A gray head is a crown of glory; It is found in the way of righteousness. Proverbs 16:31

Hooray for the "hoary-headed!" Sorry, a brief return to KJV language. This means the grey-haired man is the wise man. But before we equate wisdom to everyone with grey hair - and wicked motives to everyone who uses "Just for Men" to get grey out of their hair and beard - maybe we should examine everything in this proverb.

What is the second half of this verse referring to . . . an older person - or a crown of glory? It refers a little to both - but mostly to the crown of glory. There is only one other key passage where this admonition is given in connection with being older. It is found in 1 Peter 5:1-4 - and the admonition here refers to "elders" in the church. Oh, but there is much we can learn from it.

Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 1 Peter 5:1-4

Note that this passage speaks of older me who do the following. First, they are active in the local church - serving at the highest levels of leadership - which means that they also exhibit the highest levels of servanthood to others.

Second, they voluntarily lead a life of giving and serving others - certainly a wise thing to do - and a godly thing to pursue. What do you VOLUNTEER for in working at the church? Where do you serve God and others there? Do they have to beg you to serve - or do you joyfully volunteer - even to clean toilets if that is necessary. This is wisdom on display!

Third, they serve according to God's will - not their own ego. Older men who learn to do this will be a blessing for hundreds of years in God's church - because younger men see powerful men who subdue their ego in preference to God's will. Too many churches have been destroyed because unwise men tried to serve God in the power of their own ego - thus serving the church became all about them and their desires for what THEY wanted the church to become. These men turn more into church "bosses" than churchmen who are servants of God's will first and foremost.

Fourth, they serve the church and others without thought of money. They are selfless men who do not desire salary and benefits - just blessing to God's people.

Fifth, This do this with eagerness - they LOVE serving God and His people. This goes back to serving God joyfully - even chomping at the bit to help in some way . . . or . . . being dragged griping and moaning because you have to sacrifice in some way your own wants to serve others - who honestly - ought to be serving you! Yeah, this way of living is the fool's way. A wise man knows a little serving in this life - means blessing in the next.

Sixth, older, wiser men serve God as examples to the rest of the flock. They don't lord it over those they lead - they lead in such a way that others follow - because they see the example of servanthood in their leaders.

So . . . this is most likely the way this old dude got his horey-headedness - or grey hair. He got it learning to serve God - not himself. He also knows that the one who does this will be rewarded by the "Chief Shepherd" - read Jesus - Who will give him the "crown of glory" when He comes. Not a bad way to be rewarded - but then again - not a bad way to live our lives either!

The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29

This proverb explains for us who God is near and the ones from whom He keeps His distance. It is a frightening thing to me to read that Jehovah is far from the wicked. Note that this does not say that the wicked man is far from God - but that God is far from him. Since this proverb has to do with prayer - we are talking about a wicked man and his prayers (if he has any at all). The only prayer that God will hear from a wicked man is a prayer of repentance. Otherwise we can read in numerous other places that God is sickened and wants nothing to do with his praying. Later in Proverbs we learn that, "He who turnes away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination." (Proverbs 28:9) A wicked man would frequent a prayer meeting as often as an at-large criminal would frequent a police station. But when the wicked do pray, God will not hear. We read another terrifying passage in Proverbs chapter 1 about the prayer of the wicked.

"Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof; I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, When your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me, Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD. "They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof." Proverbs 1:24-30

This passage warns those who think they can mock God and live with no fear of Him. It warns them that when calamity comes, they cannot turn to God only for deliverance from it. This is how the wicked pray - they turn to God when disaster comes, but then mock Him when everything is well. We read that God Himself will mock them in that day. He does not do so because He is vindictive. He does this because He knows that such praying rises from a heart that is wicked still. Therefore he will not hear. He is far from such praying. He even considers it an abomination to Him.

