The opposing wind ~ Raul Ries

“For You are my rock and my fortresses, therefore,

for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.”

Psalm 31:3

Smooth sailing is not always smooth. The easier our path the more stunted we become. We need an opposing wind to help us be strong, courageous Christians.

A pastor friend of mine once said, “A ship, like a human being, moves best when it is slightly buffeted by the wind, when it has to keep its sails tight and attend to its course. Ships, like men, do poorly when the wind is directly blowing in their direction, pushing them sloppily on their way so that no care is required in steering or in the management of sails. When the wind seems favorable, because it is blowing in the direction one is heading, it is actually destructive, because it actually induces a relaxation in tension and skill. A ship needs a wind slightly opposed to it, for then tension can be maintained. It’s the same with men, an opposing wind allows the juices to flow and ideas to germinate. Ships, like men, respond to challenge.”

Thought for the Day:

The closer we draw to the Lord, the more we appreciate the opposing wind.

A demonstration of the Holy Spirit ~ WOW the Bible in 7 minutes a day

Peter Demonstrates the Spirit's Power

Acts 2:14-3:10; Psalm 114:1-3,7-8; Proverbs 20:17

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.'

"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know-Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. For David says concerning Him:

'I foresaw the LORD always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence.'

"Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

"For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:
'The LORD said to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them-walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 2:14-3:10

WORSHIP

When Israel w ent out of Egypt,
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
Judah became His sanctuary,
And Israel His dominion.
The sea saw it and fled;
Jordan turned back.
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the God of Jacob,
Who turned the rock into a pool of water,
The flint into a fountain of waters.
Psalm 114:1-3, 7-8

WISDOM

Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
Proverbs 20:17

He makes all things possible to them that believe~ Mike MacIntosh

Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved? But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."
Mark 10:23-27

Wealth isn't the prerequisite to entering heaven. And yet, the disciples seemed surprised by Jesus' words here. You see, no matter how much you do or how much you have, nothing can compare to simply trusting in Jesus Christ and putting your faith in Him. Children and adults can do this equally. Poor people can do this just as easy (if not easier) as the wealthy can. It's a matter of faith, not your pocketbook or your personal standing. With God--not yourself--all things are possible.

And some of you may be facing impossible situations today. So grab a hold of this promise: God can do and does the impossible. There isn't anything that God doesn't want to do to bring you closer to Him. So, if you have some impossibilities that you are facing in your life, ask God for His supernatural help. God doesn't want you to give up. He is going to take you through it. He wants to give you the opportunity to see that He is still doing miracles, just like He did in Moses' time or in the book of Acts. So many Christians know their Bible but they don't know the power of God's Word. You have to trust the Holy Spirit and watch Him open doors that no man can open, and watch Him close doors that no man can close. You'll be amazed at what God can do. What seems impossible to us is so very possible for Him.

Keeping our eyes on Jesus ~ David McGee

Acts 14:18

"But even so, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them."
NLT

Life Lesson

Get your eyes off of people and put them on Jesus.

How often we take our focus off God and place it on men. Paul is not Saint Paul in the religious sense; rather he is a Saint because he is new in Christ Jesus who forgave him of his sins. God did great things through Paul and Barnabas who were just people like you and me - people who had the mind of Christ. When we think of people as super heroes, we deceive ourselves in thinking they did things that we could never do, but you know what? God does great things through people today.

Jesus said that He did not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). If we are to "arm ourselves also with the same mind" (1 Peter 4:1 NKJV) then we must serve others. Paul exhorts us saying, "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had" (Philippians 2:5 NLT). What is your attitude toward serving others?

God wants to use you to do awesome things. People who forsake their own needs and wants by serving others demonstrate their focus is on Jesus. The kind of humility that it takes to deny yourself in order to serve others is unnatural to man, but through the incredible work of God it is made possible. There are more opportunities to serve others than there are of being served. What does that say about individuals willing to let others serve them, but never serve others? It speaks volumes about their focus. Have you positioned yourself to serve or to be served?

Dear Father,
Please forgive me for the times when I've taken my focus off of You and placed it on people. Please give me a heart to serve You by serving others. I want to be Your humble and obedient servant. Thank You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

A study of heart and mind~Jon Courson

	O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called; Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
		1 Timothy 6:20-21
	After telling us that professionally, we’re to be good workers, and financially, we are to be content and generous, Paul moves to his third and final exhortation concerning the Church and her ministry to the world when he says that intellectually, we are to be true to the Word. If you want to navigate life now and eternally without being embarrassed, study the Scriptures, and do what they tell you to do. Without exception, the times of which I’m ashamed are the times I didn’t do what the Word said to do. When I violated the Word, when I did my own thing, when I chose to ignore a command or a principle, it always ended in error and shame. May the Lord continue to help us walk wisely in these dark and treacherous days. May the Lord give us a heart to continue to study the Word — not academically only, but with a determination to obey it practically.

