To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things; From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness; Who delight in doing evil And rejoice in the perversity of evil; Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their ways; Proverbs 2:12-15 

Why is wisdom needed?  Well for many in the modern mindset, maybe it isn't.  They contend that the basic nature of man is good.  Yet the very reason for wisdom is the fact that evil exists.  But we are not being told about evil in theory - we are being told here that evil men exist.  The battle with evil in theory is one only in our minds - but a battle with evil that actually involves evil men - that is another story altogether.  

The first thing we learn is that there is a "way of evil" that exists in our world.  We are facing those who have developed lifestyles that embrace evil.  The facts are in - and those facts clearly deliniate for us that man is fallen.  The facts also indicate that being fallen, man has developed a whole way of life that is contrary to the will of God.  If we are not careful and wise - we will find ourselves following that path - that way of evil.  According to Solomon, we need to be delivered from the way of evil.  Maybe this is why we hear John telling us, "Do not love the world or the things of the world, if anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him."  

The way we are drawn into this way of evil is by men who speak perverse things.  This perverse speech involves saying things that distort and deviate from what God has said and what God wants.  It is deceptive, corrupt speaking that either denies the Word or twists it until it suits our fallen appetites.  That's why we need wisdom and discretion - the ability to distinguish between things godly and ungodly.  We need to know when an "evil man" is trying to decieve us and lead us astray.

The evil man leave the paths of uprightness to walk in their darkness.  Here it is again - the fact that there is an entire walk and path that is ungodly.  But we also learn that there is a corresponding walk that is upright and godly.  The evil man leaves God's ways and chooses those that are dark instead.  We learn again from John that the ungodly hate the light and does not come to the light.  That is the way of the evil man.  That is also why we need wisdom and understanding - to remind us that fellowship with the evil man means fellowship with darkness.  It seems that God is trying to get us to see that there is a light/darkness - good/evil - godly/ungodly situation in life.  

The evil man leave the paths of uprightness to walk in their darkness.  Here it is again - the fact that there is an entire walk and path that is ungodly.  But we also learn that there is a corresponding walk that is upright and godly.  The evil man leaves God's ways and chooses those that are dark instead.  We learn again from John that the ungodly hate the light and does not come to the light.  That is the way of the evil man.  That is also why we need wisdom and understanding - to remind us that fellowship with the evil man means fellowship with darkness.  It seems that God is trying to get us to see that there is a light/darkness - good/evil - godly/ungodly situation in life. 

Worldly wisdom equates the best of thinking and acting to mankind.  That is why they are shocked with evil rears its head.  They want to think the best of man - when the truth is man IS capable of the worst attrocities.  Proverbs tells us that there are those men who "delight in doing evil and rejoice in perversity."  We almost shrink from these statements - yet that is what is said here.

If there has been a "fall" of mankind into sin that has corrupted them utterly - then it really isn't that much of a stretch that man rejoices in evil and perversity.  To fallen man - evil is good and good is evil.  Isn't that what we see today?  In our world evil is called good and good evil.  They consider the things of God strange and His commandments as burdensome.  They see freedom as bondage and their current state of bondage as freedom.  Delight in doing evil then becomes the norm - and it should not be all that strange to see them devoting entire programs on television and articles in writing to rejoice in how they pervert the straight paths of God.  

Look at the sexual revolution of the 60's as an example.  The morals of the past were thrown off (possibly the biggest lie of that period was to deny that such things had always been happening - just that they were done far more secretly).  But I think that the shock was not that morals were cast aside, but that now those actin immorally were rejoicing openly in their perversity.  The movement was not just a desire to set aside what is right - it was a rejoicing in what heretofore was considered evil.  What is even more amazing to me is that several generations of this behavior has led to soceity adopting such actions as normal - and now even certain segments of soceity say we should rejoice in evil.  NOW we get why we need to cry out to God for wisdom, discretion, and knowledge to escape such a fate.

The final statement about the way of evil is that their direction in life becomes like their heart.  Their paths (again the word for lifestyle) are crooked.  Crooked is the Hebrew word 'iqqesh'.  It means something that is morally, religiously, and socially perverted.  This perversity comes from the source of an evil, deceitful, perverse heart.  No longer are certain actions perverted - but the whole direction and path of their life runs counter to the truth of God.

