Proverbial Wisdom—6:20-29

My son, obey your father's commands, and don't neglect your mother's teaching. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. Wherever you walk, their counsel can lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up in the morning, they will advise you. For these commands and this teaching are a lamp to light the way ahead of you. The correction of discipline is the way to life.

These commands and this teaching will keep you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of an adulterous woman. Don't lust for her beauty. Don't let her coyness seduce you. For a prostitute will bring you to poverty, and sleeping with another man's wife may cost you your very life. Can a man scoop fire into his lap and not be burned? Can he walk on hot coals and not blister his feet? So it is with the man who sleeps with another man's wife. He who embraces her will not go unpunished.

Excuses might be found for a thief who steals because he is starving. But if he is caught, he will be fined seven times as much as he stole, even if it means selling everything in his house to pay it back. But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys his own soul. Wounds and constant disgrace are his lot. His shame will never be erased.  For the woman's husband will be furious in his jealousy, and he will have no mercy in his day of vengeance. There is no compensation or bribe that will satisfy him.

Proverbs 6:20-35 (NLT)

Keep your heavenly Father’s commands close to your heart for He will never lead you wrong. Heed His Word and follow His Spirit. He will keep watch over you at night and protect you during the day.

Of course, the preceding paragraph is only applicable to those who have accepted Jesus Christ as both their Lord and Savior; thus, making God their Father.  “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).

Let God’s Word be a light unto your path, leading and guiding you throughout the rest of your days. Meditate upon His Word as you lay upon your bed at night. Feast upon His Word early in the morning. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments” (Psalm 119:105-106).

Men, keep your feet far from the adulterous woman and do not lust after her beauty. Let not her flattering tongue of seduction entice you into her web of destruction. Succumbing to the allure of an adulterous woman will destroy your soul, so stay far away. Protect yourself by heeding God’s warnings!

“I discovered that a seductive woman is more bitter than death. Her passion is a trap, and her soft hands will bind you. Those who please God will escape from her, but sinners will be caught in her snare” (Ecclesiastes 7:26, NLT).

Sex sins destroy. Jack Hayford wrote the following, “The first and foundational reason why sex sins are worse than others is because sex sins stain the root of an individual’s identity (Fatal Attractions – Why Sex Sins Are Worse Than Others).  

God does not hate sex sins more than any other sin. But sex sins often are more demeaning and devastating. Many times, these types of sins have farther-reaching and longer-lasting consequences than other sins. People’s personal identities and their positive self-images can become lost under a pile of sexual pollution. Those lost identities and damaged self-images are difficult to heal.

Raunchy Hollywood, best-selling novels, musical lyrics, and even some worldly churches treat sex sins as common and normal, when those very things can destroy your life. You can become desensitized and lose the “blush factor”; thereby, accepting abnormal behavior as normal behavior. Sex sins are not acceptable and those sins will bring dreadful consequences.

Marital infidelity breaks the bond of trust between spouses. That is a sacred trust, one that was originally created and ordained by God. The shattering of that type of trust should not be treated lightly. God says of the foolish man, “His shame will never be erased” (Verse 33).

Satan encourages you to break God’s laws, including the matrimonial design for one man and one woman. Satan, that wicked fallen angel, will entice you to break vows and cheapen the matrimonial union by a selfish act of the flesh. He will attack you through the lust of your eyes and by the lust of your flesh. And if along the way, he can cause you to demoralize another person as well as yourself, he has succeeded in planting his seed of destruction. Don’t scoop that fire into your lap—you WILL be burned.

Matthew Henry writes in his Bible Commentary, “It will be a wound to his good name, a dishonor to his family, and, though the guilt of it may be done away by repentance, the reproach of it never will, but will stick to his memory when he is gone. David’s sin in the matter of Uriah was not only a perpetual blemish upon his own character, but gave occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme His name too.”

Readers, do not look longingly upon the wicked ways of this world. Do not be enticed by the allure of sin. The fleeting seduction of sin can lead to the eternal death of your soul. Turn from that wicked harlot.

