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Proverbs 9:16 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: August 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 9:16 “Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment. 

Man, a woman wants you! This proverb is a woman inviting you to come into her house, because she wants to give you a good time (Pr 9:17). There is just one little problem – after being with her, you are dead and deep in hell (Pr 9:18). Hate this evil woman!

You can understand this proverb. Compare Pr 9:1-4 with Pr 9:13-16. There are two identical invitations from two different women. Lady Wisdom gives the first invitation (Pr 9:4); Folly herself, or a whorish woman, gives the second invitation (Pr 9:16). Appreciate Solomon’s comparison of these two women. See the comments on Pr 9:4.

Lady Wisdom kindly calls young men simple, for she has the cure for their ignorance (Pr 9:1-4). A whore does not literally call young men simple, but she instead uses all her verbal skills to flatter and seduce them. These are Solomon’s words, passing judgment on the men foolish enough to be near her. She invites all men, but only the simple listen!

Foolish young men are very vulnerable to the world’s folly and fornication with whores. They are simple and lack understanding. Captive to their powerful lusts, they cannot see beyond the next five minutes to the consequences of death and hell waiting for them (Pr 9:18). It is only understanding and wisdom that perceives the future and avoids the pain.

Lady Wisdom has a feast of meat, mingled wine, and bread at a fine table in her custom home with seven pillars (Pr 9:1-3). Folly, or the whorish woman, offers bread and water; the lying appeal is the seductive deceit of sinful pleasures (Pr 9:17). See the comments on Pr 9:17. Young man, will you dine in safety at a feast, or in grave danger on prison fare?

Every day, Folly and whorish women invite men to join them. They want to take men down to destruction. Men make daily choices to resist temptation or give in to it. Giving in has horrible results. Either, you enter Lady Wisdom’s house and find shelter there by humbling yourself before the blessed God and consulting His precious Word, or you give in to the lying laughter of this wicked world in its offer of short-term sensual pleasure.

Wisdom demands you stay away from the folly and women of this world as much as possible. The draw of both to the natural man is too powerful to play with. Instead, wise men will fill their souls and minds with the pure gospel of Jesus Christ and the doctrine that is according to godliness. They will not even allow potential temptations. The attraction and invitation of folly and fornication are real, but so are the consequences!

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 16:32 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 16, 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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Proverbs 16:32 Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

Here is a lesson in personal greatness. How strong are you? What have you achieved? The best test of character is controlling your emotions, especially anger. The biggest achievement you can have is to limit your passions to only those actions that are good.

Every real man wants to be a mighty man of valor. Every real woman wants to be a noble woman worthy of such a man. The Bible records many exploits of mighty men and noble women. But this proverb teaches a greater measure of individual glory – the ability to deny anger and to control your spirit. The man who can resist getting angry or losing control of his spirit is more honorable than men with great military accomplishments.

Consider some mighty men of valor. Gideon defeated a huge army of Midianites with only 300 men, and Jephthah destroyed 20 cities of the Ammonites with a small army. Samson killed 1000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, and Shamgar killed 600 with an ox goad. Joab took the fortress of Jebus, which became Jerusalem. Adino killed 800 at one time with his spear, and Abishai did the same to 300. Caleb begged for a mountain in Canaan where the dreaded giants lived, and he destroyed them and took their cities.

But you can be greater than these men! You do so by being cautious and slow in getting angry and by controlling and ruling your spirit. It takes more courage, discipline, strength, and wisdom to resist passionate emotions like anger than it does to take a city.

Can you control the violent feelings of anger and keep your spirit calm and wise? Will you? This is how a born fool can be wise and glorious (Pr 14:29; Ec 7:9; Jas 1:19-20). If you defer anger and pass over faults and offences of others, you are glorious (Pr 19:11).

But your spirit screams for a strong response! It hates to be restrained. It must exert itself, in full fury, now! Harsh words burn in your tongue and must be spoken. You tell others you cannot help yourself. You may blame God for giving you a spirit too strong to rule.

The world lies that anger is a trait of mighty men, a right of free men, and a tool of strong leaders. They say venting rage brings relief, but this is only to a depraved soul. If a conscience remains, you are soon grieved at the violence that spewed out of your mouth.