Their lifestyle is finally described as being devious.  This is the last straw.  It describes a person who has followed their perverse and wicked ways to the point where they now despise and reject God's ways.  They find them abhorant.  What is worse is that they are utterly blind to their condition.

What we have described for us is the natural degradation of fallen men.  They may begin with the remnants of God's image within them - but as they continue in their perversity they soon scald their conscience and harden it to the point where they no longer feel any shame in their sin.  By the way, this is exactly what is taught to us in Romans chapter one.  We learn that man begins with denying God and being ungrateful, but ends with those who cheer on the wickedness of man - preferring their own perversity to anything God has to offer.  In light of such an ignoble end - we see why Solomon impresses on his son the importance of crying out to God for wisdom and understanding.  There is too much at stake here to live and let live.  The fall of man guarantees that what starts as a mere snowflake will become a massive ball of snow that destroys all in its path.  May such a vision of the destrutive power of our core perverseness motivate us to a passionate cry for God's wisdom and a desperate search for His ways and paths.

So you will walk in the way of good men And keep to the paths of the righteous. Proverbs 2:20

There is a road map that God has for us - not just for a short journey, but for an entire lifetime.  The proverb for today speaks of this in two ways.  There are two words used here to indicate a way or a path.  One refers to the way of good men - while the other speaks of the paths of the righteous.  Let's take a look at both of them and see how we can gain a little bit of wisdom from them both. 

First we learn of the way of good men.  This is the Hebrew word "derek" which speaks of a way that is traveled.  The way that this word is used most often is to speak metaphorically of the pathway of one's life.  This suggests to us a pattern of life - which is referred to in Deuteronomy 8:6 as an obedient life and in 2 Samuel 22:22 and Jeremiah 5:4 refers to a life lived for godly and righteous ways.  Since the entire chapter focuses on the power of the Word of God in our lives - and our need to know it, study it, meditate on it, and apply it to our lives - then we can see that if we take the Word seriously - it will have a powerful affect on our lives.  The biblical way is the way of good men.  Those who have a sincere desire to obey the Lord and to serve Him and love Him will live good lives.  Their lifestyles are worth emulating - and we can follow their way of life if we are committed to following the Scriptures.

Second, we learn of the paths of the righteous.  The word for "paths" here is the Hebrew word, "orah."  This word is similar to our first.  It speaks of a way or a highway.  It is metaphorically used to speak of the literal path upon which someone walks - but also can refer to the course of their life - the characteristics of their lifestyle.  These can be good or evil, righteous or deserving of judgment.  Here since it speaks of the paths of the righteous, we are speaking of a good way to go.  The difference between these two words seems to be that in the first, we are walking in the ways of the good men we see.  It seems to have an immediacy to it - as if we have these men before our eyes.  It speaks of following the examples of men who are alive and whom we seek to emulate because of their godly lifestyles.  The second word speaks more of holding fast to the very way (lifestyle over their entire lives) of righteous men. 

Where do we learn of such men?  First we learn of them in the Scriptures.  We know of godly men throughout the Word of God.  These are men who have an example and a lifestyle worthy of following.  These are men like Moses, David, Elijah, Elisha, Hezekiah, the prophets and others in the Old Testament.  In the New we have Peter, Paul, John, and Jesus.  We need to look at both their daily lives - as well as the course of their lives and give ourselves to following their example.

Do you have such men in your sights?  Are you making sure that you and your children have the right kind of heros to emulate and to follow?  We desperately need to change the kind of men we set before ourselves and our children in this generation.  If we allow the media and the world to chose these men we will see thier bankruptcy poured into the lives of our children - as well as polluting our own hearts as to what a real man should be.  Men like Jim Elliot, William Carey, John Patton, George Mueller, John Hyde, C. S. Lewis, Vanya, and Bruchko should be well known to this generation of the church.  Unfortunately, they are relatively unknown and we are much poorer for it.  May God give us a renaisance of Christian heros and men worthy of following before our eyes.  May their example help to point the way and the path upon which we should be walking.