You have heard that the law of Moses says, “Do not commit adultery.” But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye—even if it is your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  And if your hand—even if it is your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

Matthew 5:27-30 (NLT)

Three Key Concepts:

1.  Keeping God’s commands will protect your soul.

2.  Sex sins are often the most demeaning and devastating types of sins.

3.  Continual bombarding by sin can cause people to lose the “blush factor.”

Proverbial Wisdom – 6:12-19

Here is a description of worthless and wicked people: They are constant liars, signaling their true intentions to their friends by making signs with their eyes and feet and fingers.  Their perverted hearts plot evil. They stir up trouble constantly.  But they will be destroyed suddenly, broken beyond all hope of healing.

There are six things the Lord hates--no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord among brothers.

Proverbs 6:12-19 (NLT)

Wow, this is a tough bible study. While it’s always fun to hear about God’s promises of blessings, it is never fun to hear about the consequences of sin. But let’s face it; if we do not accept Jesus Christ as both our LORD and Savior, then we may qualify as these worthless and wicked people who will be broken and destroyed.

Lord, help us to understand Your ways and may we always surrender our hearts, minds and souls to Your merciful refining fire. Amen.

It is important to know what God considers worthless and wicked. Then if we discover any of these behaviors slipping into our own lives, immediately we can stop, bow down, and repent. In addition, we should check the behaviors of our closest friends and make sure that none of them qualifies as worthless and wicked. “My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them!” (Proverbs 1:10).

Close friendships with worthless and wicked people can contaminate our Christian walk. We are set apart for our Lord and we are not to partner with the wicked world. Therefore, we must be careful whom we allow into our innermost circle of friends.

God says that worthless and wicked people constantly lie; they plan evil and they do evil. “How terrible it will be for you who lie awake at night, thinking up evil plans. You rise at dawn and hurry to carry out any of the wicked schemes you have power to accomplish. When you want a certain piece of land, you find a way to seize it. When you want someone's house, you take it by fraud and violence. No one's family or inheritance is safe with you around!  But this is what the Lord says: ‘I will reward your evil with evil; you won't be able to escape! After I am through with you, none of you will ever again walk proudly in the streets’" (Micah 2:1-3, NLT).

All I can say is that the end of the wicked will not be well! Let’s be wise and allow our fear of the Lord guide our tongues, our thoughts, and our actions. We must refuse all evil!

Now, let’s move on to look at the seven things that the Lord despises: haughty eyes, lies, murdering hands, evil plots, people who do wrong, false witnesses, and those who sow discord. Six of these things God hates and seven He despises. Thus, a life characterized by these behaviors will be a life that will face a terrible end.

One of the things that God hates is “hands that kill the innocent.”  This is a controversial topic in our world today.

Think about a few things. Do the hands that kill the innocent include ladies who have abortions? What about the doctors who perform the abortions, do they qualify as hands that kill the innocent? Could this even include the ones who decided that it was legal to kill innocent fetuses?  Maybe, it includes all the people who assist the doctors in performing abortions. What will we do if our government attempts to override our right to live by our Christian faith? That time is getting closer.

Not only must we refuse to do evil, but we should also hate evil. We, as holy children of God, must become so close to God that we love what is holy and we hate what is evil. Yes, I did say hate.

Too many times, we are tempted to put on a smug robe of self-righteousness. We may say that we are so much like God that we love everything. But that kind of statement only proves that we are not like God. If we were truly like Him, we would hate some things, and this lesson identifies some of those things that we should hate.

“You love what is right and hate what is wrong. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else” (Psalm 45:7).

We are to love what is right, but hate what is wrong. David, a man after God’s own heart understood this and he said, “I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all crooked dealings; I will have nothing to do with them. I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil. I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride” (Psalm 101:3-5).

We made it through this lesson, maybe with a few cuts and bruises; nevertheless, we should be a bit wiser. We don’t have to be imprisoned by these types of wicked behaviors, because God has provided a way that we can be free. Moreover, if we wish to have eternal life in heaven with the Lord, we must be freed.

Have you been set free?

My hands have made both heaven and earth, and they are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! ‘I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word. But those who choose their own ways, delighting in their sins, are cursed. Their offerings will not be accepted.

Isaiah 66:2-3 (NLT)

Three Key Concepts:

1. God considers some things worthless and wicked.

2. God hates and despises hands that kill the innocent.

3. There are things that we should love and things that we should hate.

Proverbial Wisdom – 6:1-5

My child, if you co-sign a loan for a friend or guarantee the debt of someone you hardly know— if you have trapped yourself by your agreement and are caught by what you said— quick, get out of it if you possibly can! You have placed yourself at your friend's mercy. Now swallow your pride; go and beg to have your name erased. Don't put it off. Do it now!  Don't rest until you do. Save yourself like a deer escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net.