Rather than ruling their spirit, most men are ruled by their spirits. Instead of conquering anger, they become captives of their passions. Instead of thinking before speaking, they speak without thinking by their feelings only, which is highly dangerous and foolhardy.

The battle facing you exceeds any military expedition. A city can be taken with a single siege, but you will fight the passion of anger for the rest of your life. Wars are fought by the efforts of many, but you must fight alone. The vigilance, effort, and patience needed to rule anger causes most men to forfeit the battle and become slaves to their own folly.

The world is filled with illustrations of those who could not rule their spirits. You have them in your own family. You likely have several in your own closet. Alexander the Great conquered the known world, but he could not defeat the brutish beast within that ruined him at home and among his friends. Peter the Great is reported to have said, “I can govern my people, but how can I govern myself?” If you can defeat this monster, you will have a victory over a foe that has destroyed conquerors. You will be a mighty man!

Anger marks a loser. Guaranteed! Anger blinds your mind to misread situations, causes you to say and do stupid things, never accomplishes anything good, and drives away your family and friends (Pr 14:17; 15:18; 21:24; 22:24-25; 29:22). If you get angry and do not rule your spirit, you cannot be compared to a military hero; you must be compared to a city with its walls broken down and vulnerable to all kinds of evil (Pr 25:28; Jas 3:14-16).

Not all anger is sin. Do not let misguided Christians tell you otherwise. Jesus condemned unjustified anger (Matt 5:22), and Paul said to be angry and sin not (Eph 4:26). Anger is good, when it is directed against sin for the glory of God. But anger in a traffic jam, or over spilt milk, or about another’s harsh words against you, or because you were slighted, or in retaliation for a wrong, or because things did not turn out as expected, is wrong!

There are more passions than just anger, and you must also rule them. Moodiness is the mark of an immature child, not a mighty man of valor. Such a person needs a beating, not comforting. Murmuring is the complaining of a wicked heart moving a devilish tongue, which ought not to be. Critical or harsh speech is the poison that spews from a selfish heart. Great men have pure hearts that result in gracious speech (Pr 22:11; Col 4:6).

There are other passions that need to be ruled. Fear is very debilitating, but it has no place in your life, for God has not given you such a spirit (II Tim 1:7), and fearing others will trap you into foolish choices or sin (Pr 29:25). Covetousness, the desire of what others have or what you do not have, is compared to idolatry (Eph 5:5). Contentment, a key to true happiness and a measure of great gain, is your choice (I Tim 6:6; Heb 13:5-6).

What can you do to be great in the sight of God and men? Slow down! Do not ever say or do anything by impulse. Hear things out before you speak. Choose to study every matter before giving your opinion. Wait before reacting, when you hear or experience any negative event. Cut your words in half. Always be gracious in your speech, especially with your family. Let the words of this proverb motivate you to be a mighty man of valor.

But you cannot achieve this victory without help, and that help is in the Lord, His word, and His saints. Paul learned that he could do all things through Christ, Who strengthened him (Phil 4:13). The Holy Spirit, allowed to bear fruit by a holy and submissive life, can fill you with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, and so forth (Gal 5:22-23). The Bible can convert your soul by showing the folly of anger and the glory of peace. And brothers and sisters in Christ, when they are doing their duty, can encourage and warn you as needed.

Will the real mighty men of valor please stand up! Will the real noble women of the earth please stand up! You will not have to wait long to face your foe. The Lord Himself will arrange circumstances to test the rule of your spirit. Do not be surprised by anything that happens. Purpose now to be slow and cautious in responding and to rule that unruly fury in your belly and tongue. May the grace of Jesus Christ give you complete victory!

Proverbs 25:16 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 25, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 25, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 25:16 If you find honey, eat just enough-too much of it, and you will vomit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Proverbs 20:21 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 20, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 21, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Proverbs 20:01 Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise

How does wine mock? How does strong drink rage? How do they deceive men? Solomon used powerful figures of speech to warn against excessive drinking and drunkenness.

Wine is good. God made it to cheer man (Ps 104:14-15; Jdgs 9:13; Zec 9:17). A simple, quick test of a person’s knowledge of God and the Bible is his opinion of wine. Cheers!

But to avoid being a deceived fool, you must reject ever drinking too much. Just as eating too much is the sin of gluttony, drinking too much is the sin of drunkenness (Pr 23:21).

