing differences that require charity and nobility to reach an equitable and fair conclusion. It is fairness, impartiality, and evenhanded dealing with things appearing unequal. It is what makes others trust you, no matter the circumstances, for they know you will be fair.

Solomon stated that Proverbs was written to teach these three wonderful virtues (Pr 1:3), which are very rare in the world today (Is 59:14; II Tim 3:1-5). Furthermore, they are aspects of God’s glorious and holy nature (Ps 98:9; 99:4), and they are character traits of the Lord Jesus Christ (Is 11:4). What hinders you from pursuing wisdom to obtain them?

Consider a very small sample of the righteousness, judgment, and equity of the Bible. It protects mother and baby birds (Deut 22:6-7), teaches that all races have the same blood (Acts 17:26), provides for working oxen (Deut 25:4), puts the burden of marriage and family on the father (Eph 5:25-29; 6:4), provides for the poor (Lev 19:9-10), teaches that mercy is more important than sacrifice (Matt 12:7), allows one church member to bring any matter to the church (Matt 18:15-17), financially rewards virginity (Ex 22:17), requires churches to take care of widows (I Tim 5:3-16), and teaches that the true love of God can only be shown by loving others (I John 5:1-2). No other book compares!

Compare a small sample of the righteousness, judgment, and equity of the world. It kills over ten million unborn children annually by extremely violent means, and yet demands funds to protect animals and birds on seven continents. It prohibits corporal punishment of children, but incarcerates the resulting criminals like animals in cages for decades. It subsidizes debt and slothfulness and penalizes credit and diligence by income tax laws. It claims to protect and honor women, but yet advertises lascivious fashions, promotes casual sex, protects pornography and prostitution, and allows divorce for any cause.

But these three things are not all that is offered to the man seeking wisdom. The proverb also offers, “Every good path”! What is every good path? It is every other virtue and grace not in the list of three. Reader, is there a better sentence in any language? If every good path is offered, then the means for your perfection and pleasure is being offered.

How can you get these four wonderful things? Humble yourself before the Creator God, and diligently seek His wisdom in His inspired scriptures. Can you humble yourself and admit that God and His Word alone are right on all subjects (Ps 119:128)? Can you reject the world’s vain thoughts (Ps 119:113)? He will reward you with these wonderful things.

The Bible can make ministers perfect for their great work (II Tim 3:16-17). Consider how much it can do for you. There is no light in this world apart from the light of the Bible (Is 8:20). It is a lamp for your feet and a light for your pathway through life (Ps 119:105). It is a light to which you should give serious attention and honor (II Pet 1:19-21).

Proverbs 17:01 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: December 17, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 17, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 17:01 – Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.

It is nice to get off at times and be by yourself. How many of us married folk don’t take time out for each other because of the distractions of this world, friends, work, kids, pets, in-laws and cell phone. Sometime we need to send the kids off, get rid of the pets, turn the cell phone off, cut the in-laws out for a while, and go take a ride somewhere just to get some quietness and rest. If it’s just going out on the patio, or going for a walk, tell your spouse to “Come on out here, and let’s sit down together and get acquainted with each other. Some of us been married for a long time, and it’s time we get re-acquainted. It’s a good thing for us to do. God wants us to have times like that. They are very important for our spiritual refreshment.

What could the wisest man on earth charge per hour for specific advice for your life? $500 an hour? $5,000 an hour? But here is God’s inspired wisdom by King Solomon free of charge! What a glorious blessing, if you will consider and learn from this true proverb.

As in many proverbs, the parallelism contrasts two things – the right against the wrong. A dry morsel could be saltine crackers and a house full of sacrifices a filet mignon dinner with all the trappings. Since some sacrifices, the best of their flocks and herds, were eaten by the people, Solomon described here the very best food in great and free abundance.

Quietness is not noise level, but rather lack of trouble, fighting, travail, and vexation. It is contrasted with strife. It is a state of calm, peace, rest, and security (Pr 1:33; Judges 18:7; II Chr 20:30; Job 3:13; 21:23; 34:9; Ps 107:28-30; Eccl 4:6; Ezek 16:42). In a sister proverb, the contrast is between love and hatred, which helps explain this one (Pr 15:17).