For her house sinks down to death And her tracks lead to the dead; None who go to her return again, Nor do they reach the paths of life. Proverbs 2:18-19

Where does sexual immorality get you in the end?  We all realize that it promises pleasure in the short term - but where do we wind up when the pleasure subsides and a life course reaches its end?  That is what today's proverb tells us.  It informs us of this through the destination of the harlot - the "strange woman" - the adulteress.

First, we learn of her "house."  This speaks of the place where someone dwells.  The word was used to indicate the building in which a family or household lives.  Here, though, it speaks metaphorically of where she will take you - as she encourages you to enter into adultery with her.  Her house sinks down to death.  There is no solid ground upon which to stand - or upon which to found a house with this woman.  How could there be - she is trashing her marital vows - ignoring God's Word - and striking out into her own desires for sex and for unbiblical companionship.  Her house will collapse - and sink like one built on sand.  Christ spoke of this in Matthew 7:24-27.  A person whose life is not built upon obedience to Christ's Word - is a life built upon sand.  The adulteress may promise passion and pleasure for a night - but when the storm of the adultery is known - the house will collapse because it was built on the sand foundation of sexual desires. 

Her house sinks like sand - down to death.  Her tracks or steps also lead to the dead.  Her house here is sinking toward being dead.  The term death here refers to more than just physical death.  When this term is used figuratively it expresses the idea of ruin and destruction.  It is most often contrasted with the opposite ideas of life, prosperity, and happiness.  Can you imagine walking into a buildling - a home - where you are guaranteed that any desires for life, prosperity, and happiness are going to be dashed upon the rocks of your own strong sexual urges.  What the father is trying to get the son to see here is that embracing God's Word will instruct him and help deliver him from such things - and from such women.

He is also telling his son that to follow her steps toward the bedroom - is to follow in a path that leads to the spirits of the dead.  I am not a fan of horror movies - but I can imagine a scene where seduction is taking place - and a man chooses to follow an adulteress into the bedroom.  But what I see as a result of the Scriptures is not a hot and heavy sex scene - but a transformation of those steps from following a sultry seductress to following an evil spirit.  Each step renders the former beauty that was leading me to the bed of adultery into a hideous, horrific creature that would make any horror film antagonist look like little bo peep in comparison.  That is the picture that is being painted for us.  But there is more in the next verse.

As this fool follows the adulteress into her bedroom - the door behind them begins to shut.  Movie producers would have us to believe the shutting of that door closes the two of them in a room of ecstacy and a night of sexual pleasure that the two of them will never forget.  That is not the picture that the Word of God wants us to see though.

As the door closes - it is not with a gentle click of the doorknob hitting the plate.  What we hear is a slamming sound - and the sound we hear reverberates throughout all of eternity.  We read in the proverb that none who go to her return again, nor to they reach the paths of life.  What we need to hear is not a gentle door closing - but a snapping of a trap which ends with the crushing sound of our spiritual life being snuffed out.  If we go this way - we are closing ourselves into a prison cell - into a torture chamber.  We are locking ourselves into a sin the likes of which we may never escape.  This is not a pleasure palace.  It is a poisoned pit that will captivate us forever.  The poison is released when the flesh has secured our devotion to sexual immorality.  We become addicted to the high of sexual release - especially the kind of release that involves secret, unlawful, hidden, wicked actions.  That kind of high has enslaved men and women since the entrance of sin into this world. 

I realize in reading this some will accuse me of resorting to extremes to prove a point.  But consider the lengths the movie and television industry goes to in order to supposedly entertain us.  They are capturing us with pictures - with scenes that they want to etch into our minds.  The vast majority of the time these pictures and scenes are promoting the very things that the Scriptures warn against.  Yet we do not accuse them of something elicit.  God understood the power of pictures long before the idea of cinema ever entered the mind of man.  That is why His Word is filled with some of the most expressive language ever written.  That is why He uses word picture after word picture to warn us of the pitfalls and dangers of sin.  Rather than discourage a child from seeing the ones God gives us - maybe as fathers we should paint them in the most vivid colors imaginable for our sons and daughters.  I know that if we do we will find ourselves in the company of some very wise and godly men who knew how to use them for the glory of God and the protection of their children - rather than for a gold statue handed out at an awards show.  Remember dads, the only awards show that matters is the one at the end of the age - where the ONLY presenter will be God Himself. 