To be wise, you must be careful with anything that can shame you or enflame passions. If you arrogantly presume you can handle alcohol without discipline or limits, you are a fool. Kings, prophets, and preachers are extra careful (Pr 31:4-5; Is 28:7-8; I Tim 5:23).

Does this proverb condemn moderate use of wine or strong drink? God forbid! He made both for your pleasure (Deut 14:26; Pr 31:6-7; Eccl 9:7). The Bible’s beverage of choice is wine (Gen 14:18; II Sam 6:19; Ecc 10:19; John 2:1-11), but it was not to be used to the excess of drunkenness (Eph 5:18; Luke 21:34). Jesus often drank wine (Luke 7:33-35).

The proverb has two key metonyms. Metonymy is a figure of speech that substitutes one thing for another. It adds beauty and force to language. The Bible is full of metonymy and other figures of speech, so that superficial readings and primary definitions are often ludicrous, especially of proverbs (Pr 1:6). Fully grasp these common examples:

1. “Step on the gas” substitutes gas for the accelerator pedal. No one is expected to step in a puddle of gasoline. The meaning is only for the driver to speed up the car.
2. “He really used his head” substitutes the location of thinking for the brain. No one thinks he banged his skull. The intent is only that he intelligently solved a problem.
3. “The White House announced” substitutes the place where he lives for the President. No one believes his residence actually spoke, for it is a permanently inanimate object. The meaning is only that the President gave new information to the public.

Examine the first clause, “Wine is a mocker.” Wine is the fermented, alcoholic juice of the grape, and to mock someone is to ridicule or make a fool of him. Wine will stay in a bottle or glass very quietly. It does not do anything rude by itself. It can remain in a wine cellar for many years without ridiculing or shaming anyone. How is wine a mocker?

Wine is not a mocker itself. Wine is a metonym for drunkenness. The figure of speech substitutes a cause for the effect. The Bible says the tongue is a world of iniquity (Jas 3:6). How so? A tongue is only a muscle in your mouth. But the wrongful use of the tongue is sinful! Again, as in this category of metonymy, a cause is put for the effect.

Wine will mock you, if you drink too much of it (Pr 23:29-35). Excessive drinking can make you drunk, losing moral inhibitions, personal self-control, or even basic motor skills. Then you will make a fool of yourself. Though having the best of intentions for wisdom, you will make a joke of your own reputation. Consider what it did to Noah (Gen 9:21), Lot (Gen 19:31-36), Nabal (I Sam 25:36-38), and Elah (I Kgs 16:8-10).

God and Solomon want you to be great. Wine is a wonderful relaxer that cheers and gladdens, but too much can temporarily impair your abilities and potentially harm your reputation. You must set limits to drinking so that you always maintain noble control of yourself. Rules for wine are no different than rules for things like food, sex, sleep, etc.

Examine the second clause, “Strong drink is raging.” Strong drink is a beverage from the fermentation or distillation of various substances, and rage is an outburst of violent anger. Happily for grocers and restaurant owners, beer and whiskey will stay in bottles without fighting, even for years, even on the same shelf! How does strong drink rage?

Strong drink does not rage itself. Strong drink is a metonym for drunkenness. The figure of speech substitutes cause for effect. The Bible says the rod gives wisdom (Pr 29:15). How? A rod is a short stick of wood. It will not move from where you leave it; it knows nothing; it cannot teach. How does it give wisdom? Prudently used for corporal punishment will teach! Again, in this category of metonymy, a cause is put for the effect.

Strong drink can lead to rage, if you drink too much. Excessive drinking will make you drunk, and you may fight for no reason. The loss of inhibitions can cause you to lose your temper and ignore consequences of yelling or fighting. The tongue is loosened first, then the anger, and then the fists. Stories of barroom brawls are Legion. The proverb is true!

If you drink without sober fear for these dangers of alcohol, you are a fool. Drunkenness can creep up on you and relax you into its warm folly before you realize. No wise man will drink without definite limits and conscious care to avoid drunkenness. He is committed to prudent conduct, which does not allow for even small amounts of folly (Eccl 10:1), so he will not risk his reputation by even getting close to drunkenness.