Fortunately, this proverb does not end with the statement about the wicked. God reminds us that He does hear the prayer of the righteous. There is a twofold way we should understand this. First, we need to see it positionally. The "righteous" is not righteous because of his deeds. We read in multiple places throughout Scripture that the righteous man shall live by faith. He is made righteous by faith in God's provision for sin. He is granted righteousness as a gift of God's grace. He cannot make himself righteous because he is steeped in sin. All he is fit for is punishment and wrath. God, though, has come to the rescue with blood of a spotless lamb that speaks on his behalf. This lamb was a physical one in the Old Testament, but that was just a shadow of the glory of God's grace to come. God sent THE Lamb when Jesus Christ came to earth and gave His life on the cross for our sins. That was sufficient payment for us - and God offers with it the very righteousness of Christ as a gift of His glorious grace. That is why He hears the prayer of this man (or any man for that matter). He stands in a divinely-provided righteousness that speaks effectively for him. Thus God hears!

The second way this passage should be understood is by a practical understanding. God hears the prayer of the saved man who practially embraces the righteous ways of God. We cannot, even as Christians, ignore obedience to God and expect God to hear our prayers. We read in the Word that if we regard sin in our hearts, we know that God does not hear us. Some complain of much prayer that seems to be ignored by God. But prayer that is ignored is prayer to One that we've offended by our choice of sin rather than righteousness. It is only when we take refuge in 1 John 1:9 - confessing our sins - that we can once again be heard.

Our Father is a prayer-hearing, prayer-answering God. But we must understand that He is God, not a shabby version of Santa Claus. There are principles involved in how God hears and answers prayer. They are not complicated principles - but they are principles that are strictly adhered to as we approach Him. The key to answered prayer is walking and asking according to His will. If we allow sin to enter either our walk or our requests, we will find that our praying is ineffective. Embrace righteousness - both positionally and practially and you will find prayer a delight. You will also find a God who is eager to hear - eager to work - and eager to answer.

Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.   Proverbs 14:34

Today we look at how a nation is blessed or disgraced.  According to our proverb righteousness or doing what is right exalts a nation.  Therefore, if we want to be exalted and blessed, we must choose consistently what is right.  But our nation faces a serious problem when it comes to this proverb.  We no longer believe in a right and a wrong.  Having bought the post-modern mindset hook, line, and sinker, we now believe that there is nothing more to believe in except what we want to believe in.  Truth is in the eye of the beholder.  Therefore we no longer hold to an absolute right and wrong.  We no longer have a moral code that governs the hearts of men.

Our courts have decided that what is truly dangerous in our nation is to publicly display the 10 commandments so that school children can see them and read them.  Never mind that one of the writers of our Constitution said that we have placed our hope in our ability to obey these Laws of God.  Never mind that though we openly persecute the Christian moral code, we openly teach other religions in our classrooms under the guise of multiculturalism.  It is dangerous to tell children not to murder, not to steal, not to lie or commit adultery.  Thus we have our current modern dilemma.  A society that decries the lack of civility as new acts of violence shock us worse that the previous ones that maudelinly decorated our newpapers and newcasts just weeks earlier.  We wonder why kids would go into schools and wantonly kill each other.  We are shocked at the debauchery of the generation that is coming up - astonished at their lack of conscience as they commit crimes with an ever-increasing display of horror. 

We don't get it.  Righteousness exalts a nation!  We must return to an absolute truth that lays down absolute morals by which we are to live.  What is astounding to me though is that such a righteousness will degenerate in one generation if all we rely upon is the rule of law to do it.  We are incapable of righteousness in our own strength.  Righteousness will only come by grace through faith.  It comes to us as we turn from our own sinful and selfish ways and turn to Jesus Christ - the One Who came to die for our sins.  It comes to us only as God's grace reaches out to us and grants us life.  Thus we find that the righteousness that will exalt our nation will only come with a return to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Then we are saved - we are redeemed - we are regenerated so that we desire to do God's will.  Without the gospel law will break down into moralistic teachings taught by hypocrites who do not even do the things they teach others.  The sad reality though is that we as a nation have legislated the gospel out of our society.

There is a false teaching that exists in the legislative world called the separation of church and state.  This supposed wall exists in the interpretation that some pseudo-scholars have invented about the First Ammendment to the Constitution.  That ammendment was put there to keep the state out of the churches' buisness.  It was put there so that we would not have a state run church.  Unfortunately it has been misinterpretted to mean that any open expression of Christianity within any state run or funded activity is prohibited.  Thus our legislators have inadvertently chosen a state religion for all of us.  It is the lack of God in our nation - at least the God of the Bible.  So . . . our national religion is now either atheism and its more ignoranty companion, agnosticism - or it is any other religion than Christianity.  What our founders sought to protect has been used in such a way as to openly persecute and wantonly disintegrate the faith that most of them held when they wrote it.