That leaves the companion of her youth And forgets the covenant of her God; Proverbs 2:17

Many folk may not realize this, but it is a very healthy thing for your marriage to spend time in the Word each day reading it and listening to God through it.  It is this very Word that counsels us in a way that will deliver us from a woman or man who would forget their marriage covenant - and leave their spouse.

Today's proverb of the day takes us back to a promise that was made in verse 11.  As we get into the Word of God and learn wisdom from it, we will find that the discretion it gives us will guard and watch over us.  After telling us how it will guard us from the way or evil and the man who would speak perverse things to us (by perverse it is speaking of one who would pervert God's ways and replace them with his own, the worlds, or the devil's ways) it then turns to the adulteress and the strange woman. 

We are told that the adulteress leaves the companion of her youth.  The idea here is not that she leaves a boyfriend - but that she is leaving her husband.  If that is not clear in the first part of the verse, it becomes very clear when we are told that she "forgets the covenant of her God."  Some might argue that this refers to God's Law - more than any kind of marriage covenant.  I would agree whole-heartedly on this point of Scripture, but I would also add that God's covenant is what teaches us to honor marriage and remain committed to our spouse. 

As a pastor I find it kind of funny that some people think that the traditional marriage ceremony is out of Scripture.  It is often treated as if it is just as authoritative as Scripture.  With no desire to lay waste to the ceremony itself, I have to state that the ceremony is not in the Bible.  Having said that, I do believe that the principles behind it are absolutely supported by the Word of God - but the word for word ceremony is not.  The only thing we have close to a ceremony for marriage is the words God inspired in Adam and God's commentary on it afterward in Genesis 2:23-25 when He brought Adam and Eve together.

Some, seizing upon this, assert that there is no need for marriage or any kind of marriage ceremony.  Whether or not this is true (the ceremony part), there is one thing that I can absolutely assure you of that is Scriptural.  Mmarriage between a man and woman - is called a covenant twice in the Scriptures.  Here in Proverbs chatper 2 we see that the adulteress leaves her husband and disregards the covenant made with her God.  Again in Malachi 2:14 we see that marriage is considered a covenant with God.  Therefore, whether you have a ceremony like the traditional one or not - you are not married until you enter into a covenant with God - and God takes covenants very seriously. 

That is why we are warned to be delivered from such a woman.  It is wisdom to know to stay away from an adulteress woman who forgets a covenant with God to love her husband exclusively (and just so there is no doubt - we should stay away from an adulterer or whoremonger too for the same reasons.)  Wisdom honors covenants and appreciates those who remain true to their word - whether given in a covenant or not.  Jesus makes that clear when He tells us to let our yes be yes and our no be no.  One who disregards their word when their sensual desires rise up within them is not a wise companion.  When this is the case with someone of the opposite sex - it turns out to be more than just unwise - it is deadly!

The Word of God will counsel and admonish us to walk in a way that will honor our word - and especially honor God's Word.  That is why it is so important for your marriage that you get into the Word every day and make sure that the Word gets into you.  

To deliver you from the strange woman, From the adulteress who flatters with her words;  Proverbs 2:16

Here we have a four verse warning against the adulterous woman.  It is in the midst of a passage telling us the benefits of knowing God's Word and Wisdom.  His wisdom will deliver us from this kind of sexual sin. 

The word deliver here means to overcome the power of another that is trying to overcome us.  There is a very clear power that is manifest when sexual sin is trying to deceive us.  Some call it sexual tension - but I believe that it is more clearly distinguished as sexual temptation - and it is energized by the power of the wicked one.  Unless the sexual encounter is between husband and wife, we can be assured that the "tension" of which we speak is an evil tension.  What we need is a greater power at work in us that can overcome the temptations and the enticements to sin. 

