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Who is Your Counselor? Proverbs 12:5

2/22/2018

Proverbs 12:5 The thoughts of the righteous are just, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

Today we have a simple proverb that contrasts the righteous and the wicked. One of the things that the Word of God makes very simple is knowing the difference. Our world is confused about such matters and finds it odious that anyone - even God - would categorize people into two such groups. That is what happens though when men decide that they themselves will determine what is good and evil - which was the choice that was made in the fall of man. Man decided that he himself would stand as ultimate authority over good and bad - right and wrong. What is fascinating is that modern man has come to despise the whole idea of wrong, wickedness, and sin. There is no such thing for modern man. Maybe there is a lack of education - or a willful ignorance of the barbaric nature of anything like absolute truth. Nevertheless wisdom is gained by being able to detect differences - to discern right from wrong - and even to begin to see how men and women come to think, know and act according to what is just or what is deceitful.

The first thing God makes clear for us is that the righteous are clear in their thinking. Their thoughts are filled with justice. “But what is just?” you may ask. How does someone determine the difference between what is just and what is unjust? For the righteous man identified in Scripture, God determines what is just. Thus the thoughts of the righteous, which are just, are determined from what is written in the Word of God. This is not a problem for the believer who knows that God’s character is perfect, wise, loving, gracious - and yet also just, righteous, and holy. This also means that the righteous man will not be tainted by selfishness or by self-interest. He will desire justice apart from the corrupting influences of this world or even of his own selfish heart. That is a good thing because issues like greed, sensual lusts, bitterness, racism, and any other myriad of problems that have come due to the fall of man into sin will not dominate the righteous man’s judgment. He has chosen to die to himself and live to make decisions based on what God says it proper. One of the things God said to leaders and to those who were given the responsibility of judgment among His people was that they were not to act with favoritism or to take a bribe to pervert justice. They were to judge according to what God said and had revealed in His Word.

As God compares the righteous to the wicked there is a major difference. The counsels of the wicked are revealed to be deceitful. Their judgments are tainted with deceit and lies. Their judgment is clouded by selfishness and a desire to please themselves. They can be bought with the right price to pervert justice. The word “counsels” is important for us to see here. The word “tahbulah” meant counsel or wise advice. The problem for the wicked is that they ignore God’s advice and counsel and appeal to their own selfish and self-centered heart. That is why justice comes out wrong when they seek to offer it.

King Saul is an excellent example of how this works. When he began as the king he adhered to God’s counsels. He listened to the prophet Samuel and followed the Lord fully in the early years of his kingdom. But when he was told to destroy the Amalekites he decided to take counsel within himself. He destroyed everything he saw that was bad - but then decided to keep everything that was not despised. He even kept wicked king Agag alive - as a trophy for himself before other nations. God was grieved that Saul had moved from the wisdom of the righteous to the self-interest of a godless man. In time Saul would continue on his path of self-centered, wicked counsel. It would lead him to make an attempt to kill godly David some 24 times. It would goad him to murder the priests of the Lord when he thought they were working with David to overthrow him. The ungodly counsels of his own heart were so treacherous that when he was desperate to hear from God on the eve of the battle that would cost him his life, he turned to a witch and tried to speak to the dead to get answers for himself.

Who is your counselor in life? Is there a standard - a truth you turn to as you seek to live in this world? The wicked turn to themselves and to an ever-changing code of ethics based far more upon their own lusts and desires than on anything remotely close to wisdom. The righteous man has learned the secret of living by God’s perfect, holy counsel. He has learned to come to God and His Word and humble himself to obey what God says. Such a lifestyle may not always be the most comfortable - but in the end - it is the wisest way to live.

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How Important are You? Proverbs 12:9

10/17/2017

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Proverbs 12:9 Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant than he who honors himself and lacks bread.

Two people are portrayed for us in this proverb. We are told it is better to be one than the other. The areas where they are being compared for our benefit could be described as pride and provision.

The first of our examples is a person who is lightly esteemed. The word used here means a person who is of little account to the world around him. He is socially unimportant, and in some instances even somewhat despised by public opinion. Basically, this person is relatively unimportant and unknown on the social ladder. But, we do learn that even though he is a social nobody, he does have enough in life to have a servant who attends to him and helps him in the daily burdens of life.