It should not shock us that we are a nation that has shunned righteousness.  The churches did not hold fast the truth and spread the gospel.  The corresponding lack of believers in the land, or worse, the proliferation of false believers who misuse and abuse the Scriptures, has led to a dearth of them in office.  The lack of a Christian presence among the governing elite of our land has lead to a lack of respect for our founders' faith.  Thus we have become a people who more and more legislate sin as the new righteousness of our land.  We have decided to say that it is open season on unwanted babies and call it abortion - or a woman's right to choose.  We have decided to destroy the black community and the poor by saying that we will allow a welfare state that rewards sexual promiscuity and having babies out of wedlock.  We also have decided that work is no longer a sacred duty - but act like it is mercy to provide a living without requiring labor.  We no longer call heterosexual immorality what God calls it - fornication - but feel that sleeping together or living together is a more genteel way of designating it.  Rather than encourage faithfulness in marriage, we have advocated easy divorce and speak of blended families rather than broken ones.  We have decided that homosexuality is not an abomination - no! - it is an alternate lifestyle.  It even needs to be taught to the youngest of our children as a wonderful alternative to the straight people who are so hateful as to hold a biblical viewpoint.  Our banks and businesses fail because we have reared a generation of crooks who no longer think that, "Thou shalt not steal" applies to them.  Scandal after scandal rocks our statehouses and churchhouses as the concept of integrity in leadership fades as a mere memory of the past. 

Does all this kind of shock and depress you?  It should because sin is a disgrace to any people.  To live like we have lived is to be disgraceful.  To reject the living God for the idols of our current generation is an act of foolishness.  It is foolish becuse we have rejected the Fountain of Living Waters to hew cisterns, broken ones, that can hold no water.  Even history mocks our choices as we ignore the civilizations that have fallen before us.  We turn a blind eye to the same sins that portended their demise and characterized the rot from within that toppled them. 

We need to turn to God in prayer - humbling ourselves, praying, seeking His face, and turning from our wicked ways.  We need a national revival first in our churches.  They need to return to the faith of our fathers - seeing Christianity as the truth - and Jesus as the only way of salvation from a selfish and self-gratifying lifestyle.  Even more than this we must remember that we will stand in God's judgment - which has already begun.  We need to fear God which is the beginning of wisdom for us - and for our nation.  Then we need a nation-shaking spiritual awakening that sees millions come to Christ.  If we do not see such a thing - we are doomed to the ash heap of societies.  Written over us in the end will be the same words written over Babylon - "Mene, Mene, Teckel, Upharsin."  America has been weighed in the scales and found wanting.  We will fall to another rising power with another statement written as our postscript.  "Here lies the United States of America in ruins for she turned from righteousness and chose sin . . . which is a disgrace for any people."

In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death. Proverbs 12:28

Can there be a path where there is no death? How can Solomon say that wisdom means that there is a way of walking that does not have death on it? Death comes to all men. So what do we have here - a contradiction in the Scriptures?

There are those who try to find contradictions in the Bible - who can find tons of them. Their problem is that they do not allow for poetic license by the writers of Scripture. Of course these are the same people who do not expect others to take them literally all the time in their lives. When they say that they could kill someone for what they said - they do not expect the hearers to immediately alert the police about their murderous intentions. We all use these kind of expressions almost every day. It is only those who WANT to find problems in the Scripture that try to expose what is clearly poetic language.

What seems to be a contradiction here is actually understood when understanding this passage in the context of the whole counsel of Scripture. You see the Bible speaks of righteousness in a way that we do not normally conceive. It speaks of "absolute" righteousness in reference to God's righteousness. The "way of rightreousness" therefore is not a works thing, it is a faith thing. The righteous man lives by faith. This means that he receives righteousness as a gift - and the gift comes from God Himself. Therefore the way of righteousness is a lifestyle that looks to God for justification. In the way of righteousness is life. We experience life when we turn to Him and receive the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ on the basis of faith (see Romans 3:21-26).

