Under Gods Command
Proverbs 20:09 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”?
No one is without sin. As soon as we confess our sin and repent, sinful thoughts and actions begin to creep back into our lives. We all need ongoing cleansing, moment by moment. Thank God he provides forgiveness by his mercy when we ask for it. Make confession and repentance a regular part of your talks with God. Rely on him moment by moment for the cleansing you need.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept instruction and in the end you will be wise.
Are you wiser today than last year? Than ten years ago? These are important questions to answer. How wise will you be later in life? A godly person will greatly desire to grow in wisdom. And the way to increase wisdom is easy – you need to hear the counsel of wise people and accept their teaching. You need to appreciate and apply instruction from others.
Today is your opportunity to change your latter end. Will you be an older wise man or women, sought by family and others for wise advice? Or will you be an old fool, more a burden than a blessing? What you do today determines what you are tomorrow! You are not too young, and you are not too old. Consider your latter end, and receive instruction today!
Under Gods Command
Friends and Acquaintances
Proverbs 18.24 – A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Loneliness is everywhere-many people feel cut off and alienated from others. Being in a crowd just makes people more aware of their isolation. We all need friends who will stick close, listen, care and offer help when it is needed-in good times and bad. It is better to have one such friend than dozens of superficial acquaintances. Instead of wishing you could find a true friend, seek to become one. There are people who need your friendship. Ask God to reveal them to you, and then take on the challenge of being a true friend.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 16:5 – The LORD detest all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
Pride is the inner voice that whispers, “My way is best” It is resisting God’s leadership and believing that your are able to live without his help. Whenever you find yourself wanting to do it your way and looking down on other people, you are being pulled by pride. Only when you eliminate pride can God help you become all he meant you to be.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 13:10 Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.
“I was wrong” or “I need advice” are difficult phrases to utter because they require humility. Pride is an ingredient in every quarrel. It stirs up conflict and divides people. Humility, by contrast, heals. Guard against pride. If you find yourself constantly arguing, examine your life for pride. Be open to the advice of others, ask for help when you need it, and be willing to admit your mistakes.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 12:16 A fool show his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
When someone annoys or insults you, it is natural to retaliate. But this solves nothing and only encourages trouble. Instead, answer slowly and quietly. Your positive response will achieve positive results. Remember Proverbs 15:01: A gentle answer turns away wrath.
Under Gods Command
Abimelech
Judges 9:6-20 Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelech King. When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to your. One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king’. “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and men are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’ “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’ “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’ “Finally all the trees said to the thorn-bush, ‘Come and be our king.’ “The Thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thorn-bush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’ “Now if you have acted honorably and in good faith when you made Abimelech king, and if you have been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family, and if you have treated him as he deserves-and to think that my father fought for you, risked his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian (but today you have revolted against my father’s family, murdered his seventy sons on a single stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his slave girl, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is your brother)-if then you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today, may Abimelech be your joy, and may you be his, too! But if you have not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Milo, and consume Abimelech!”
In Jotham’s parable the trees represented Gideon’s 70 sons, and the thorn-bush represented Abimelech. Jotham’s point was this: a productive person would be too busy doing good to want to bother with power politics. A worthless person, on the other hand, would be glad to accept the honor-but he would destroy the people he ruled. Abimelech, like a thorn-bush, could offer Israel no real protection or security.
Jotham told the story about the trees in order to help the people set good priorities. He did not want them to appoint a leader of low character.
Lets bring it home: As we serve in leadership positions, we should examine our motives. Do we just want praise, prestige, or power? In the parable, the good trees chose to be productive and to provide benefits to people. Make sure these are your priorities as you aspire to leadership.
Under Gods Command
Abimelech
Judges 9:1-5 Abimelech son of Jerub-Ball (Gideon) went to his mother’s brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother’s clan, “Ask all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal’s (Gideon) sons rule over you, or just one man? Remember, I am your flesh and blood.” When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow “Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Ball-Berith, and Abimelech used it to hire reckless adventures, who became the followers. He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Ball, But Jotham the youngest of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding.
With Gideon dead, Abimelech wanted to take his father’s place. (Jerub-Baal is another name for Gideon; see 6:32.) To set his plan in motion he went to the city of Shechem, his mother’s hometown, to drum up support. Here he felt kinship with the residents. These relatives were Canaanites and would be glad to unit against Israel.
Israel’s King was to be the Lord and not a man. But Abimelech wanted to usurp the position reserved for God alone. In his selfish quest, he killed all but one of his 70 half brothers. People with selfish desires often seek to fulfill them in ruthless ways.
Lets bring it home: Examine your ambitions to see if they are self-centered or God-centered, Be sure you always fulfill your desires in ways that God would approve.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 27:6 – Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
Who would prefer a friend’s wounds to an enemy’s kisses? Anyone who considers the source. A friend who has your best interest at heart may have to give you unpleasant advice at times, but you know it is for your own good. An enemy, by contrast may whisper sweet words and happily send you on your way to ruin. We tend to hear what we want to hear, even if an enemy is the only one who will say it. A friend’s advice, no matter how painful, is much more valuable.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 5:11-14 – At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. You will say, “How I hated discipline! How may heart spurned correction. I would not obey my teachers or listen to my instructors. I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.”
At the end of your life, it will be too late to ask for advice. When desire is fully activated, people don’t want advice they want satisfaction. The best time to learn the dangers and foolishness of going after forbidden sex (or anything else that is harmful) is long before the temptation comes. Resistance is easier if the decision has already been made. Don’t wait to see what happens. Prepare for temptation by deciding now how you will act when you face it.
Under Gods command 