Our second person is one to whom honor and esteem mean everything. We do not know much about him in this regard except for the fact that he does find it necessary to honor himself (so that others know he is worthy of honor too). This man’s financial situation is far worse than the first man though. He is not financially secure – he even struggles with daily food. And here is the real kicker – honestly, he is not actually all that important. He is a legend in his own mind – but outside of his own mind – he’s little more than a passing, unheard comment. The honor that he thinks he has is honor he gives himself. What we have here is someone who thinks very highly of himself – but no one else joins him in this estimation. His true value is so low that he cannot even provide daily bread for himself.

We’ve all met someone like this before. In their own mind they are awesome. They are front page news in their own press – but in reality, they are never in the paper. They are so full of themselves that they are unwilling to take “jobs below themselves.” As a result – they don’t even have a job – or food. But give them a few moments to talk of themselves and you would think you are standing in the presence of fame or royalty. God reminds us – even a despised man – a social nobody who has a servant is better than this other guy. So what are we to learn from this proverb? What is the point for each of us?

Pride goes before a fall – and a haughty spirit before stumbling. That is the lesson for us. Don’t waste your life running after fame, importance in the eyes of others, or some kind of social status. That kind of prideful pursuit will result in you being a fool. Work hard and give yourself to the task of providing for yourself and your family. You may never make the social register. You may not receive honors and awards. Others may despise you for your overwhelming life of ordinary-ness. But if we understand the Bible – the ultimate day of honor is not when a group of our peers gather to honor us. It is the day when God will offer the only esteem worthy of receiving. That is the day when men and women will receive the “good and faithful servant” award. On that day we will learn that all the awards and prizes men have given and won, amount to little more than self-imposed esteem that has no value in eternity. They have plenty of prideful esteem they’ve given to themselves – but no bread. But the one who sought first the kingdom of God and His righteousness – the one who took up the cross the world despises, and followed Him – the one who loved God rather than the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the boastful pride of life – that one will be blessed. That one will know the only social register that will mean anything in that day - the Lamb’s book of life. Humble yourself and live for this esteem - His esteem. Living for your own esteem or the esteem of others is a dead end – literally.

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Stupidity and the Sovereign Self - Proverbs 12:15

5/8/2017

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Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

Ever since the fall of man, it has been a tendency of men to think that they are right. It was one of the curses that came with the choice to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That choice involved receiving the lie of the serpent who asked, “Did God say.” That question when owned by man placed a horrific malignancy of thought in his head. In the mind of man God had been the ultimate Sovereign over truth. Truth was indeed (as it still is today) what God has said. From that moment forward man chose to decide for himself what was right and wrong. God’s Word was either twisted to make man think God did not have the best in mind - or it was denied altogether in favor of a new sovereign, man himself.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes. That is how this proverb begins. It is the fool who lifts his own thinking and reasoning to be sovereign in his own life. Yet that is what was left after the fall. Man, in rebellion to God, would choose his own truth and seek to live by it. He would live by that truth until his moral choices came into conflict with it. Then man would decide upon a new truth - or at least one more in line with what he wanted to do. The degeneracy of man’s moral code was set in a downward path from that moment forward. If one questions this it should be noted that it took just 10 chapters for man to become so evil and for his imaginations to run riot with wickedness that God destroyed mankind and started over with Noah and his family. Too many fools considered their own way right in their own eyes and society itself was unraveled and destroyed. So goes the historical cycle when man decides he will be sovereign over his own life and his own moral choices.

