'Proverbs' Tagged Posts
DESTRUCTION OF PRIDE
C.S. Lewis once said of pride, “There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which everyone in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves. There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.” Pride manifests itself in many ways. One way of identifying pride is when one spends all their time talking about themselves and feigns giving God any credit by an obligatory mention of Him here and there. Listen to what Solomon says! Destruction is the result and a fall is sure to come.
FLEE FROM THE FOOLISH MAN
I have this verse underlined in my Bible. It has been a lifeline to me over the years as I interact with others and soon discover that the one I’ve been conversing with is for a lack of better words full of baloney! Leave! Never argue with a fool! He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience. Too many of God’s children have been influenced by the “foolish man”. This man is a simpleton or arrogant and thinks he knows much but in reality he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know!
PRUDENT, NOT SIMPLE
The Hebrew word for “simple” doesn’t refer to a person with an intellectual deficit but one who is easily persuaded, gullible, naive, while a prudent man is one who is cautious or sensible. It behooves every person who claims the name of Christ to be prudent in this day and age where we are bombarded with every kind of falsity through a myriad of means. We must maintain a testimony for the unsaved to see that as Christians, we are not undiscerning when it comes to the issues we face in life. The current state of affairs has the world looking at Christians as mostly uneducated back woods snake handlers (read the news) who have a disdain for science. Let them see us as those who embrace science because we know the One who set the stars in place!
PROFIT IN LABOR
We’re living in extreme times. The pandemic, social unrest, crazy weather and eroding morals, ad nauseum! As a business owner, I have a lot of contact with other business owners and amongst the deafening cacophony that I hear across the four states that we service is difficulty in finding anyone that wants to work. I know, I know……not everyone that is out of work wants to stay out but the feedback I’m getting from business owners and managers is it’s nearly impossible to find help although there are many jobs available. I just want to emphasize what God says in our text, “In all labor there is profit….” God honors labor and it’s a honor to work and provide for our families. Work is indeed honorable and if one is physically able to be gainfully employed then one ought to be!
SPIRITUAL HOSPITAL
…..and health to all their flesh. Hearing, obeying and applying the Word of God is like getting a dose of medicine for whatever may be ailing you! Here’s the catch. You have to be present to hear the Word before you can obey and apply it! As your Pastor or Sunday School teacher prepares the sermon or lesson each week, contained in that sermon/lesson is life changing, heart healing, relationship restoring, sight giving, and soul saving medicine. Every time you are absent from the services, you are missing out on that medicine that will bring healing to you. One wouldn’t dare skip out on taking their heart medicine but that’s exactly what one does when they miss church services. And with every dose that is missed, that particular ailment that you’ve been dealing with only gets worse and festers (anger, jealousy, envy, hypocrisy etc.) You want to start feeling healthy again? Come to church….it’s really a hospital for sinners, not a resort for saints!
WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT DIRECTION TO GO
Trusting and obeying God is always the best plan. Too often we rely upon our own wisdom or our feelings in making decisions. However, neither our wisdom nor our feelings are good guides. It is God’s will for us to trust Him and let Him be our guide. Even when we do not understand.
MOTHER’S DAY
Let’s be sure to remember, honor and praise our Mothers on this day that has been set aside to do so (and every day) for that matter. Give your mom a call, send flowers or take her out to eat. Thank her for all that she has done for you. If your mother is no longer with you, reach out and be a blessing to someone else’s mother who mav be alone and lonely.
SPIRITUAL MEDICINE
Scripture teaches us that we are a whole person. Our spiritual life effects our physical life. Each and everyday we come across people that are hurting spiritually. Harold Vaughan once preached a message entitled, “The Ministry of Encouragement.” What a great ministry! We should all be encouragers. When you encourage someone it is like given someone a dose of spiritual medicine for their soul. Each day we should ask ourselves, “Who can I encourage today?”
VOMIT (YUCK)!
It’s interesting how often the Bible compares us to animals. Sheep, wolves, beasts, dogs etc. Sheep aren’t very bright, wolves devour sheep but what about dogs? Every dog owner has witnessed at one time or another their dog going back to their vomit (yuck!). We are disgusted when we see that and make sure they don’t come back anytime soon to give us kisses! Yet God compares those who go back to their folly or foolishness to those dogs that return to their vomit. Ponder that a moment. Makes you think twice about going back and doing that very thing that God told you not to do, right?
THE UNPROSPERITY GOSPEL
There is a “gospel” being taught that does not require you to deal with your sin. In fact, they rarely if ever mention the word sin. They say God wants to bless you as if God is their servant. This false gospel teaches a worldly prosperity that tells you to “believe God for things you want and you will get it.” However, the man that does not deal with his sin will never prosper in regards to the riches of heaven. It is the man that confesses and forsakes his sin that is truly blessed. Psalm 32:1-2 ……..Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
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