In the pathway of this righteousness there is no death. This is not saying that people will not die physically. If you understand both Testaments of the Bible you know that there is more than one kind of death mentioned. There is physical death which is experienced by all men. There is also spiritual death - which is the common condition of all mankind. They are alive physically, but dead spiritually. The Bible refers to the second death in Revelation. This is what will happen to all those whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life. They will be cast into the lake of fire at the end of the age - where they will die forever.

When we look at the whole counsel of God's Word, this passage not only makes perfect sense - but is even a declaration of the gospel itself. There IS indeed a "way of righteousness" that we can experience - through faith in Jesus Christ. It is THE ULTIMATE way of righteousness - and more than that - it is the ONLY way of righteousness. When we walk in that way - living by faith - there is no death in that way. We may die physically (which the Bible refers to as "falling asleep") but death will be swallowed by life - and life eternally. That is the truth of the gospel. It is not a contradiction - it is a glorious revelation!

He who speaks truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit.  Proverbs 12:17

Today's proverb has a picture to paint for us about being a person who speaks truth and what is right, or a person who is deceitful and untrustworthy in what they say.  The picture that is painted for us is framed by the Hebrew word used for "speaking" that is mentioned first in this verse.  The word used here is the Hebrew word "puah" which means to breathe.  It refers to how we breathe out.  This is a word used in a poetic way in the Old Testament.  In the Song of Solomon it speaks of the day breathing.  This refers to how the shadows of morning flee at the appearance of the sun.  Here in Proverbs 12:17 it refers to the way that we speak - but not just in a specific situation.  It refers to our lifestyle - or - what kind of things come out of our mouths in every situation in life.  Of course what we see in the rest of the proverb is that we either speak truth or deceit. 

There are those who speak truth and what is right.  "Truth" is the word "emunah" which refers to something true and faithful.  The primary thing being communicated with this word is faithfulness.  Through the rest of the Bible the word speaks of character - God's in Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 33:4, 100:5, and 119:90 - and that of people in 2 Chronicles 19:9, Proverbs 12:22, and 28:20.  When someone is speaking truth - they are being faithful in what they say.  The whole proverb says that they are speaking faithfully - and what they speak is finally defined as "what is right."  What does all this mean in the end?  The faithful man or woman declares what is right.  The word for right is "tsedeq" which is the word that speaks of righteousness - or right by God's standard.  It is an ethical word that referred to God's justice and righteousness as represented by the Law of Moses - and by the reaffirmation of God's Word by the prophets.  Here, though, is how this works out for you and me in the 21st century. 

Situational ethics unfortunately rules the day in our world.  Everything is negotiable.  There is no absolute truth - except what you yourself are comfortable in holding - and even that only applies to yourself (except when you are uncomfortable with your own standards - and then you can change those too).  What is left is a society founded upon shifting sands.  But as the people of God - the people saved by His grace - we will stand out like brightly painted, fully lit up sore thumbs!  We are those who regardless of public opinion - hold faithfully to God's Word as our source of truth and what is right.  We not only believe this in our thinking - we also faithfully speak it out of our mouths.  In the midst of a world where the winds of change and compromise drive the public conscience wherever they blow - we are a biblical breath of fresh air when we speak.  To some we will be a breath of death - but to those who are being saved - it will be a breath of life to life. 

At this point I am going to say some things that will most likely offend people - yet they need to be said.  Too often a statement is made like the one above - and yet people will interpret it according to their "situational ethic" mindset.  Thus what is right once again is mired in personal opinion.  A faithful truth-teller will speak up when it comes to biblical ethics and righteousness.  That means that they will speak up about biblical sexuality.  Biblical sexuality is abstinence before heterosexual marriage - followed by faithfulness to one spouse in that heterosexual marriage until death parts them.  Thus a faithful truth-teller will oppose heterosexual immorality and homosexuality, as well as their off-shoots living together outside of marriage and homosexual marriage.  A faithful truth-teller will state that abortion is wrong - in all cases.  A faithful truth-teller will openly stand for racial harmony - and will view racism as evil and sinful.  A faithful truth-teller will state that we are to oppose greed and selfishness by giving to the poor - but will also say that providing for able bodied people who can work is wrong.  Everywhere God's Word makes an statement of ethical morals - the faithful truth-teller will stand - and will speak it.  And . . . just in case a person decides to speak the truth - but not speak it in love - the faithful truth-teller will remind them that the spirit in which you say something (i.e. not like a jerk - and with grace and mercy - yet saying what is true even if the truth itself is offensive) is as important as the truth itself. 