A wise man is he who listens to counsel. No longer is man sovereign over his own truth. No longer does man think that what he sees and desires with his eyes is perfectly fine and morally good. Remember that the lust of the eyes is one of the threefold foundations of a worldly mindset. So a wise man does not consider himself his own moral arbiter. He considers that a selfish viewpoint is flawed because he himself, being sinful, is flawed at his core. Because of this trusting himself as to the rightness of his own path at all times is utter foolishness. Therefore he turns to counsel to consider his own way. Now, knowing that the Word of God in Psalm 1 says that the blessed man is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, but instead delights himself in the Law of the Lord and meditates on that Law day and night, it is easy for us to know the “chief counsel” of the wise man. That source of counsel is God Himself - and His revelation of Himself and His will in His Word. The “eyes” he relies upon are those Which see all things and the Mind which knows all things, and the Moral Compass which is always true and right. He seeks the wise and understanding counsel of the Lord. That is what turns a man from a fool into a wise man - He listens to the counsel of the Lord.

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Lover of Knowledge - Or Just Stupid? Proverbs 12:1

4/3/2017

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Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

There was a time when the study of any subject was referred to as the “discipline” of it. When you learned Biology, you were studying the discipline of Biology, when it was English, it was the study of the discipline of English. Today’s proverb of the day tells us that those who love discipline love knowledge. Let’s take a closer look at what this means.

There are several reasons why a love of knowledge requires a love of discipline as well. First of all we need to realize that without disciplining ourselves to spend adequate time studying, we will not learn anything. The word for discipline in this verse is the Hebrew word “musar.” This word means chastisement. The idea here is that of chastisement, reproof, and warning so that one would learn from them. Although this may seem strange to us at first, real knowledge always has an element of discipline to it. If we want knowledge it will come to us in two primary ways. First, we give ourselves to learning all we can to increase our knowledge. But the second aspect is to begin to “refine” knowledge. We take that first knowledge and use it to determine what is true and what is false. We test our knowledge in order to make sure it is right. Then we discern more knowledge as we take information and test it as well to add to what we know. In that process, we come to know what is true as well as what is false. We find good assumptions and poor ones. We come to know both truth as well as error - and how to distinguish between the two.

Imagine a child who is not open to discipline and correction in the learning process. He begins with the assumption that 2 + 2 = 5. If that assumption is not corrected, he would not have knowledge - he would be believing a falsehood. Because he is not open to correction, his collection of false statements and wrong conclusions will grow. In the end we will find that we do not have an educated child - but a self-confirmed ignoramus. Because he hates reproof - he will remain stupid. But there will be more than just mere stupidity - there will be arrogance and an unwillingness to learn from anyone other than himself.

This is where we run into the word “stupid” in this proverb. The King James Bible uses the word “brutish” instead. The actual word means both. The one who hates correction is stupid when it comes to factual learning. He will confidently assert a series of wrong statements when asked for information. But he is also brutish as well. The word “brutish” is not used much in our world so a definition is in order. Someone who is brutish is someone who resembles a brute or animal. They are coarse, stupid, and uncivilized. This is the way that someone who thinks that they have knowledge will react to being corrected or disciplined. They react badly. They become angry and tend to lash out at the one who offers them correction. Rather than receive the correction they bristle at it. They may even verbally attack the one who offers it - see them as ignorant and inferior because they don’t agree with their “facts.”

This proverb becomes even more interesting when we realize that Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba, wrote it. His father and mother engaged in a very evil relationship when they got together. David committed adultery with Bathsheba when he gave in to his lust. But when he learned that she was pregnant from their sexual encounter, he went deep into depravity. He tried to cover up his sin by having her husband Uriah come from the battle - hoping that he would have relations with his wife and think the child was his own. When that did not work, David made Uriah drunk and hoped he would cover his sin in a drunken sexual encounter with his wife. Both times Uriah was more honorable than David because he refused to do such a thing while all of Israel (except David) were engaged in battle. Then David chose to send Uriah with orders that would eventually ensure that he would be killed in battle. David had truly done a foolish and stupid thing.

Was David a lover of knowledge? What would happen when God sent His prophet Nathan to David with full knowledge of his sin? What would happen when David was confronted with that knowledge? Would he receive it or would he reject it? Was he a lover of knowledge or was he stupid? David loved knowledge and responded wisely when reproved by Nathan. He broke and repented when faced with the ugliness and rebellion of his sin. Kings in general do not react this way when confronted with their shortcomings and sins. Many would either place the one who rebuked them in jail - or would have them beheaded. But then again, most kings were not lovers of knowledge as David was.