The Preacher Solomon taught that saltine crackers in a calm and peaceful home are superior to a filet mignon dinner with a tense and unhappy family. Here is wisdom to direct your priorities. More emphasis, time, effort, money, and value should be placed on peace and love in a family than the securing of food and things for the family. But this choice runs totally contrary to this carnal, covetous, greedy, and materialistic generation.

Profane Americans say, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” But your Creator tells you, “He who lives a godly life content with what he has wins” (I Tim 6:6; Heb 13:5). Here is a choice – do you follow the profane American to hell or God to heaven? Do you live the life of vanity and vexation of spirit this society promotes? Or do you choose the wise man’s priority, knowing he had already tested both ways by divine providence?

Two people in love can be happy, peaceful, and contented sharing peanut butter crackers, as dating couples know; and two people can be miserable in the middle of luxury when differences and bitterness have crept in. Will you work to save your relationships?

What causes tension, stress, and trouble in a home? An overbearing woman is one of the greatest culprits (Pr 7:11; 9:13; 12:4; 19:13; 21:9,19; 25:24; 27:15-16; 30:21-23). She talks too much, criticizes too much, corrects too much, argues too much, suggests too much, and all in all turns life into hell. Every godly woman must hate these tendencies in herself and others; and every husband must rule and train his wife to be free of them.

Scorners will ruin a home’s peace (Pr 16:19,28; 22:10; 26:20-21). What is a scorner? A haughty fool who arrogantly despises correction and disrespects authority. They should be corrected with the rod and reproof or removed from the home (Pr 26:3; 22:10; 24:9).

A fool in a home will ruin its peace, because that filet mignon meal will only fuel his foolish thinking and talking (Pr 31:21-23; Eccl 10:12-15). How many parents have had their peace stolen by foolish children (Pr 10:1; 17:25)?  Foolishness is bound in the heart of children, but the rod and reproof will surely and always correct it (Pr 22:15; 29:15,17).

An angry person who presses issues ruins the peace of a home (Pr 15:18; 26:21; 29:22; 30:33). So the rule of ending all wrath before sunset must be followed and enforced (Eph 4:26). Let every man and woman be slow to anger (Pr 14:29; 15:18; 16:32; Jas 1:19).

Bitterness will ruin a home’s tranquility, for it is from hell and the source of confusion and every evil work (Jas 3:14-16). The commandment is clear – put away all bitterness, especially husbands (Eph 4:31-32; Col 3:19). For godly wisdom from heaven is peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, and loves to make peace (Jas 3:17-18).

Discontentment creates perpetual frustration, so that even a filet mignon dinner cannot bring peace and calm. The covetous and greedy man is always looking for more, and he is in a constant state of agitation thinking about it (Eccl 5:10; II Sam 13:1-2). And even if he were to get more, he would still wish and grieve for yet more in just minutes!

A family with a moody parent (or worse yet, two of them) is doomed, for such weak and wicked people set the tone in the house and at dinner by whatever foolish mood they have allowed to overwhelm their soul (Pr 25:28). Joy is a command (Phil 4:4; I Thess 5:16)!

A good man can destroy all these enemies of a peaceful home, for he will be a godly example of peace and joy, and he will enforce peace and joy on the rest of the family. What a blessing for a wife and children to have such a man ruling their home! May the Lord raise up such men in this effeminate and frustrated generation!

Paul gave an excellent summary of the love and peace that ought to characterize the lives of Christians, and he gave the means to obtain them (Col 3:12-15). With such peace and joy as the basis, life can be a perpetual feast, regardless of what is on the table (Pr 15:15).

You must remember success is not more things, but contentment with the things you have (I Tim 6:6). Save yourself from a generation deceived by the lie that gain is godliness and happiness. You can learn to be content regardless of the fare at dinner (Phil 4:11-12).

Where will you put your emphasis, time, effort, money, and value? On things? Or on godliness and contentment regardless of things? Now train your children to do the same!

This proverb applies as well to the church of Jesus Christ. A church at peace, regardless of circumstances, is superior to a church with strife, though basking in luxury or growth. It is your duty to endeavor to maintain church unity in the bond of peace (Eph 4:3).