Proverbs 6:1-5 (NLT)

In this lesson, we are going to discuss a tidbit of wisdom on responsible money management. Prudent money management causes me, a Certified Public Accountant, to perk my ears up and listen.  So let’s get ready to learn.

Today’s selection of verses, warns us against entering into financial contracts guaranteeing the debts of strangers. We should not guarantee that which we cannot control. If we have no control over it and cannot afford to lose it, then we should not guarantee it.

The money management skill of a stranger is usually beyond our control. Therefore, wisdom tells us not to vouch for a stranger’s debt at the risk of overextending our financial resources. If we do, we might find ourselves at the mercy of an irresponsible debtor.

Too often, we allow inner pride to lead us into making boastful promises. Foolishly, we lend our personal names as a guarantee for a stranger’s behavior. We cannot force people to be wise, nor can we control their actions.  Furthermore, we should never be an enabler of sinful, irresponsible behaviors.

Please don’t misinterpret these verses to justify hard-hearted stinginess, because God encourages us to help people in need. In fact, love dictates that we do what we can to ease the sufferings of other people, especially those who are in the household of faith (Galatians 6:10).

Paul spoke up and he became surety for Onesimus’ debt in Philemon 1:18-19.  “If he has harmed you in any way or stolen anything from you, charge me for it. I, Paul, write this in my own handwriting: ‘I will repay it’” (NLT).

Although we are not to be tight-fisted, we are to be good stewards of God’s money. Yes, everything that we have belongs to God. Thus, we should avoid putting our foot in our mouths by making prideful promises that will waste the gifts that God has bestowed upon us. We need to behave in a financial responsible manner, practicing good stewardship of God’s money.

If you personally have promised to cover a stranger’s debt, humble yourself, go to that individual, and beg to be released you from that obligation.  Do not procrastinate; rather, swallow your pride and do it quickly. Like a bird that flees a net, swiftly fly to be free from the prison of your prideful tongue.

…Do not participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

1 Timothy 5:22 (NLT)

Three Key Concepts:

1.  Allow no inner pride to lead you into boastful promises.

2.  Do not fall into a trap created by a slip of your lips.

3.  Keep yourself pure and never enable sinful behavior.

Proverbial Wisdom – 5:15-23

Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.  Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.  Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.  He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

Proverbs 5:15-23 (KJV)

Hello, it’s me again…late as usual. Life can simply get in the way and before you know it, you are weeks behind schedule. I am late with this blog posting and I am sorry. Faithfully, I have been sharing God’s Word with my face-book friends but that is not a valid excuse for letting this weekly blog fade away to a once-in-a-while blog. Forgive me.

Subtly, Satan tosses all sorts of hurdles and roadblocks at you, attempting to slow you down in speaking and sharing God’s Word. Face it, that dastardly devil does not want you to share words of encouragement or strength with other children of God; therefore, he bombards you with all sorts of distractions.

Nevertheless, you, as blood-bought child of God, do not have to trip over any hurdles or roadblocks. Through the power of the most High God, who lives inside of you, you can swiftly clear all of those hurdles without breaking your stride. You know this is true, so keep reminding yourself.

As a reborn child of God, you have a mission. You are to live a holy life through the power of the Lord. Further, you are to help others find that same source of power. Jesus, the Word in flesh form (John 1:14) and the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), is that source of power. He paid the price for your freedom so stand up and claim that freedom.

Do not become distracted by things in this world. Predetermine in your heart that no matter what comes at you, you WILL faithfully serve the Lord. You will be true to your marriage vows, you will always speak truth, and you will not allow sin to set up residence within your heart.

Love is a choice. Yes, you heard me right. Love and faithfulness is a conscious decision that you make.

I know that many people like to believe otherwise. They want to believe that unconditional love should have conditions. Huh? How does that make sense? It doesn’t!

In fact, the ways of this evil world do not make sense to those who are faithful in the Lord. So leave all of this world’s vain thoughts behind and move up higher in, through, and by God’s Spirit. You do not belong in this world…you are a foreigner. So stop trying to fit in or understand it.

“Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously” (Malachi 2:15-16).