We are faced every day with multiple opportunities to be a lover of knowledge rather than a stupid and brutish man or woman. The difference is in how we respond to discipline. Do we submit ourselves to it and learn, or do we reject it and remain in a world constructed of our own ignorance and stupidity? I was taught early by the man who discipled me to embrace reproof, correction, and discipline. He had me memorize a verse that said, “Let a righteous man strike me, it is a kindness.” He had me learn that verse, not so that I could be physically abused - but so that I would recognize the kindness of someone who corrected me. That is true even if the one offering the correction is not exactly offering it in the wisest way. He taught me that such correction is a kindness from God - Who ultimately wants me to turn from my foolishness and embrace His blessed wisdom. If we embrace discipline - both verbal discipline from others as well as self-discipline of ourselves to embrace knowledge - we will be truly blessed. We will find knowledge - and - we will not be numbered among the stupid.

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The Pathway of "No Death" - Proverbs 12:28

12/3/2011

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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!

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The Precious Possession of Diligence - Proverbs 12:27

12/2/2011

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A lazy man does not roast his prey, But the precious possession of a man is diligence.
Proverbs 12:27

One of the most precious things you can ever develop in your life is diligence. I remember reading a godly man a long time ago who said, "Many things go to the diligent man simply because he is dilgent about the things he does." There are large numbers of people who are very gifted, but who lack diligence. They will begin the race in the lead - but soon will be eclipsed by the less gifted who are simply more diligent about what they do in life.

Here we are introduced to a lazy man. He is so lazy that even though he has either caught or killed prey that can serve as food, he refuses to roast it. As a result his meat will soon become rotten and useless. He is the picture of someone who has an ability (evidently here it is either hunting or trapping) but who will not do the work that is necessary to take his ability and make it something truly useful to others. Often we see that the more gifted someone is, the less they work hard to hone their gifts to serve others. In the end, their gift is used primarily only to serve themselves and their selfish appetites. Sadly fare too many gifted individuals have written over their lives the epitaph that they were gifted - but lacked the diligence and hard work to make their gift all it could be.

The wise man knows that diligence is indeed a precious possession. The idea presented by a precious possession is that first it is rare and very valuable. Due to the fact that we are fallen, we are not prone to diligence on our own. Therefore it is either developed due to the influence of people who will help us be faithful and hard-working - or - it will be granted to us as God develops our character through the things He Himself teaches us. The word possession has the idea of wealth that is sufficient for our needs. It is enough for us. Diligence in that way is not the drive that some people have for riches that becomes an all-consuming passion that drives out all other things in their thinking. They eventually are destroyed - not by diligence - but by an all-consuming desire for more. Indeed their hard work is based more out of greed than wisdom. For this reason - the ability to be diligent means working hard, being faithful to tasks to see them done and done well - but not the foolishness of thinking that we are what we make or accomplish.

If you have been blessed by having biblical diligence - you are rich! Your wealth will be seen in ways that go far beyond your bank account. Your wealth will be seen in the way that you work - the way that your work blesses others - and the way that even in hard, diligent work, you continue to glorify God.

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Are You Guiding Your Neighbors, Or Leading Them Astray? Proverbs 12:26

12/1/2011

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The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray. Proverbs 12:26

What kind of neighbor are you? Jesus once told a group of people that they were to love their neighbor as they loved themselves. An individual in the crowd, wanting to justify himself as well as hopefully humiliate Jesus, asked the question, "Who is my neighbor?" That brings me to a principle I've learned in my own life - as well as in Bible study. Here is the principle. If you don't like what Jesus said, the dumbest thing you can do is ask a smart-alek question about it. If you did not like what He said at first - you are really not going to like how He answers your question. When Jesus answered their question about a neighbor, He said in effect that anyone and everyone is their neighbor. In that particular story the two Jewish leaders were the goats and the Samaritan was the hero. I'm sure that this endeared Him even more to the Pharisees and religious Jews who asked the question in the first place. I went through all this to assert the fact that Jesus made it clear that all those around us - especially those in need - are our neighbors. So, having said this, I ask my first question again, "What kind of nieghbor are you?" That is what today's proverb helps us to become - very good neighbors to those around us.