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 20:26 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: October 20, 2014 in After you get saved., Battle Focus, Bible Study, business pratices, Churches in Maryland, clean break, Disrespectful Children, Fear, Fear of rejection, Fellowship, Lord fighting for you, Proverbs 20
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Proverbs 20:26 A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them.

Great rulers crush criminals. A powerful king that will not tolerate civil opposition is a beautiful thing (Pr 30:31). Solomon and his father David were both wise and successful kings. Here Solomon gives inspired and learned political advice to kings and others in authority. Wise rulers will fight and destroy wicked persons under their authority.

The origin and purpose of civil government are not mysteries. The LORD God ordained rulers over nations and other political principalities to punish evildoers (Rom 13:1-4; I Pet 2:13-14). Resisting or resenting this authority is to resist and resent God Himself. Civil government has the right to capital punishment in enforcing its laws, and God sends these rulers as His ministers to execute revenge upon criminals that break the law.

Bringing the wheel over the wicked is to crush them. Grain was crushed in King Solomon’s day by turning or rolling a heavy wheel over it (Is 28:27-28; Judges 16:21). This separated the wheat from the husk. Wise government will take heavy measures to crush wicked men who have set themselves against the state, law, and other citizens.

The wisdom here teaches that civil government should be strict and severe. There can be no tolerance or compromise with criminals. Compromise and delay cause an increase in crime by hardening the hearts of criminals. You can see this in current issues of hung juries, appeals, delay tactics, further appeals, and stays of execution (Eccl 8:11).

There are several references to kings in this chapter of Proverbs. Solomon was providing wisdom for his son Rehoboam, the next king of Israel, and for rulers in general. He described the positive virtue of great fear (Pr 20:2), their holy execution of judgment (Pr 20:8), and their balance of mercy and truth in protecting the innocent (Pr 20:28).

Wise rulers seek quiet and peaceable lives for their productive citizens. These people can only have such lives, if the wicked are scattered and crushed. Leaders must take the justice part of their office seriously and do all they can to destroy criminals and crime. They must be free of sentimentality to aid, abet, respect, or pardon criminals.

There is not room for one wicked person, one criminal, in a just and good nation. Death row in the U.S. should be emptied of 3700 monsters by way of public stoning on pay-per-view television, with the proceeds going to the victims’ families. One cent spent on their upkeep in the penal system is a waste and encourages crime. Stones are cheap. David, a king after God’s own heart, had zero tolerance for criminals (II Sam 4:1-12; Ps 101:4-8).

Those who resist civil government or speak evil or lightly of those in authority should be dealt with most severely. God Himself opened up the earth to swallow men and their families alive for speaking against Moses (Num 16:1-34). The New Testament says they should be destroyed like rabid dogs, for they obviously do not understand the basic necessity or duties of authority (II Pet 2:10-12; Jude 1:8-10). There is no such thing as freedom of speech against authority in God’s wisdom (Ex 22:28; Ec 10:20; Job 34:18).

Let every man in a position of authority use strict and severe measures against the wicked in his realm of control. This applies to employers, fathers, husbands, and pastors, as well as kings and presidents, governors and sheriffs. Righteousness, peace, and quiet in any society depend on strong leaders ridding it of fools and their rebellion (Pr 19:25; 21:11).

Jesus Christ is the greatest of Kings, with the most wisdom. He is King of kings! When the Jews rejected God and their O.T. scriptures and crucified Him, He promised to return and miserably destroy those wicked men (Matt 21:41), tear down their temple, send His armies to burn up their city (Matt 22:7), and grind them to powder (Matt 21:44).

He promised to not leave one stone on another when He destroyed Jerusalem (Luke 19:44). He promised more distress and trouble on them than any nation had suffered before or since (Matt 24:21). He fulfilled all this and more in 70 AD by Roman armies under Titus Vespasian Augustus. But at the same time, to those who feared His name and loved Him, Jesus the Sun of Righteousness came with healing in His wings (Mal 4:2).