When you hear God advising you to take heed to your spirit, you had better pay attention. God hates covering one’s garment with violence. Notice, this violence is not an actual hitting/punching type of violence; rather, it is unfaithfulness and deceitful dealings with your spouse. These things God hates. Yes, He hates!

Take heed to your spirit because those things that you think are hidden are open before God’s eyes.

True believers know that the ways of man are always before the eyes of the Lord. Nothing is hidden from Him. Consistently, Scripture warns us that God sees, He hears, and He knows our actions, our words, and our thoughts. (2 Chronicles 16:9, Job 34:21-22, Jeremiah 16:17 & 32:19)

If you do not take heed to your spirit and thus you choose to ignore God’s commands, you will be ensnared by your own wickedness. You can “...be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). Ropes of strongholds may capture your body, your mind, and your soul. In addition, if you persist in ignoring the commands of God, forsaking all of His instructions, you will destroy yourself. “The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands…” (Psalm 9:16).

But you, dear reader, you are wise. You will heed the Word of the Lord and forsake the wickedness of this world. Through the power of God’s Spirit, you will walk in His righteousness and on towards your heavenly reward. How can you be holy and live holy? You do this with determination and through the power of the Lord’s Spirit.

Learn to fear the Lord…a good dose of healthy fear of the Lord can lead to great wisdom.

For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done.

Hebrews 4:12-13 (NLT)

 Three Key Concepts:

1.  Be faithful…Be faithful…and, Be faithful.

2.  The wicked become ensnared in their own wickedness.

3.  Nothing is hidden from the Lord; thus, live wisely.

Proverbial Wisdom – 5:1-14

My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: that thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.

Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;  and thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.

Proverbs 5:1-14 (KJV)

Like prior chapters, this chapter begins with, “Hey you, listen up…pay attention!” Of course, that was in my informal rendition of King Solomon’s words.  Whether you “attend unto my wisdom” or you “listen up”, you will benefit from paying attention to this Proverb.

By now, you should realize that you are in a mighty battle for your soul. Satan, that dastardly Prince of Darkness, is condemned to spend an eternity in hell and he is determined to take you with him. But you are wise—you will heed God’s warnings so that you will not fall for Satan’s wicked schemes.

You are putting on the whole armour of God and you are preparing for battle by studying God’s Word (Ephesians 6:11-18). You are listening, you are paying attention, and you are implementing. Yes, not only must you study God’s Word, but you must also implement the Word in your life.

“For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance.  You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like” (James 1:23-24, NLT).

This lesson, Proverbs 5:1-14, warns you to stay away from an immoral woman. Her lips may drip with honey (smooth pleasant words), but her trap will be bitter. Like a spider that weaves a web of sticky silk to catch its prey, the immoral woman weaves a web of sweet seduction to catch her prey. Stay away from her and do not get close enough to cast a shadow upon her door.

Sin is like an immoral woman. It beckons you with sweet promises, enticing you with trickery and lies. Just as Satan tricked Eve with deceitful words, he will also trick you. Once caught in Satan’s web of lies, you soon discover that sin’s consequences can be deadly.

Not only does this world abound with sexual seducers, it also abounds with spiritual seducers. Spiritual seducers, like immoral women, beckon you with sweet promises. These seducers may offer multiple ways to heaven, or they may even be brazen enough to claim that there is no hell. In their foolishness, they deny Christ’s words of warnings.

Some seducers willingly skip over major portions of Scriptures. Since they have not experienced nor do they understand the refining power of God’s Spirit, they may claim that all you have to do is verbalize two little words, “I believe.”  A true belief in something results in affirmative action. If you truly believe, then your actions will affirm that belief. You will bring forth fruit corresponding with your belief (Matthew 3:8).

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:19-20). 

As Jude 1:4-7 warns us, spiritual seducers have entered the church. These seducers increase their offering plates by issuing “hell-free zone cards.” In exchange for your money, they willingly turn God’s grace into licenses to sin. They feed you a doctrine with no strings attached, no obedience needed, and no spiritual rebirth required.  But understand that these deceitful doctrines also contain no light to dispel the darkness, no power to free the prisoner, no ability to transform the wicked, and no authority to resurrect the dead.

“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (1 John 2:3-5).