There is a second kind of wind that blows from the words that people speak.  It is the false witness who speaks deceit.  The false witness is the one who speaks lies and vanity.  The word is used of those who were false witnesses in a trial - who lied on the stand.  It refers to a person who says vain things and lives their life in vain.  There is little or no other purpose to their existance than to live for themselves and love themselves.  Their deciet is an intentional misleading of others by either distorting or withholding the truth from them.  Their deceit is evidenced by the fact that there IS absolute truth - but they will not state it or hold to it.  As offensive as some will take this - the false witness is the one who does not speak according to the ethical and moral standards held by God's Law and the entirety of Scripture.  There IS a right and wrong!  God gives it to us by His divine authority - and has revealed it to us in the Scriptures.  Not holding to this - or trying to twist it in any way - is being a false witness. 

When it comes to your words - what kind of breath flows from you throughout your day?  Are you one who breathes forth deceit.  Please understand that in our culture this person is the norm.  They breathe forth the lies of our immoral and biblically unethical society.  We hear them every day on the news - in our entertainment - everywhere.  You and I are to be a breath of fresh air.  They may not see it as fresh because they have been breathing in the sulfuric lies of the pit for a lifetime.  But to speak lovingly and biblically is to speak fresh, life-giving air to those all around you.  Speak the truth.  Speak faithfully.  Speak life-giving, fresh air to all with whom you come into contact!  Be a faithful truth-teller!

If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner!  Proverbs 11:31

One thing that is absolutely certain in life is that there will be a judgment once our life is over.  Some may deny this truth - but their denial will not keep it from happening.  This chapter of Proverbs that has often contrasted the righteous and the wicked, will do it one last time before closing.  But the contrast here is in the reward or recompense that they will receive. 

The proverb begins with a sure statement.  The righteous will be rewarded in the earth!  There will be a reward for God's people for their faithfulness to following and obeying Him.  Over and over God has given us promises that if we will do something, He will reward us for doing it.  Those deeds are characterized for us by the fact that God says the reward here is for "the righteous."  Therefore if we value as right what God says is right - there will be great blessing in store for us.  There is reward for doing right.

The flip side of this blessing and reward is punishment and recompense.  If the righteous is rewarded for his doing of what is right - how much more will we not also see the wicked and the sinner recompensed for their opposite behavior.  The Hebraism that is being used here is one that says - the right will be rewarded right, therefore of course the wicked and evil will be rewarded evil as well.  In a very Hebrew way the text is saying that we will reap what we sow. 

One last comment comes from the reading of the Septuagint, Syrian, and Arabic versions of the Bible.  They translate this verse as follows:  "And if the righteous scarecely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"  This is what Peter quoted in 1 Peter 4:18 - and many Hebrew scholars believe he quoted it from Proverbs 11:31.

Judgment is coming . . . and the wise man will prepare for it over a lifetime.  He does so by turning his heart to the Lord.  We know from the New Testament that the only way a favorable judgment can be rendered to us is by receiving the forgiveness and grace offered through Jesus Christ.  That grace though, will change us so that we will embrace righteousness as a lifestyle.  That is what John tells us in 1 John when he writes, "By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God . . . "  (1 John 3:10)  We practice righteousness because we have been transformed by God's grace.  But is it that righteousness that we embrace and practice that proves that we are truly His.  The wise man will embrace this righteousness and receive a sure reward.  All that will be left for the wicked and the sinner is the surety of a terrifying end before a holy and just God. 

He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf. Proverbs 11:28

What makes you feel safe and secure?  What do you rely upon to make you confident about these things.  Today in our look at Proverbs we will see how two types of people seek security and safety, but how only one of them will truly obtain it. 