The Lord Jesus Christ is soon coming again with His mighty angels in flaming fire to wreck vengeance on all those that have rejected God and disobeyed the apostolic gospel (II Thess 1:7-9). But He will be admired that day by all those who believe the gospel and love His appearing, and He will bring eternal blessing and reward for them (II Thess 1:10; Titus 2:13). Reader, repent of your crimes against heaven and beg for His mercy!

Proverbs 8:22 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: July 8, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 08, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 8:22 “The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; 

How wonderful is wisdom? The LORD God had it all in eternity! Solomon continued his lengthy personification of wisdom as a virtuous woman (Pr 8:1 – 9:5). Lady Wisdom is the first person, singular, objective pronoun “me.” Before the LORD Jehovah created anything, when He inhabited eternity alone, He owned all the wisdom of the universe.

At this point in personifying wisdom, Solomon should provoke you to value wisdom most highly by virtue of God’s choice and use of it from eternity and in the creation of all things (Pr 8:22-31). If wisdom is so gloriously advantageous and wonderful that Jehovah Himself chose and used it, how much more should men esteem it? This is the lesson!

What is personification? It is a figure of speech in which a person is used to represent an abstract concept. Men refer to freedom as Lady Liberty, natural events as Mother Nature, national defense as Uncle Sam, and aging as Father Time. King Solomon used a desirable lady to represent the concept of wisdom (Pr 1:20-33; 2:4; 3:15-18; 4:5-13; 8:1-36; 9:1-5).

What is wisdom? It is the power of right judgment. It is the ability to discern any matter or situation and know the perfect solution. When understood as a spiritual virtue of God and Christians, its analysis and solutions always maximize the glory of God and His holiness. Wisdom is the disciplined thinking that always arrives at right conclusions.

Who is the LORD? When the King James Bible uses LORD in capital letters, it means Jehovah – I AM THAT I AM. This infinite and independent Spirit, Creator of all, eternally possessed all wisdom. He owes no one for it, for who has been His counselor (Rom 11:33-36)? He alone is the origin and source of wisdom for Himself or any other.

Jesus of Nazareth, God’s Son by Mary, grew in wisdom as He matured (Luke 2:52). Such words speak distinctly and only of His human nature. In His divine nature, He is Jehovah Himself, in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). If you desire to be like Jesus Christ, then you should be growing in wisdom. Are you?

God did not experiment, using trial and error, when He created. He had infinite wisdom before He created. Everything was very good (Gen 1:31). He sees the past, present, and future equally. There are no contingencies to Him. He understands everything forever. There are no surprises to Him, no difficulties, no perplexities, and no complexities.

Pagan gods or idols do not have even the five natural senses, let alone wisdom, and the God of the Bible ridicules them for such a fatal handicap (Ps 115:1-8; 135:1-21). Their worshippers may have five senses, but God ridicules them as equally ignorant to the totem poles and other images and statues they worship (Is 44:18-20).

If Jehovah God chose to possess all wisdom in eternity for His actions, are you pursuing wisdom with great zeal for your choices (Pr 4:7; 16:16)? It is surely worth the effort (Pr 8:11; Job 28:12-19). Inspired and preserved Scripture and His teachers are God’s gift of wisdom to you before all men (Deut 4:6; Ps 119:98-100; Mal 2:7; II Tim 3:15-17).

Proverbs 29:02 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: January 29, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 29, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 29:2  When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding; but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.

It is time to mourn in all nations, for wicked men are ruling and turning God’s wisdom upside down. How can God’s saints rejoice, when they see equity, righteousness, truth, and wisdom compromised and corrupted on a daily basis? King Solomon, writing to his son as a future king of Israel, made this observation and rule about political policy: the good people of any nation are seriously affected by the morality of their rulers.

The proverb does not apply to all men: the wicked love wicked rulers, for they promote and protect their sins. Many nations have loved and do love atheistic and profane rulers. The people of this proverb are God’s saints, especially those of Israel. Solomon taught his son godly motivation by looking out for noble citizens and honoring them.

Many nations have never had a righteous ruler, so they never had this reason to rejoice. However, even in nations that did not know better, even where there were few saints living, a considerate king that protected and provided for his people was a joyful thing. Violent tyrants, such as Herod the Great, who slew the children under two around Bethlehem, caused great mourning among even calloused citizens (Mat 2:16-18).