In order to escape a sticky web of sin, you need a Savior. Jesus is that Savior. He is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), He is the flesh form of the Word (John 1:14), He is the sacrificial Lamb of God (John 1:36), He is the door leading to the Father (John 10:1), and He is the Way…the only Way (John 14:6).

Since Satan wants to block your path to heaven, you can count on him to throw all sorts of temptations at you. However since you are wise, you will stay away from all tempting sources. Just as you would not walk close to the weak edge of a crumbling cliff, you will not walk close to a weak area of your resistance.

Nope…you are NOT going to let any sin snares trap you!

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3:3, 5-6 (KJV)

Three Key Concepts:

1.  Spiritual seducers will entice the unwary with ear-tinkling doctrines.

2.  To escape a sticky web of sin, you needed a Savior.

3.  You must stay away from sources of temptations.

Proverbial Wisdom – 4:1-9

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

Proverbs 4:1-9

This week is going to be a little different. When I began studying and taking notes for this lesson, words were impressed upon my heart. Let the truth from these words sink deep and take root in your soul.

The following (italicized) is the message that I heard:

“Listen dear ones and pay attention to these words. Recognize the truth and wisdom in these sayings. Let these words become an intimate part of you and don’t ever let them out of your sight.”

“Never forsake the Words of the Lord for all of His Words will give you life.”

“Chase after wisdom and understanding. Nail them firmly upon the doorposts of your heart. Meditate daily, hour by hour, breath by breath, upon the life-giving Word. Obeying God’s Word will protect you in your hour of turmoil.”

“Lift up God’s Word. Hold His Word up high so that all mankind might see. Never deny the Word of the Lord and never deny the One who brought the Word in flesh form.”

The whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is the Word of God. Please never forsake this truth.

Many people are attempting to compromise, change, or dilute the Word of God. But do not fall victim to Satan’s wicked schemes.  Yes…I did say and mean Satan!

Satan is the spirit behind these wicked men who are attempting to substitute man’s words for God’s Word. Therefore, do not be fooled by their charismatic words or by their popularity. Call evil for what it is…evil. “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2).

We are in a mighty battle against wicked principalities who want to suppress the Truth and capture us in their darkness. The true light, Jesus Christ, came to free us from the darkness and give us eternal life. But the rulers of darkness want to change the true light (the Word of God—the Bible), plunging us back into the dark and recapturing our souls.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:12-13).

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

Currently we are living in a day where people call good…evil and evil…good. The worldly news press demonizes anyone who publicly speaks out supporting the Word of God. Further, when Christians shine the light of God’s Truth upon ungodly rulers, they are called hypocrites. We are truly living in perilous times.

Although we are living in perilous times, we must take a stand and confess the Word of the Lord. Jesus is the Word who was made flesh and lived amongst us (John 1:14). He is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). Do not deny Him; rather, confess Him before all.  “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:32-34).

Firmly plant your feet in the Word of God and stand strong, never modify or dilute His Word. It is time to arm yourself for battle, so grab your sword and begin marching forward! (Ephesians 6:17).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1:1, 14

Three Key Concepts:

1.  We must never forsake the Word of God.

2.  Satan is the spirit who works in the children of disobedience.

3.  We must stand and confess the Word of God.

Proverbial Wisdom –3:21-35

My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.

The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Proverbs 3:21-35

I’m late and I am sorry. This week I went camping at the ocean for a few days, and I just could not make myself sit down and write this week’s lesson. But I will try to do better in the future. Forgive me.

We are going to cover the rest of chapter 3 this week. You may have noticed that I’ve taken the liberty of breaking our Scriptures into three parts. The first part, verses 21-26, lists some personal benefits for keeping sound wisdom and discretion. The second part, verses 27-32, tells us how we should treat other people. Then the last part, verses 33-35, is a comparison of different types of people.

As we have already discovered on our journey through Proverbs, we are to seek and retain wisdom, understanding, discretion, and knowledge…never letting them slip away. They bring us inward strength “life unto thy soul” and outward beauty “grace to thy neck.” This week, we learn that wisdom and discretion also bring safety, stability, rest, and protection.

God’s Holy Spirit teaches us wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, “shall teach you all things” (John 14:26). Therefore, when God’s Spirit dwells within us and we are walking under His direction, we have wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. But not everyone has God’s indwelling Spirit because there are specific requirements for being anointed with God’s Spirit.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:15-17).