Our proverb tells us of a man who "trusts in his riches."  The word for trust is the Hebrew word "batah" which means to not just trust, but to have a confident trust.  This man feels secure and safe - without fear - as a result of his riches.  He may have a bank account that is full - a set of stocks that are the best on the market in returns - plus a sure-fire business model that assures him of success in life for years and years to come.  This is what makes him feel confident - his wealth.  Here is the problem with this man.  Scripture tells us that the one who trusts in his riches will fall.  This word is a very frightening one.  It means to fall down to a prostrate position.  Here it has the idea of being overthrown.  The overthrow described here is death.  Regardless of what amount of money you have - and how secure that you think it is - your money will not survive your death.  In Psalm 49:5-9  we read the following,  "Why should I fear in days of adversity, When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me, even those who trust in their wealth And boast in the abundance of their riches? No man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him— for the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever— that he should live on eternally, That he should not undergo decay."

The Psalmist here reminds us that no amount of money will be able to pay for a soul and the redemption it needs.  The man who trusts in his wealth - who thinks that the abundance of his riches will rescue him from death and from the punishment due for his sins - is in for a tremendous amount of disappointment.  The day will come when he will stand on the same footing as any other human being - and have to give an account for his sin.  If anything, the fact that he has wealth and riches will make his judgment even more stringent.  Jesus said that to whom much is given - much will be required.  The man who trusted in his riches rather than trusting in Jesus Christ - will end up in the lake of fire for all eternity.

The righteous are contrasted with this unwise rich man.  In fact we are told that the righteous man will flourish like a green leaf.  This is the man who realized that there is no amount of money that could ever pay for redemption.  His desire to please God and to honor Him will make this man do everything in his power to obey God.  He does not look for a righteousness based on money - or even on his own good works.  He knows that the man who will flourish in this life and stand in the next is the man who has been justified (made righteous) by faith.  Thus his life is not spend trying to earn God's favor and love - he knows that such things have already been purchased by the blood of Christ.  His desire is rather to listen to God - walk in fellowship with Him - and - out of that fellowship enjoy spiritual growth.  This is why he will flourish like the green leaf.  He is not trusting in growing himself.   He trusts in a God who blesses him first with righteousness to stand in His presence - and then trusts Him to lead him in the way that will glorify God in all that he does. 

What are you trusting to make you secure?  If you think your security depends on how much money you have here in this life - or how great your wealth and insurance coverage is - you will lose everything.  If instead you see that there is only really one security issue, you will do well.  If you grasp that the clear and present danger is the wrath of God for sin - you will choose the way that will make you stand righteous in that day - and that righteousness only comes through the gospel - and the gift of it by God in response to repentance and faith in those who believe on Jesus.

The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.   Proverbs 11:23

What do you want?  That is a pretty general question - but it is the one that is addressed in today's proverb.  The thing is that we are looking at what people want from the perspective of God, not just what people or the "market" wants.

From God's standpoint we are oing to watch Him put boh the righteous and the wicked man into the balances, weigh them and their choices, and state what each deserves. First we see that God places the righteous into the scales.  He says that the righteous man's desires are only good.  This coincides with what Jesus says in the Beattitudes.  In Matthew chapter 5, we read the following, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."  God not only is pleased with those who hunger and thirst for what He says is right - He promises wonderful levels of satisfaction for those who do.  There is also another statement made in the Psalms that when we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart.  It is so important to know that when we are living for righteousness and pursuing what is right - God cuts us loose to enjoy as much as we want.  That is why He says here that these kind of desires are "only good." 

The wicked, though, have no sch guarantee.  We read that the expectation of the wicked in wrath.  It is helpful for us to see that word "expectation" here.  The reason it is so important is because often what the wicked desire will give them an immediate positive feeling.  The person who abuses alcoholic drinks has an immediate positive response as he feels better and is much more free in his expression of himself.  But he can expect problems later.  Having been a drunkard before I was saved I can concur with God's statement here.  The expectation of the drunkard is only wrath and bad consequences.  There is the hangover that comes in the morning.  There is also the realization that the supposed freedom that you felt the night before took away your natural defenses against saying something stupid.  Can't tell you how many times a Friday night bender led to a whole week of consequences with friends and aquaintences.  Another area I want to address here is that of sexual immorality.  The person who is sexually immmoral loves the immediate pleasure provided by it.  Unfortunately, the crisis pregnancy, the positive STD test, and the broken relationships are not so pleasurable.  The pornography may give us a temporary high feeling and sense of thrill as we look at it, but later the bondage that results, the pull into deeper perversion, and the way it leads people to treat the opposite sex as an object can be devastating. 