God says that wisdom and the Word will deliver us from the "strange" woman.  What a great way to state what we are dealing with here.  This is indeed a strange woman.  She is a stranger to God's ways and to God's Word.  She is an adulteress - and as such she is truly strange.  How we need to train ourselves with a God-centered, Biblically-based worldview on such matters.  We should look at such woman and see them as strange to us.  They are strange because they choose to disobey God.  They are strange because they dishonor their marriage vows.  They are strange because they forget the covenant they made with God.  They are strange because they promise pleasure and ecstacy, but actually only deliver death and shame.  How strange it is for a woman to act in this way.  Our society, in contrast, glorifies this woman.  They may not come out and say that she is an adulteress, but they don't say or do anything to discourage her from flaunting her sexuality in a way that is odious to God.  A woman's beauty is to be for God's glory and her husband's enjoyment.  Other than that - she is not to parade her beauty around in unacceptable, immodest ways.  When she does so - she is basically acting like a harlot/prostitute - and is causing numerous men to stumble into visual and heart-level adultery.  We should view such women - as strange indeed.

This woman lures men into adultery with her flattering words.  The word for flatter here is very interesting.  It speaks of words that are smooth.  Flattering words are smooth and easy to the ear.  When we hear them we tend to agree with them because, after all, it is nice when someone finally notices how awesome and hot we are!  Such words seldom are spoken to us for our benefit.  That is the danger of flattery.  The words that are spoken seem like they are for our benefit, but actually they are for the benefit of the one who is offering them to us.  The flattery is given to fill our ears with their words, yet their aim is to gain access to our heart.  Once their flattery is effective in disabling our ability to discern and act prudently, they begin to carry out their hidden plan in our lives.  Here, the adulteress is using flattery to get us to commit adultery with her.  She does NOT have our best interests in mind.  That is why we need to reject utterly her flattering words and depart from her presence as quickly as possible.  To do otherwise is to risk grave danger to ourselves and to our marriages. 

A wise man will learn to hear flattery and reject it.  He will also know that excessive compliments from a woman other than his wife is a set up.  He needs to know that he is being hunted - and that is not something to feel flattered about.  Ask any animal that has been lured into the open by deceptive measures - and then has narrowly escaped with his life when the trap is sprung.  The flattery is seen afterward as extremely dangerous.  Therefore a wise man learns to see the trap - clings to the Lord and to the wife of his youth. 

As I close today, let me encourage married couples for just a moment.  It is too easy once you have lived with someone long enough to get out of the habit of complimenting and in a good way, flattering them.  Your spouse wants to be complimented - and talked to in a way that makes them blush a little.  Know this . . . YOU are the only one who should be doing this with your spouse.  But if you do not - know that they will be more vulnerable to the flattery of others.  Take the time to speak something very sweet to your wives guys - ladies, do the same to your husbands.  There may be someone out their who is getting ready to set a trap for them.  Make it completely ineffective by lovingly flattering your sweetheart - and do it on a regular basis.  It is a wise thing to do.

Discretion will guard you, Understanding will watch over you, Proverbs 2:11

In our world a great number of people purchase a security system.  They do so because they are wanting someone to watch over them and the things that they own so that they are safe.  What we read in Proverbs today tells us that when we walk in wisdom, we are guarded and watched over by God Himself.  Now that is security!

As we open ourselves up to God for Him to do His work in our lives, we will begin to watch two very helpful things begin to happen in our thinking.  The first is that we will begin to have biblical discernment.  The word used here for discernment is "mezimmah."  It means to have prudence and discretion.  When God's wisdom comes into our lives - we begin to live with prudence.  This means that we begin to look things over before doing them.  We are prudent in that we think about the end of the matter before doing something.  The ungodly just jump into an action because it is what they want to do.  But when wisdom begins to guide our way - we think about what this is going to do in the end.  We ask the question, "If I do this, what is the result going to be?"  If we see a bad result or a costly one, we choose not to do it.  This is how we are guarded by discretion.  We are guarded from making a quick decision that is not thought out beforehand.  This keeps us from many problems.