Be wise! The solution is not the lie of the Temperance Movement – total abstinence and Amendment XVIII to the U.S. Constitution in 1920. Thankfully, that amendment was repealed in 1933 with the XXI, so Christians could again enjoy God’s gift. If prohibition is wise, then bread and milk should be despised and outlawed for their roles in gluttony!

Temperance is not abstinence; temperance is self-discipline, a key rule of the Christian’s life (I Cor 9:24-27; Phil 4:5). It is a shame to hear ignorant Christians haughtily condemn beer and wine, while glutting themselves to obesity at a cheap buffet! Solomon’s Proverbs will teach wisdom to those that will humble their hearts and minds to scripture.

A man committed to living a holy and virtuous life for the glory of God will be careful and fearful with wine and strong drink, just as he will with pizza and pies, and just as he will with sex, sleep, and speech. He does not want to sin in any area of life. And leaders are to exemplify this conservative regard for holiness, whom God has put under stricter rules for wine due to their need for wise judgment (Pr 31:4-5; I Tim 3:3,8; Tit 1:7).

Jesus was called a winebibber, or a drunkard, by his enemies (Luke 7:33-35), but He was never drunk. He often drank wine, and He even made much wine for a wedding, but He was always moderate and temperate in its use. He was the epitome of righteous sobriety. He always did those things that pleased His Father, and drunkenness does not please God (John 8:29; Gal 5:16-21). Remember, there are no drunkards in heaven (I Cor 6:9-10).

Rather than rely only on wine for its gladdening effect, He found His greatest joy and pleasure in walking with God through the Holy Spirit. Paul taught you to seek the same balance, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18). What will such men do? Rather than the songs of the drunkard, they will have a melody in their hearts for singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph 5:19)!

Proverbs 18:06 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: March 18, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 18, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Proverbs 18.06 A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.

Foolish talkers should be beat. You have heard them. They are obnoxious. Arguments and debates follow them wherever they go. Are you ever one? Do your words grate, irritate, frustrate, or provoke others? Wisdom and success depend on ruling your speech.

Consider the next proverb, which is related. “A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul” (Pr 18:7). A man that cannot rule his speech will destroy himself. His mouth will get his soul into trouble in all sorts of ways. He needs to be beat.

Do not think Solomon’s conclusion is too harsh. The beating is for their own good! The beating would increase peace and quiet by silencing those that make a loud nuisance with their mouths. If they had potential for success, the beating would help them find it. If it were done, it would not be done much, for fools would control their speech to avoid it.

A problem today is a gross misunderstanding of so-called free speech. No one has the right to say anything they wish. All men have the responsibility to only say those things that please God and profit men. But now with the flick of a finger, emails or texts or tweets send arrogant words, haughty speech, and disrespectful retorts all over the place.

A fool prefers talking to listening, especially if corrected. He would rather argue and contradict than humble himself to instruction. Lacking respect for authority and others, he speaks when he ought to be silent. His froward speech leads to confrontations, and his inappropriate remarks beg for someone to give him stripes on his back with a rod.

Here is another common theme in Solomon’s Proverbs – ruling your speech. The tongue is a powerful thing; it can be used for good or evil, life or death (Pr 18:21). A wise man studies to answer (Pr 15:28); he is slow to speak and says no more than necessary (Pr 17:27-28). But a fool pours out foolishness, letting everyone know he is a fool (Ecc 10:3).

Fools cannot control their mouths (Eccl 10:12-14). They talk too much. They talk without thinking. They retort quickly. They talk when they should not. They fight fire with fire. They answer issues before they even hear them (Pr 18:13). They are disrespectful and irritating. They question things not to be questioned; they argue about words to no profit.

Fools have no discretion. They do not know that different situations call for different words and tones. They just plow ahead verbally, like the proverbial bull in a china shop. Their quarrelsome approach to conversation is offensive and confrontational, resulting in hurt feelings, contention, and strife. They cause fights, and they deserve to be beaten!

Solomon taught soft answers turn away wrath and end fights (Pr 15:1). Gideon knew such wisdom, as he flattered Ephraim to take away their anger at not being invited to the early stages of the battle (Judges 8:1-3). Wise men know such discretion, but fools can never learn it. There is only one way to teach a fool – stripes from a rod (Pr 26:3).