The righteous is a guide to his neighbor. So, in order to be a good neighbor, you need to live and speak in a way that guides them. From what we read in the rest of this proverb - that the wicked leads their neighbor's astray - we see that this guidance has to do with leading them in the right way - in a good way. Another thing we can rightly assume is that since this is written in the Bible, which is God's revelation of Himself, the "right" and the "good" way of which we speak is God's way.

Do you lead your neighbor's in God's way? That is the real question that needs to be posed to each of us. First of all, do you know the spiritual condition of your neighbors? Are they Christians? Are they aware of the gospel of Jesus Christ? If not, this is where you begin. You being by leading them to Christ. That is most definitely the right way. But more and more in Christian circles we are not sharing Christ with those around us. I don't know if this statistic still holds true, but at one time it took over 90 Baptists to lead a person to Christ. Before you think I'm picking on the Baptists, I imagine that number doesn't change much when it is transferred to Calvary Chapelites. Who knows it may go up! The problem is that what this means is that probably 1 out of ever 90 believers is actually sharing their faith - and knowing what I do about my particular area - I bet that is too low a number. It is more like 1 out of 250 are sharing their faith in Jonesboro. So what does this mean? It means we are NOT being a guide to our neighbors when it comes to THE MOST IMPORTANT TRUTH in life itself.

God left us on earth after saving us so that we could be a guide to others. In proverbs it says that a wise man wins souls. A wise man takes every opportunity to share Christ with others - and lead them to turn from sin and put their faith in Jesus rather than in their false gods, their religious works, or in nothing at all. It also means that we are to be guides to our neighbors when it comes to truth in general. Therefore I ask another question. Are we being guides to our neighbors by the way we live - and the things we support and oppose? All it takes for evil to triumph is for CHRISTIANS to not guide their neighbors! We need to speak up concerning biblical morality and biblical principles. First though we might want to "live-up" these things. Our country used to be a Christian nation. The reason it has abandoned those principles is because Christians abandoned living them out and guiding their neighbors with them.

The second half of this proverb warns us that the way of the wicked - leads people astray. It leads their neighbors astray. The word "way" here is our old friend "derek" in the Hebrew. It speaks of a lifestyle. It is what we would see if a lifestyle was made into a path for us to see. When the wicked live the way they do - it leads people astray. If you do not believe this, think about how the stars in Hollywood live - and how it has affected our nation's morals. We see them in movies and on television as they push the envelope further and further morally. Christians protest - and even complain of what is put before us. The problem is that we don't come out with the positive alternative. Even worse - we are not taking the gospel to our generation - thus making sure that there are more lost people in our generation than in any before it. Lost people act lost - its what they do. Therefore by not guiding our neighbors - we insure that the next generation will be even more ungodly than our own.

Wisdom knows that fallen men will act fallen. Wisdom knows that sinners will encourage other sinners to act like sinners. Wisdom also knows that without a Word from God to arrest men in their sinful ways, they will not turn from them. The righteous in this passage are not righteous because of what they have done for themselves. They are righteous by faith in Christ. They are transformed because Jesus Christ has become to them not just righteousness - but wisdom as well. They are living godly lives because of the grace of God. Therefore the wise know that they must be guides to their neighbors. Otherwise their neighbors will not come to Christ. Romans chapter 10 reminds us that unless we guide our neighbors - they will not know Christ, believe in Christ, and be transformed by His power to walk in godliness. Listen to Paul's words to the believers of his day.

"How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!" (Romans 10:14-15)

Our neighbors MUST be guided. We are the ones to guide them - and we cannot guide them unless we bring them the good news of the gospel. Not everyone who hears will receive Christ. But this we can know for sure, NO ONE WILL unless we guide them and share the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ with them. Be a guide to your neighbors - not someone who, through their silence, leads them astray.