The second thing we begin to experience is understanding.  This is the often used word "tebunah" which refers to someone with insight.  They receive the information God gives them from the Word and from His Spirit and begin to understand all things from that perspective.  Their understanding will watch over them - because as with discernment - they are loathe to do something just because it is what they want - or what others want for them.  They see things from God's perspective - and having seen that - they avoid danger and stupidity like the plague. 

A wise man listens to God through the Word of God.  That Word speaks a myriad of things to him - and helps him begin to see the world as God sees it.  When that happens - he will also begin to discern the best course of action - and takes it.  This habit will help make that young man or worman - a person who is protected from evil - and will watch over them for good as they learn to follow God with all their heart and soul.

For wisdom will enter your heart And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; Proverbs 2:10

God wants us to have a "heart" religion - and not just one that affects our heads on certain days.  Here we have Solomon speaking to us about having wisdom enter our hearts and knowledge becoming pleasant to our mind, will, and emotions.  This is the kind of work that the Lord wants to do in us.  Let's take a closer look at what it means to have this happen - and the reason it is not such an easy task.

First of all - as with all things in a Biblical worldview, sin has made things diffiicult because it has ruined us.  We learn from the prophets that we currently have a heart of stone.  One of the promises of the new covenant is that God will remove from us this heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh.  The sign of this is that God will have written His commandments on our hearts - and we will want to obey Him.  Part of this process also comes when we seek the Lord and desire to know Him and the wisdom that comes from having His Word before our eyes.  In Proverbs 2 we see the pursuit of God's Word - and the passion that Solomon had for it.  This is a work of grace because we read in 1 Peter 1 that we are to long for the Word like a newborn babe longs for its mother's milk.  When that work of grace happens - the Word of God will dwell within us richly - and in time - it will enter our hearts.  This work of God's grace will encsure that wisdom too will enter our hearts. 

To have wisdom from the Word in our hearts is vital.  Jesus said that it is out of the abundance of what is in the heart that the mouth speaks.  That is why it is so important to have wisdom enter our hearts.  The heart is also the wellspring of our being.  Whatever reigns in our hearts will reign in our lives.  That is why we don't just want a small helping of the Word of God - but we want it to dwell richly within us.  We want an abundance of the Word in us - and we want it to powerfully speak to us as we seek the Lord and desire to hear from Him through His Word.

The second precious work we read of here is having knowledge from God become pleasant to our soul.  The word here for knowing is the Hebrew word "daath" and it means a knowing by experience, encounter, and relationship.  This is not just having a mental knowing in our heads - it is truly knowing God in an intimate relationship with Him.  We have encountered God Himself - we've experienced Him - and as a result of our former and continued encounters with Him - we know wisdom.

What is even more precious to me about this verse is that we learn that this intimate knowing of God Himself will become pleasant to our souls.  The word used here is "naem" and it means something sweet, beautiful, pleasing, comfortable, and delightful.  Remember that when we read of a work in our souls - we are talking about a work in our mind, will, and emotions. 

When wisdom enters our hearts - knowing God will be pleasant to our minds.  Before this work of grace we were opposed to God - and the thought of someone having ultimate authority in our lives yielded rebellion and resentment.  Our minds were disturbed by the thought of someone who knows our every thought and deed.  It was anything but comforting to know that we would stand in the judgment and give an account for every word, thought, motive, and deed.  Our response to such things was anything but pleasant.

When wisdom enters our hearts - knowing God will be pleasant to our will.  Here is an interesting study in the Scriptures.  Before a work of God's grace happens in our hearts, obedience to God is anything but pleasant and delightful to us.  We are born rebels and our status as such is confirmed again and again by our response to God's Law.  God's Law reveals to us that we are sinners - that we do not find submission to God pleasant.  We rebel against it and do not do the things that His Word says to do.  If any one passage of Scripture bears this out it is Romans chapter 7.  There Paul reminds us that the things we want to do, we don't do - but the very prohibitions of the Law are what we choose to do.  Paul's cry at the end of that chapter is that he is a wretched man who desperately needs deliverance from sin.  But when God does that work through Jesus Christ our Lord, we find that a transformation has taken place - and that transformation continues as we walk with God, indeed finding an intimate walk with God pleasant to our will. 