To be anointed with God’s Holy Spirit, we must love and obey the Lord. However, some rebellious people refuse to obey God, thus they do have not His Spirit. Consequently, they are not His children (John 15:10, 1 John 2:3-6, 2 John 1:6, Romans 8:9). Since they do not belong to God, they cannot receive nor can they understand God’s indwelling Spirit.

God is a Holy God and He will not dwell with sin. In fact, God says that He will turn His eyes and His ears away from sin (Isaiah 59:2, Ezekiel 39:23-24).

On the other hand, some people truthfully love God, which is evident by their submission and obedience. As such, the sacrificial blood of the Lamb has washed their sins away. Now that they are clean, they are marked with God’s indwelling Spirit. They belong to God because they have been reborn into the family of God.

God is a protective Father and He takes care of His own. Therefore, God’s children need not “be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day” (Psalm 91:5). Nor should His children be afraid of pestilence and destruction (Psalm 91:6). Many people may fall all around them, yet they remain safe in God (Psalm 91:7-9). At night, they lie down and sleep in peace because God is their refuge (Leviticus 26:3-6). If they fall, God picks them up (Psalm 37:24). God orders their steps and protects them as they walk in those steps because they have determined within their hearts to love and obey the Lord.

Let’s move onto our second part for this week, which tells us how to treat other people. We should treat people with love and respect (Matthew 22:39). That means living in peace with all mankind, at least as much as is in our control. “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). Quickly, we should repay that which we have borrowed, we should never cheat anyone (Deuteronomy 24:14-15), we should graciously help those in need, and we should strive to be good neighbors (Luke 10:25-37). Read 1 Kings 17:9-16 to learn about a widow woman who was a good neighbor to Elijah.

Our last part for this week, compares the wicked, the scorners, and the fools with the just, the lowly, and the wise. Let me give you some sound advice right up front. You do NOT want to be in the first group of people…the wicked, the scorners, and the fools.

The wicked (as well as his household) will be cursed, the scorners will be scorned, and then the fools will be put to shame. God hates evil and pours His wrath out on the unjust. “And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord” (Zechariah 8:17).

The Bible contains many stories about people who planned wickedness against God’s children. Much to their dismay, these wicked people found themselves caught in the very trap that they had set for God’s children. God turned their own wickedness back upon them (Daniel 6:24, Esther 8:7).

Compare that with the just who will be blessed, the lowly who will find grace, and the wise who will inherit eternal glory. I want to be in that group. How about you?

Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me (Psalm 101:6).

With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure…(Psalm 18:25-26).

Three Key Concepts:

1.  God is a protective Father and He takes care of His children.

2.  Live at peace with people as much as it depends upon you.

3.  God pours out blessings, shows grace, and gives eternal glory to His children.

Proverbial Wisdom–3:13-20

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

Proverbs 3:13-20 (KJV)

Happy are you when you find Jesus for He is worth more than all the riches in the world (Matthew 13:44-46). Through faith in Him, you can live a blessed life and have eternal life (John 3:15-17). No worldly desires can satisfy your hungry soul like Jesus can—He alone is the Bread of Life (John 6:33-35). His ways are truth and eternal (John 1:14-17). He is the Prince of Peace and within Him, you can find peace (Isaiah 9:6). Happy are you if you retain the love of the Lord within your heart all of your days.

I couldn’t resist that short rewrite of our Scriptures for this week, but stick with me and you will discover why I did it.

In Part 4 of our journey through Proverbs, we discussed the saving power of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. When we believe in the saving power of His blood and repent of our sins, we are reborn through God’s Spirit. As long as we live and walk by God’s Spirit, we have access to holy wisdom. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things….” (John 14:26).  “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth….he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13).

Consistently throughout Proverbs, we are encouraged to seek wisdom and understanding. Once we discover them, we are to cherish them and hold them close to our hearts, living and speaking by their influence. But wisdom and understanding cannot be bought. “But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?” (Job 28:12).

Wisdom is not found within college classrooms, nor can understanding be attained through textbooks. All of our school years and all of the money that we expended in furthering our education, did not result in true godly wisdom and understanding. Instead, we accumulated a bunch of worldly facts.

I am not saying that education is a waste of time. Education is valuable! However, worldly knowledge cannot give eternal life, whereas, godly wisdom and understanding can. Godly wisdom comes from only one source, God…not from textbooks…not from college professors.

Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee says, “The Spirit of God does not open the Word of the God to lazy minds, but to those who are alert and want to learn and know the will of God and the Word of God.”

When people seriously desire to learn more about God and are willing to seek Him, God reveals Himself through His Word. He showers the hungry heart with wisdom and understanding.  However, it takes a sacrifice…a tremendous sacrifice of time!

Unfortunately, very few people are willing to sacrifice their time to study God’s Word. But these same people are willing to spend countless hours in a gym so that they can achieve a strong physical body. It would be to their benefit to spend countless hours in God’s Word so that they can achieve a strong spiritual heart. “Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next” (1Timothy 4:8, NLT).

Those who grasp, live, and walk by godly wisdom and understanding are blessed. The length of their days is increased and they receive riches and honor. They walk in ways of pleasantness and on paths of peace. Godly wisdom and understanding brings eternal life to all who retain them within their hearts.

Wisdom is powerful. Through wisdom, God created the heavens and the earth. He set the stars in the sky and He established the ocean boundaries. He created the lightness of day and the darkness of night. Contrary to many scientific theories, God created our orderly world. This did NOT happen by chance—rather it happened by the wise words of an orderly God.

Wisdom and understanding are powerful and are attainable through Christ Jesus.  Today, seek the Lord.

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Job 28:28 (KJV)

Three Key Concepts

1.  True wisdom comes from God.

2.  The lazy heart has not godly wisdom.

3.  God fills the hungry heart.

Proverbial Wisdom – 3:7-12

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Proverb 3:7-12 (KJV)

Hello dear brothers and sisters in Christ—once again I am late, and this time I have no excuse. The wonderful outdoors beckoned me and I simply did not resist. I cleaned up the flowerbeds, I put out some gorgeous fall decorations, and shame on me, I let my weekly blog be late. Reds, oranges, and browns…I love the fall colors!

So let’s jump right into this week’s lesson, which will be broken down into three sections. The first section is verses 7 and 8, the second section is verses 9 and 10, and the last section is verses 11 and 12.

Our first section contains three warnings. We should not to be wise in our own eyes, we should fear the Lord, and we should turn from all evil. If we are wise in our own eyes, we hold a conceited, inflated view of ourselves, and consequently, we may not admit or learn from our mistakes. And as we have already discovered in Part 1 of our journey through Proverbs, it is a foolish, rebellious man who refuses to learn.

Paul directs us in Romans 12:16 to, “Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!” (NLT). There you go…news flash…you don’t know it all.

But don’t feel bad…I don’t know it all either. All of us have a lot more to learn; therefore, we need to stay humble and teachable.

Our reverential fear of God should help keep us humble and teachable. Throughout the Bible, we are told to fear the Lord and to obey His commands. When we fear the Lord and obey His commands, we turn away from evil—we simply want no part in it. In fact, Exodus 20:20 tells us that the fear of the Lord can keep us from sinning.

Without sin, often we can increase the length of our life and the quality of our days. We decrease our daily stress because instead of worrying, we trust and lean on God. Further, we avoid sinful activities that can lead to sickness and death; such as cirrhosis of the liver, sexually transmitted diseases, and illegal drug overdoses. As a result, many times our spiritual condition can have a profound impact on our physical condition.

Our second section tells us to honor God with the first fruits of our increase. Everything that we have, our health, our jobs, our possessions, and our money, are gifts from God. It all came from His favor within our lives, and ultimately, it all belongs to Him. We are just stewards of His money; and as such, we should not squander it on our lustful desires. Why steal from God?  “The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God…” (Exodus 23:19).

When we are good stewards of God’s money in our tithes and offerings, God continues to bless us. He will meet our needs, financially, physically, and spiritually. He always deserves our first and our best of everything…not our leftovers.

“’Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!’” (Malachi 3:10, NLT).

Our last section for this week, deals with discipline. We are passing through a classroom of life, and hopefully, we are learning and improving as we go along. Nevertheless, we make mistakes and sometimes we refuse to recognize or learn from our mistakes. Consequently, God may have to discipline us. Matthew Henry says in his Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible, “…for we may be sure that a God of unspotted purity does us no wrong and that a God of infinite goodness means us no hurt.”