Parent, do you consistently and diligently teach your children the rules of gracious speech? It is a very valuable thing you can teach them. Success in every part of life, from marriage to their professional success or a role in a church, requires sober and thoughtful speech. You are with them every day; you can fulfill this proverb literally. Do not allow them to bicker or argue with siblings, dominate conversations, jest, or talk back to you.

Christians always speak with grace (Col 4:6; Eph 4:29). If salty criticism is needed, only a small amount is to be used. Open debate and wrangling are wrong (I Tim 6:3-5; Titus 3:9). Saints reject blustery exchanges about anything! Once a fool is corrected, no more words should be used (Pr 26:4-5; 23:9). Let him fall into his ditch (Matt 7:6; 15:12-14).

But fools will be meddling. They want to question everything. They want to argue any and every point. They want to object. They want to get their two cents in. They want to remember past offences. They want to correct details. They want to whisper about others.

They are saucy and insolent. They are critical and negative. They are crude and rude. They are hasty and loud. They are impulsive and obnoxious. They are graceless and shameful. They are fools – they cause contention and fights – they deserve to be beaten.

Are you one of them? Are you ever guilty of disturbing the peace of those around you and getting into unnecessary conflicts – unnecessary in the minds of others, for every fool is always right in his own eyes. Will you humble yourself and change your speech habits?

How important is this little proverb? After this life you will stand before the Creator God and give account for every idle word you spoke while on earth – your speech will help determine your destiny (Matt 12:34-37). You will then wish you had been beaten for foolish talking. Instead, God in kind mercy sent you this proverb by the pen of Solomon.

God is more severe than Solomon! He hates the perversity of filthy speech, foolish talking, or jesting; He calls for giving of thanks instead (Eph 5:4). He is sending Jesus soon to judge men for these sins. “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience (Eph 5:6).

Proverbs 4:13-17 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: February 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 4:13-17  Hold on to instruction; do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked, or walk in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not travel on it, turn from it and go on your way. For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall. They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

Even friends can make you fall. It is difficult for people to accept the fact that friends and acquaintances might be luring them to do wrong. Young people who want to be accepted would never want to confront or criticize a friend for wrong plans or actions. Many other people can’t even see how their friend’s actions could lead to trouble. While we should be accepting of others, we need a healthy skepticism about human behavior. When you feel yourself being heavily influenced, proceed with caution. Don’t let your friends cause you to fall into sin

Proverbs 22:13 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: January 22, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 22, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 22:13 – The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!” or, “I will be murdered in the streets!”

 This proverb refers to an excuse a lazy person might use to avoid going to work.  The excuse sounds silly to us, but that’s often how our excuses sound to others.  Don’t rationalize laziness.  Take your responsibilities seriously and get to work.

Lazy people always have excuses! They see difficulty in any job. They arrogantly reject good explanations of successful men that a task can be done (Pr 26:16). They are lazy, and they use their conceited minds to convince themselves and others to avoid the work.

Challenges are opportunities! They mean the lazy will not be competing, so there is more for you. They mean the wages or profit will be more. They mean the honor for finishing will be higher. They mean the skill and experience acquired will be greater. Consider it!

Difficulties are challenges to the diligent, but excuses to the slothful. Adversity means a little more effort to the diligent, but it quickly defeats the slothful. Any difficulty is enough for him to cancel his plans and quit, for the lion in the streets might slay him!

He wants the good things of life, but his hands refuse to labor (Pr 19:24; 21:25), so he makes up ridiculous excuses to justify himself. He prefers his bed or toys (Pr 6:9-10). He dreads the thought of exertion, persistence, or pain. Though he and all wise men know that lions prefer the hills and woods, he makes up preposterous pretenses to avoid work.

These are the words of a lazy person. He knows the city streets are not this bad, but he uses his wild excuse to justify himself to others. The excuses lazy people use are Legion. As long as sluggards exist, lions and other dangerous beasts will roam cities and threaten lives! Such excuses are so common, the LORD left a twin for this proverb (Pr 26:13)!

Seven successful men might prove there is no lion, but a man that hates work will still argue that there is danger (Pr 26:16). He has convinced himself of difficulty in order to keep from making an effort; the sound reasoning of diligent men is easily brushed aside! Lazy men can explain away their responsibilities with a thousand ridiculous excuses.