When wisdom enters our hearts - knowing God will be pleasant to our emotions.  Our emotions can be a source of amazing blessing as well as a source of untold problems.  Some wind up with their emotions far more in control of their lives than they are in control of their emotions.  We find ourselves on an emotional high during which we would do anything for the Lord.  But then we find ourselves in the same week with an emotional state, that if we let it control us, will render us almost incapable of doing anything.  Here is where wisdom is so important to our souls.  When that work of God's grace begins to change us, we learn to tell our emotions that they will not control us.  We enjoy our emotions, but learn not to have them dominate our moods - and our attitude.  That is reserved for God's Word which consistently directs us as the Holy Spirit uses our mind to understand it - our will to choose it - and His power to carry it out.  When that work of God's grace happens, we find knowing God in our emotions a delightful thing.  Before you think that emotions are a bad thing - I want to remind you that David spoke of how his emotions were moved by God Himself - and how he knew the heights of joy as well as the depths of despair - all as he knew the living God in relationship to Him. 

Walking with God is more than just knowing a bunch of principles and ideas.  That kind of thing smells of religion.  God wants a vital relationship with us.  It takes the entrance of wisdom into our hearts for us to move into that precious relationship.  As we seek the Lord, may He give us grace to know such a marvelous intimacy with Him.

Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course. Proverbs 2:9

How do you know when you are doing the right thing or going in the right direction in life?  Here is a question that everyone would love to be able to answer.  The fact is that God says that we can know this.  The way that we know it though is definitely outside of the mainstream of ideas that exist today.  Let's take a look today at how we can know whether we are on course or not.

Solomon tells us here that there is a time when we will be able to discern some very important things.  The first in his fourfold list is righteousness.  Before we jump into those four things, we should see that discernment is involved.  The word discern means that we are able to look at things and distinguish between them.  We see differences between two or more things - and use that knowledge to understand them from God's vantage point.  Here is our first very important lesson - things differ - and you can tell the difference.  Most would agree with you on this truth - until you begin stating what you can distinguish between.  The last thing we should address before we go into our list is that Solomon is stating what he does in verse 9 as a conclusion to all he has said before.  What is it that allows us to have this discernment?  It is the Word of God.  All through this chapter he is calling for us to receive the Word, store up the Word in our hearts, cry out for God's work in teaching it to us, and to seek for the Word as one would buried treasure.  The discernment of which we speak here is a discernment that comes only because of the way the Word works in our hearts.

As I said earlier, the first in his fourold list if righteousness.  We will be able to discern when something is right or not.  Now is the moment when the postmodern among us throw up their red flags.  They assert someone might know right and wrong for themselves - but consider it the height of arrogance to think or state that anyone might be able to discern right and wrong for everyone.  But that is exactly what Proverbs asserts here - and more by the time we finish with the four things Solomon says can be discerned.

The second in our list of four is justice.  Our society cries out for justice - but unfortunately the justice they want ignores the Word of God.  It ignores what God calls just in many cases - and completely ignores the problem of how we can be just before Him.  Whereas the world cries for social justice - God offers absolute justice.  These are not always opposed to one another - but - God ultimately wants us to be able to stand before Him just and righteous - and that requires the person and the work of Jesus Christ to happen.

The third thing we will be able to discern is equity.  Here, my friends is a loaded word.  "Meysar" is the word the Hebrews used to describe equity.  It means rightness, correctness, and fairness.  The word meant something smooth and level.  Communism is man's way of trying to make everything equitable.  Pure communism takes from everyone and then redistributes it so everyone gets an equal share.  It does not take into account work ethic or whether someone has truly earned their share with hard work.  And since pure communism would require pure hearts to work - we see that in practical communism - the ruling class takes and redistributes so everyone is equally as poor - while they live in the lap of luxury and take care of those who most honor and support their rule.  When God speaks of equity He is speaking of how a state should judge fairly and honorably.  He is speaking of how His promises are available to all.  To "discern" equity we need to see things as God does - for fairness and correctness begins with what is fair and right in God's eyes.  When we bring God into this equation - we have serious trouble for mankind.  Man is sinful and rebellious - and what is fair for him is God's wrath and judgment.  What we should find amazing about God's equity is that He chose to pay the price of equity for us - and instead of giving us what is fair, He gave us grace instead.