The political observation is true. When King Ahasuerus promoted Haman in Persia, the capital city of Shushan was perplexed at the rise of that wicked man (Es 3:15). But when righteous Mordecai replaced him, it rejoiced and was glad (Es 8:15). Israel rejoiced when Solomon took the throne, but they rebelled when his son Rehoboam succeeded him.

America in the 21st century appears to be a Christian nation under righteous rulers. But God’s saints mourn, because the wicked rule. They protect infanticide, child rebellion, pornography, labor rebellion, sodomy, Islamic moon worship, adultery, evolution, treacherous divorces, national indebtedness, and lascivious entertainment. Saying or singing, “God Bless America,” does not prove anything but ignorance or hypocrisy.

David cried rivers of waters, when he saw men turning from God’s law (Ps 119:136). But a day is coming in which the Son of David will put down all authority and reign supreme in righteousness under God (II Sam 23:1-7; Ps 45:1-7; Is 9:6-7; Jer 23:5-6). Have you believed the gospel to be one of the few that will admire Him in that day (II Thess 1:10)?

What are the lessons? There is no cause for political joy in nations today (Ps 9:17; 33:12; 144:15). Let all in authority be righteous, even fathers, for the example and joy of their subjects (Col 3:21; I Tim 4:12,16). Let all saints give thanks and pray for their nation and rulers, for peace is possible, even in the midst of Babylon (Jer 29:4-7; I Tim 2:1-2).

Proverbs 4:4 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: November 4, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 04, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 4:4 He taught me and said, “Lay hold of my words with all your heart; Keep my commands and you will live

Here is the greatest gift of a father – wisdom and truth! What is your family transferring from generation to generation? Solomon admitted that his father, David, had taught him. So he taught his children to continue the perpetuation of knowledge from father to son. He stressed that a successful life required his son to retain and keep this knowledge.

Note the proverb’s opening words: “He taught me also.” Solomon was the favorite son of David, so the instruction David gave him came from a loving heart desiring the very best for his son (Pr 4:1-4). In faithful fulfillment of his own office as father, King Solomon appealed to his own children to hear instruction from him like he had from his father.

How is truth perpetuated in the earth? What is the greatest gift parents can give children? The greatest heritage parents give their children is wisdom and truth, which is how both are kept in the world. Two passages of Scripture carefully describe four generations as every man’s goal (Ps 78:1-8; Joel 1:1-3). Therefore, godly families should never repeat the same mistakes, and they should greatly increase in wisdom, generation by generation.

Fathers are to be teachers. This is not an option or suggestion. Under both testaments, the father was the designated teacher (Deut 4:9; 6:4-7; Eph 6:4). If a child remains a fool and shames his parents, it is because the father did not do his job (Pr 22:6; 29:15). It is a horrible shame that television, public schools, and peer pressure do most teaching today.

Sons like Solomon are not chance events. David and Bathsheba taught Solomon. While God blessed Solomon with much wisdom after he became king, it was David who had given him an excellent foundation from his youth up. Surely David had seen the dire consequences of neglecting his other sons, Adonijah, Absalom, and Amnon (I Kings 1:6).

David taught Solomon three things. First, retain what I teach you. Do more than hear me. Listen to what I say, grasp its meaning, agree in your heart with its righteousness and truthfulness, meditate on it, review the principles, and apply them to every case you see. Remember the lesson by careful comprehension at first hearing and by frequent review.

Second, keep my commandments. It is not enough to hear and retain a father’s advice, you must keep it – you must do it. As with the word of God, it is the doers of the word who are blessed, not the hearers (Jas 1:21-25). Parental rules are only good to the degree the rules are obeyed. Sons must be taught to obey, and their obedience must be enforced.

Third, the goal and result of this instruction is your successful life. You are not reading about minor things here – you are dealing with life, your life! Keep these rules and live. Live well! Live righteously! Live abundantly! Grow in favor with God and men. This is the good life. This is the blessed life. This is the protected life. This is the prosperous life.