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Why a Good Word is Necessary Every Once in a While - Proverbs 12:25

11/29/2011

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Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad. Proverbs 12:25

Lately our world has gotten crazier and crazier. Knowing what I know because of the reading that I do can really get a guy down. That is why today's proverb is an encouraging word to me - and a reminder that every once in a while I need to hear or read a good word. If all I partake of are words of doom, gloom, and despair over the condition of mankind - I will be overcome by dread. That is why it is a good thing to simply review the gospel - and the blessings of God in my life.

We are told that anxiety in a man's heart will weigh it down. The word for anxiety here speaks of the apprehension that comes upon a man because he sees approaching trouble. The interesting thing is that what this speaks of is anxiety over trouble that we cannot change. There are some things that we cannot change. When God speaks His Word to a nation like ours - and warns of impending judgment - we cannot change this. Therefore to dwell on such things constantly will weigh us down. When God speaks about foolish rulers and foolish societies that bury themselves in debt. When He says that there will be a day of reckoning where these debts will destroy that nation. But there is little that we can do to turn our nation around - it is counter productive to us to spend too much time worrying and being apprehensive about what is coming.

When looking at this verse I go back to the prophets who brought God's Word of judgment to His people. I consider Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel who prophesied disasters that were coming upon Israel and Judah for their sins. How did these men continue in their ministry without being weighed down and overwhelmed. First of all, these men were overwhelmed for periods. I am not sure anyone could not be grieved and weighed down by what these men were hearing. But, their focus did not remain at all times on these things. This would have caused unbearable apprehension if they did.

What allowed these prophets of God to stay sane was the fact that God not only revealed judgment (when necessary), but He also revealed a good word to them as well. Their messages were a mixture of judgment, and promises to revive and restore God's people. Their prophecies included wonderful words about the coming Messiah. This was the good word that would make their hearts glad. It was these messages that gave them something to look forward to in the future. We need those "good words" to buoy our spirits and help us to know that in the end God will indeed wipe every tear from our eye.

If you are depressed about the state of the church, nation, or world, let me take a moment and give you a strong word of advice. Every once in a while (and my advice would be daily - or at least every couple of days) take the time to remind yourself of the truths of the gospel. Take time to look at subjects like heaven. These things will help us maintain a healthy balance in our spiritual lives. If we don't do this we will have the tendency to be overwhelmed at the mess that is all around us. That mess can bring us down and even weigh on us to the point of depression. Remember the gospel. Remember the blessings of God. Remember the promise of heaven. This will serve as a good word that will make your heart glad.

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The Slack and the Diligent - Proverbs 12:24

11/28/2011

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The hand of the diligent will rule, But the slack hand will be put to forced labor. Proverbs 12:24

Here is a proverb that shows the difference between the lazy man and the one who works hard and is diligent in his labor. Solomon begins with a look at the "diligent." This word referenced the hard-working farmer who plowed the ground and then planted his tilled soil. Such things in Solomon's day were much harder than what today's farmer does. It involved tilling the ground behind a team of oxen - or a mule. It required a person to keep working day after day until the ground was sufficiently broken up and ready for the seed to be planted. Hard working men and women will be rewarded. The passage here says that they will rule. This was the case in that day - and it still is in ours.

One might argue with me on this because of the growing welfare state that seems to be winning the day in our nation. There are a growing number of people who do not work hard, but rather choose to live off the provision of the United States' government. They actually choose NOT to work - and begin collecting various government benefits that are made available to lazy people in our nation. What is happening slowly is that this group of people are gaining power and are learning how to vote themselves further benefits. This is a signal of a nation's downturn. They reward the lazy because they know that as long as they can keep them dumb and filled, they will be safe. But the problem is when a critical mass is reached in a society. That mass is when the ones who pay the taxes are outnumbered by those who demand benefits from the taxes collected. In time such a system will collapse because it encourages laziness rather than hard work.

What will happen in time is that this system - under the weight of its own slothfulness - will fall. When that happens a new set of rulers will emerge. They will demand work - or they will not feed the begging masses. The slack hand (meaning the one that will not work) will be put to forced labor. Look at the socialist countries on the globe. They may have started as a welfare state - but when they have to convert to communism, they will take the lazy and force them to work. If they will not work - such countries let them starve and die.