Finally, through the Word, we can discern every good course.  We will know the right ways to walk - and God will indicate to us wrongs ones as well.  This right and wrong will correspond to what He says in His Word.  Thus we have the ultimate aggravation to the modernist.  We assert that through God's Word we have an "absolute standard" upon which all things in life is to be measured.  If actions and choices and lifestyles do not measure up to what God calls good, right, just, and equitable - they are wrong.  And thus begins the clash of worldviews.  True Judaism and Christianity will always find themselves at odds with the rest of the worldviews that come from men.  They end up at odds because they have the audacity of claiming that God's Word is a revelation of THE truth.  For those who reject this claim - the world is a mish-mash of conflicting morals and ideas.  We all get along by ultimately stating that both everything is right, as well as everything is wrong.  It might be right for us while at the same time being wrong for others.  The resulting public moral quicksand creates a world in which all things are to be tolerated except the arrogance of Judaism and Christianity who assert that their worldview is absolute.  That view - that view that states that there is absolute truth and it is found in God's Word - is the one that absolutely cannot be tolerated.  Too bad though - because it is the only worldview that creates the stability of actually knowing whether the path you are taking will ultimately lead to blessing or destruction. 

Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. Proverbs 2:8

Why is it so disheartening to see a judge or a police officer break the law and be guilty of criminal activity?  The reason is that we look to these individuals to be ones who guard justice in our society.  When they are guilty of injustice - it shakes our confidence in the system.  It also leaves us without a guardian over issues of justice and righteousness. 

Here we are told something in Proverbs that should bless us greatly.  The ultimate guardian of justice is not a man.  The ultimate guardian of justice is God Himself.  Don't worry too much about the paths or the way of justice - at least to the point of thinking it won't exist any longer.  Such thoughts are false.  God Himself is the One who guards the paths of justice.  He watches over them and will one day bring every injustice to light - and each will receive the due penalty of their error.  That should both comfort and terrify us.  It should comfort us to know that this world is not spinning out of control.  God has been watching over it - and will continue to do so until the end of the age.  No one is going to "get away" with anything in the end.  God will call all men to stand before Him and give account for the deeds which they have done in their bodies.  Each will stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  Justice will be fine and will be swift in that day and hour. 

But what about that nefarious enemy of justice - nepotism?  We've all watched as a relative or close friend is rescued from justice without any of the consequences of it being experienced.  The only ones punished in that scenario are those who had the unfortunate providence of working with the relative or close friend.  In the end justice is skewered and cooked on a spit - and all those watching have their faith in a truly just judge or official shaken.  There is where we can be assured that God is the true guardian of justice.  If there ever was a time when He would have decided to lapse into nepotism, it would have been with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  When He became sin - the entire universe watched with their breath held at what the Father would do.  True to His nature and His holiness - and the fact that He is the guardian of justice - God brought justice to bear on His Son, when He became sin for us.  Thus, we see that God was just - but because of His actions and the sacrifice of His Son - He was also the justifier of those who believe in Jesus. 

God also is known as the One who preserves the way of His godly ones.  This literally means He is watching, guarding, and protecting the course of their lives.  The descriptive language used here with the words "way" and "paths" has the idea of where we are going.  It also gives us the picture of a map of our lives laid out before us.  That map is known by the Lord - and He is watching over it.  When we choose to be one of His godly ones - and concern ourselves with justice as well - He watches over us.  That is not a promise we will never have problems - but it is a promise that nothing will happen to us that does not first come through God's purposes and plans for our lives. 

So don't fret over justice.  God, who watches over the paths of justice will deal with all matters on that great and glorious day when all men will have to stand and give an account for their lives and their choices.  Know also that as you live a godly life - that He is watching over you as well.  Your confidence in such things can be overwhelming - and hopefully your peace will be sufficient in every situation.