Since God is without sin, everything that He does is for our own benefit. He teaches us to avoid sin and He leads us towards His righteousness. If we refuse to learn the easy way, through listening to His Spirit and learning from His Word, He will teach us the hard way…through discipline. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:19).

In this life, you may face discipline in the form of various trials and persecutions. While you are being disciplined, humbly surrender yourself to God. Submit to His refining fire because He is working to remove all the impurities within you—He wants to shine you up so that He can see His own reflection when He looks at you. Let God shine you up so that you can reflect Him.

And have you entirely forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, his children? He said, “My child, don't ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children.”

Hebrews 12:5-6 (NLT)

Three Key Concepts:

1. Fear of the Lord can keep you from sinning.

2. Your spiritual condition can have a profound impact on your physical condition.

3. God disciplines those He loves.

Proverbial Wisdom – 3:1-6

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:1-6 (KJV)

Dear Friends, I apologize for the tardiness of this week’s lesson. This has been a difficult week for me. First, I had a toothache and as a result, I found myself sitting in a dentist chair. Then Thursday, September 22, was the anniversary of my first husband’s death.

It has been eight years since my husband’s death, but it was such a life-changing event that I will never forget the details of that horrible day. Although I will never forget my husband, I did learn how to adjust to the change, continue forward with my life, and wait patiently upon God. I am still waiting to discover all the wonderful plans that God has in store for my future.

God has a good plan for all of His children. He sees into our hearts—He sees our strengths and He sees our weaknesses. The astounding part is that God loves us in spite of all of our weaknesses!

Life-changing events can transform our weaknesses into strengths. When we are suddenly plunged into the angry waves of despair, from a sickness or death of a loved one or maybe even from our own sickness, we may flounder around for a bit, barely keeping our heads above water. However, while we are floundering in despair, we gently hear God calling, “Hang on My child. Hold tight to My hand and I will lead you out.”

After floundering for a bit, I hope that we wise up, reach out, and take hold of God’s outstretched hand. I know I had to.

There was no way that I could make it through the valley of death without God. I surrendered myself to God, I rehearsed His Word (Bible) in my mind, and I held tight to my faith in Him. God did not disappoint me.

God was my strength while I underwent a painful transformation process. Through my faith in Him, I survived my walk through the valley of death. It was in that valley of death that some of my weaknesses were transformed into my strengths. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalms 23:4).

Unfortunately, many times we have to undergo painful trials before we willingly surrender ourselves to God’s transforming hand. It is in the midst of those trials that we finally begin to understand and appreciate God’s faithfulness.   

All of us will go through life-changing events at some point in time. Some of those events will be good and some of those events will be bad. Nevertheless, by faith we can victoriously endure all life-changing events IF we depend on God. God is working on our behalf to transform us into pure, strong, holy vessels. “The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives” (Psalms 37:23, NLT).

If you are personally going through a life-changing event, perhaps God is birthing a new ministry within you. God may be transforming some of your weaknesses into strengths so He can use you to help His children. Therefore, while you are going through the transformation process, do not become overwhelmed. Instead, look at the process as an exercise in your faith. By faith, you know that God is right there beside you, lovingly planning every detail of your transformation.

But while you are being transformed, make sure that you follow ALL of God’s commands. God’s Word promises that if you remember His laws and obey His commands, you will have length added to your days and peace added to your life (verses 1 and 2). But you can’t stop there!

Your outward behavior must reflect God’s mercy and God’s truth (verse 3 – “bind them about thy neck”). The only way that you can outwardly reflect mercy and truth, is to have these same principles written internally within your heart (“write them upon the table of thine heart”). Therefore, let mercy and truth rule your days, both in your heart and in your behavior. When you do this, you will find favor and understanding in the sight of God (verse 4).

Finding favor with God is my goal. More than anything, I want to hear God say, “Well done My good and faithful child.”

In this life, you will go through many spiritual battles. You may not see your attacker and you may not understand your attacker’s strategy. However, you can still be victorious when you learn to trust in God, lean on Him, and acknowledge Him as your sole source of strength. God will protect you through the battles and after they are complete, you will have been transformed.

…Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.

Matthew 6:32-34 (NLT)

Three Key Concepts:

1.  Life-changing events can be the beginning of a spiritual transformation.

2.  God will sustain you through all life-changing events.

3.  God knows what you need and He will provide all that you need.