The way for a nation to prosper is to teach the value of hard work and self-reliance. One thing that is true even now is that the ones who choose hard work - will rule themselves. They may have to pay exorbitant taxes, but in the end, they can choose their leaders. The ones given to laziness and a slack hand - will have to have the socialist and the welfare state rule over them. They are not free. They are in bondage to whoever will give them what they clamor for - more of everything. But as we see again and again, they will not get what they clamor for in life. They will get what paltry sum their leaders give them - and nothing more. Truly to be hard working is to be free - to be lazy is to be a slave to others.

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To Talk or Not to Talk, That is the Question - Proverbs 12:23

11/27/2011

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A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims folly. Proverbs 12:23

There are times when you know the right answer, but still it is better to just keep quiet. Just because you know something is not sufficient reason that you should share it. A wise man knows when to reveal his knowledge and when to conceal it as well. There are several proverbs where God deals with how freely we should speak - even speak the things of God.

Consider Daniel in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar. Here was a very wise man - a godly man - and yet a man who often held his tongue while in the court of the king. He could have been a spiritual know it all - and yet he was content to pray, to serve, and to wait for the moments that God gave him to speak. He got them either due to a biblical principle that was about to be violated - or due to a need that presented itself in the kingdom. Either way, he waited and walked with God until the moment he needed to speak. What is so glorious is that when he spoke - he was the spiritual E. F. Hutton to the kingdom - and to the king himself.

We can cheapen spiritual truth - and make it less effective in people's lives when we want to be the bible answer man for everyone around us. Spiritual babbling can actually hinder more than it can help. Another proverb states that a word spoke at the right time, in the right circumstances is like an apple of gold in a setting of silver. Take our Lord Jesus Christ for example. When the Pharisees came in John chapter 8 with the woman caught in adultery, He could have immediately spoken up with a scathing litany of words about their hypocrisy and condemning legalism. Instead He simply bent down and wrote in the sand. When it was time to speak He used an astounding economy of words. "He who is without sin, cast the first stone." Then he looked down again and continued writing in the sand. The area cleared - and Jesus once again used a question that was as simple as can be - where are your accusers? They had no answer - and He gave her the glorious truth that He did not condemn her - and that she should go her way and sin no more. That is one of the most powerful passages of Scripture we have - and yet Jesus chose not to speak a great deal in it.

The reason we should conceal knowledge is because any fool can speak. The second half of this proverb tells us that the heart of fools proclaim folly. Note that the fool's folly comes from his heart. He is filled with foolishness and self at the core of his heart. That is why when his mouth opens, foolishness comes out. Jesus told us that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. My father used to say to me that I can keep my mouth shut and have people think I am wise, even if I am not. But when I open my mouth when I shouldn't, I remove all doubt that I am not wise. That is why we are told to measure our words carefully when we speak.

The wise man considers when he is about to say. He weighs his words to make sure that they have the greatest impact. He also weights whether his words would be better left UNSAID. That truly is wisdom. As a personal note . . . I am a "talker" - which means I like to talk when given the opportunity. I think this has become more of a habit as I grow older. But as I seriously think about what God has said, I will have to reconsider my ways - and adopt a lifestyle that speaks less. I will still talk - but at times I will need to weigh whether what I am going to say is of value or not. Then I will have to weigh whether the timing is good enough to say that what I want to say NEEDS to be said. Wisdom requires it - and therefore whatever discipline is necessary will be embraced. One thing I know - it will do far more to respond to God in all this - than to continue flapping my gums - and filling the world with words it does not need.

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Who is Your Counselor? Proverbs 12:5

How Important are You? Proverbs 12:9

Stupidity and the Sovereign Self - Proverbs 12:15

Lover of Knowledge - Or Just Stupid? Proverbs 12:1

The Pathway of "No Death" - Proverbs 12:28

The Precious Possession of Diligence - Proverbs 12:27

Are You Guiding Your Neighbors, Or Leading Them Astray? Proverbs 12:26

Why a Good Word is Necessary Every Once in a While - Proverbs 12:25

The Slack and the Diligent - Proverbs 12:24

To Talk or Not to Talk, That is the Question - Proverbs 12:23

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