His lazy lie may be self-fulfilling, for the slothful have a rough time with easy projects (Pr 15:19). The more a slothful man considers the difficulty of a job, the more difficult it will be. His half-hearted efforts make anthills seem like mountains! He claims fear of the lion, but forgets that men are the masters of lions and may hunt them for mere sport.

It has been said, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. These words did not originate with a lazy man, for tough going is his reason to quit and look for easier work. Diligent men believe and practice them, and they find great reward in their own souls and from one another for their zealous and persistent efforts in business (Pr 14:14; 22:29).

 

Procrastination and hypochondria are sins. They are excuses of cowardly and lazy men (Rom 12:11). Ask a lazy man why he is not happy, and he will fill your ears with his aches and pains. You would think Job exists in every generation! Ask a lazy man why he did not finish the job today, and he will fill your ears with how tomorrow is better and a sure thing. The problem is, he will say similar things tomorrow about the next day!

 

Distraction is a sin. If you have a job or business, diligence is God’s order (Rom 12:11). Faithfulness is a virtue (Pr 13:17; 25:13; 28:20). It is your God-given duty to apply effort as wisely as possible to make the most possible. In America, is your annual salary or net profit twice your age? It is an indicator. If you are behind, why? What has you distracted?

 

Dereliction is a sin. If you have a diligent and faithful spouse, that does not relieve you at all of your duties before God, unless it is by full mutual agreement after consulting with God’s word and wise counselors. Get up and get out – there is no lion! But the Lion of the tribe of Judah will stalk slothful men, for only diligent producers are in His kingdom.

 

What is the cure for fear and sloth? Get out in the street! Charge your duties with zeal! It will amaze you how empty the streets are of opposition, when you face them head on. The morning is only dark and cold while you cuddle in a warm bed with the light off. Get out of the bed and turn the light on, and you will be surprised at things are better already!

 

Ten fearful and slothful spies forgot God’s great works in saving them from Egypt and told Israel that Canaan would be too difficult for them to take (Num 13:26-33). Instead of the lion in the streets, they used the giants and grasshoppers excuse. “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight” (Num 13:33). Poor boys! They died like dogs in the wilderness for their lack of faith and diligence to take the promise land!

 

Jesus gave varied funds to three men (Matt 25:14-30). Two invested theirs and earned a nice return and the high praise of their Lord. The other was a slothful loser, who buried his talent in the ground, out of intimidation and slothfulness. His excuse was that his Lord was too severe in His expectations. Poor boy! His talent was taken away and given to the man with ten. The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer in the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus Christ has called you to carry your cross daily (Luke 9:23). How will you respond? Will you dread the effort and shrink from your profession into carnal backsliding (Phil 3:18-19; Heb 10:38-39)? Or will you count up the cost and labor to pay it in full for the glory of your beloved paymaster (Luke 14:25-33)? Will you take it up today, reader?

 

If you see a lion in the way of either natural or spiritual projects, remember His precious promise, “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet” (Ps 91:13). Let it never be said of you, “The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle” (Ps 78:9).

 

When it comes to spiritual duties and pleasing God in heaven, there is indeed a lion in the streets that seeks to devour you – the devil himself (I Pet 5:8). But if you will resist him, he will flee from you (Jas 4:7). If you will get out of bed and take the whole armor of God that He has provided, you can stand against his wiles (Eph 6:10-18; 5:14-16; 4:27).

 

The promises of God are obtained by the zealous, not the slothful (Heb 6:9-12). Jesus obtained His crown by facing and enduring the lion in several encounters (Ps 22:11-21; Matt 4:1-11; Heb 12:1-3). Rejoice, reader, that Jesus did not hide from the lion without, or you would die in your sins. Consider His holy example and follow it in all your duties!

 

 

Proverbs 11:09 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: January 11, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 11, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Proverbs 11:09 With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape.   

The mouth can be used either as a weapon or a tool, hurting relationships or building them up.  Sadly, it is often easier to destroy than to build, and most people have received more destructive comments than those that build up.  Every person you meet today is either a demolition site or a construction opportunity. Your words will make a difference.  Will they be weapons for destruction or tool for construction?

Proverbs 25:28 Wisdom for the Soul

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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