Proverbs 2:11 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: August 2, 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 2:11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

Are you safe? Are you protected? King Solomon wrote his proverbs to preserve and keep you from pain and trouble. Most men get into difficulties or temptations in life that cost them dearly in many different ways. Discretion and understanding can keep you safe.

Men take many precautions to protect themselves from danger. They use seat belts in automobiles, take vitamins, lock the doors at night, exercise and/or eat nutritiously, regulate elevators, buy medical insurance, listen to weather warnings, avoid dangerous parts of town, visit doctors often, avoid motorcycles, and so forth and so on.

They also make efforts to protect their children. They make sure they eat three balanced meals a day, avoid risky playground equipment, do not play with knives, avoid strangers, do not ride their bikes in the street, bundle up in cold weather, get to bed on time, do not climb too high in trees, stay away from the bully down the street, and so forth and so on.

But all these efforts are of little value and only protect the body. What are you doing for the soul? For your own soul and the souls of your children? What efforts are you making to acquire discretion and understanding yourself and to instill them in your children? Worldly institutions or the media certainly do not teach them, and they are rarely taught in modern churches. But God has made them available for you in Solomon’s proverbs.

Preserving and keeping your soul requires different efforts than those described above. And you must consider, which is more important, physical health or your soul? Which is more important, financial assets or your soul? Jesus Christ valued your soul more than gaining the whole world (Matt 16:26). He has clearly set your priorities for you.

Discretion and understanding will not only preserve your soul; they will also preserve your life and your assets. As the Preacher wrote elsewhere, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding” (4:7). The whole book of Proverbs is dedicated to the value of acquiring discretion and understanding.

Discretion knows what to do, when to do it, and how to do it in various circumstances. Understanding is discerning a situation, its hidden dangers, subtle errors, and the right course of action. These terms overlap in meaning, but they also have their own shades of meaning. The context shows they are related to wisdom and knowledge (Pr 2:10).

Additional benefits of acquiring discretion and understanding are also found in the context (Pr 2:12-22). They will protect you from the lifestyles and choices of the evil man and the strange woman, both of which are on their way to destruction and seeking to take as many with them as they can. Discretion and understanding are important for you.

Proverbs teaches discretion (Pr 1:4). It teaches when to speak and when not to speak (Pr 26:4-5; 15:28; 29:11), when to be angry and when not to be angry (Pr 25:23; 19:11). Discretion is guiding your affairs well (Ps 112:5). A woman without it is like a sow (Pr 11:22; Tit 2:5). The knowledge of how to plant, harvest, and process various grains is discretion (Is 28:26). And Joseph was promoted highly because of it (Gen 41:33-40).

Proverbs teaches understanding (Pr 1:2). Animals do not have it (Job 39:17; Ps 32:9). Its foundation is the knowledge of the holy (Pr 9:10), and it is built by God’s word (Ps 111:10; 119:98-100,104,130). It is dependent upon a man rejecting his own understanding (Pr 3:5). Adultery, listening to vain persons, and being an easy surety prove a lack of it (Pr 6:32; 12:11; 17:18). It involves ruling your spirit (Pr 14:29) and pursuing knowledge (Pr 15:14). It is a source of happiness (Pr 3:13), leads to the good life (Pr 13:15; 16:22), and causes a person to be of an excellent spirit (Pr 17:27). Daniel clearly had it (Dan 1:20; 5:11-14; 6:3-4), but the world of Gentiles does not (Rom 1:31).

Discretion and understanding will preserve and keep your soul and life. They are aspects of godly wisdom that will protect you from foolish errors, wicked persons, and sin. They will keep you out of all sorts of trouble, spiritual and physical. They will bring you peace, security, success, and happiness. Life without them is hard and difficult (Pr 13:15; 22:5).

They are easy to obtain, if you will apply yourself to learning the Word of God. You need to be in a church where the Word of God is taught faithfully and frequently, and you need to apply yourself in personal reading, meditation, prayer, and study. Then you must apply your learning to the life situations that God will bring your way (Heb 5:12-14).

God has given you the means to protect your life from pain, trouble, and difficulty. He has given instruction for happiness and success. Are you applying yourself as diligently and regularly in acquiring these two things as you do in protecting your body and money? Make sure your priorities are God and Solomon’s priorities for your maximum success.

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