The Word of God speaks of God's "judgments."  These are things that God has said concerning certain behaviors in life.  When we choose to disobey God and embrace our lfleshly lusts we do so because of the promise of pleasure and immediate satisfaction.  The problem is that God has said what His response will be to such things.  These are His judgments.  He says that problems will result - disasters are on the horizon - and blessing will be forfeited.  These judgments WILL COME upon those who choose to disobey regardless of what God says.  They can expect the wrath of God when they rebel.  God has made this very clear when He said in Romans chapter 1, "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness ofmen who suppress the truth with their unrighteousness."  God's attitude and actions toward ungodliness and unrigteousness have been settled from eternity past.  Those who reject Him and His Word need to know that He has amply published the results of such behavior - and it has never been good.  Therefore the truly wise man knows that blessings await those who embrace righteousness - but for those who chose a wicked lifestyle - only wrath awaits them.

He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death.  Proverbs 11:19

Here we find life gained and life lost.  Both life gained and lost have to do with what we pursue and steadfastly desire in our walk on earth.  It is no shock to us to learn that those who are steadfast in their desire and pursuit of righteousness are those who receive life. The word "steadfast" here means to set something up so that it will be firm and established.  Here it refers to how someone views righteousness - and pursues it in their lives.  Are you building a life whose foundation is laid in God's view of righteousness - or more simply put, in what God says is right?  That is the life Christ referred to in Matthew 7 when He spoke about foundations.  The one who hears the Word of God and heeds it - he is the man who has built his foundation on a rock.  When the winds and storms of life come upon that man, as they surely will, his house will stand.  That is why the steadfast in righteousness will attain to life. 

The life lost is the one that is actively pursuing evil.  Consider King Ahab in the Old Testament, along with his wicked wife, Jezebel.  They pursued evil together.  They were the poster couple of pursuing wickedness and sin.  They excelled in it - and ran after it with an ever-growing lust for more.  They worshipped false gods, stole, killed, and plotted their way to the top.  When at the top they continued in their ways of evil - and heartily encouraged all of Israel to follow their foolish example.  It is no wonder then that they both brought about their own death. 

Ahab foolishly ignored the prophetic statements of Miciah, who warned him that God had allowed a deceiving spirit to move among Ahab's false prophets - so that he could be lured to his death in battle.  Ahab's response was to imprison the prophet - and have him fed with barely enough bread and water to survive until he returned from battle.  Miciah's fateful last words to him were, "If you return, the Lord has not spoken through me."  In another desperate but foolish move, Ahab then disguised himself and did not wear his royal robes into battle.  Thinking he had cheated death and God - he went into battle feeling safe.  We read in Kings that a random archer shot an arrow into the air - and God guided that arrow so that it hit a joint in Ahab's armor.  Badly wounded, he retreated to watch the battle from a distance until he died in his chariot.

Jezebel, having learned of a plot to destroy her family and their legacy in Israel, painted herself and called to her executioner from a tower.  Thinking herself safe there - her executioner called for the men in the tower to throw her down.  They did so and Jehu crushed her beneath his horses and chariot wheels.  These two who pursued evil so passionately both brought about their own death because of their rebellion against God. 

In Deuteronomy God reminded Israel that He put before them life and death.  There was a choice for them.  If they pursued evil and rebellion against God - they needed to know that their sin would find them out.  They would be pursued by the very One against whom they rebelled.  They would learn that He was not impotent as they thought.  They would learn that the One they defied is God - and that He will prevail.  They will also bring about their own death with the evil they think frees them from His authority.  But life is also available to us.  It is received by pursuing righteousness steadfastly.  What is amazing to those who receive that righteousness is that to pursue it, one must pursue by faith.  The just (righteous) man lives by faith.  Their steadfastness is gained by rejecting their own works - and turning to God who Himself will declare them righteous as a gift.  They will learn that the only way of being steadfastly righteous, is to steadfastly cling to God's gift of righteousness which comes only through His Son, Jesus Christ.  That, dear ones, is the only way we can be steadfast in righteousness - and thereby know life.