Spiritual Housekeeping ~ Mark Balmer

Based on “Under His Influence—REALLY!!!” by Pastor Mark Balmer;
10/10-11/09, Message #MB392; Daily Devotional #2 - “Spiritual Housekeeping”



Preparing the Soil (Introduction): A flash of lightning streaked across the nighttime sky. As it did, it illuminated the clouds that could not be seen because of the darkness. Although the lightning shadowed the clouds, it could not shine through them. What a vivid picture of Pastor Mark’s illustration of how the Holy Spirit illuminates our hearts and exposes the sin that prevents His light from shining through us! In spite of the intense heat of the lightning, it could not penetrate the clouds. So it is with God’s Spirit. He exposes our sin, but does not shine through our sin. If we are to be His light in the world around us, we need to rid ourselves of sin.


Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): If we are serious about saying, “Yes,” to the Lord, we must be just as serious about saying, “No,” to sin (Hebrews 12:1). We need to allow the Holy Spirit to help us examine our lives regularly. Are there worldly attitudes, habits, compromises, or thoughts that we have allowed to influence us and thus taint our witness? When others see these in us, they may think one of two things: either we are hypocrites, or these things are really no big deal. When we recognize these in our own life, we must confess them and get rid of them. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). We may even need to admit to our unsaved friends that we have sinned and need to ask God for forgiveness. This can be a witness to them that we are not perfect, but we are forgiven. As we get the worldly influences out of our lives, we open ourselves to let His influence flow freely through us.


Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Consider the spiritual influence that you have in the lives of those around you. You may be the only “contact” they have with Jesus. What do they see? Do they see a life that is compromised by worldly attitudes, or do they see a life consistently lived under His influence? Go a bit farther and ask yourself, “Will my life lead someone to Christ or away from Him?” Confess what you need to, and ask the Holy Spirit to create a clean heart in you so that your witness may be real to a world in real need.


Cultivating (Additional Reading): Psalm 51:10; Psalm 139:22-24

Becoming an example ~ Joyce Meyer

Pattern yourselves after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah).
— 1 Corinthians 11:1

What a bold, awesome statement! What exactly was Paul saying in this verse? He was saying the same thing he said in 1 Corinthians 4:16: "So I urge and implore you, be imitators of me."

He was telling the believers in Corinth, "Watch my life, and I will show you how Jesus wants you to live." That is what God wants us to do. He wants us to have the confidence to know that we are doing everything in our power to obey God to such a degree that we don't feel we have anything to hide from anybody. He wants us to be confident that anyone who models himself after us will turn out to be like Jesus both in attitude and behavior.

I love Romans 5:19: "For just as by one man's disobedience (failing to hear, heedlessness, and carelessness) the many were constituted sinners, so by one Man's obedience the many will be constituted righteous (made acceptable to God, brought into right standing with Him)."

This verse says that just one man or woman can affect the world. If that is so, then surely one of us can affect the neighborhood we live in, the place where we work, the circle of friends we do things with—if we make the right choices.

Discover mercy and truth ~ Jack Graham

Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish… saying, “I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me….”

-- Jonah 2:1-2

When Jonah ran from God, the Lord got his attention in a dramatic way: letting him get swallowed by a giant fish. And during the three days and nights Josh spent in the fish, his heart began to turn.

Inside the utter darkness, Jonah recognized that God was at work in his life. And he found what he needed most at that moment: God’s grace.

Jonah cried out to God for mercy, and the belly of that fish became a sanctuary. He repented for his disobedient heart. And the Lord answered him and delivered him onto dry land.

God is so good to take all of our mistakes and to use them for our good when we walk according to his purpose. He is working all things creatively, constructively, and purposefully together for your good!

If your choices have landed you in unspeakable darkness, God is there. Repent and follow him. He will turn things around for you. It is his promise to those he loves and calls to his purposes.

IF YOUR CHOICES HAVE LANDED YOU IN UNSPEAKABLE DARKNESS, GOD IS THERE.

You are God's missal ~ Chuck Swindoll

Acts 22:1-21

A time-honored, effective method of evangelism is your personal testimony. Just telling about your spiritual pilgrimage. The skeptic may deny your doctrine or attack your church, but he cannot honestly ignore the fact that your life has been cleaned up and revolutionized.

Now I'm not talking about some stale, dragged-out verbal marathon. That kind of testimony never attracted anyone! I'm speaking of an effective, powerful missile launched from your lips to the ears of the unsaved. Consider these five suggestions:

1. You want to be listened to, so be interesting. It's a contradiction to talk about how exciting Christ really is in an uninteresting way. Remember to guard against religious clichés, jargon, and hard-to-understand terminology. Theologians, beware!

2. You want to be understood, so be logical. Think of your salvation in three phases and construct your testimony accordingly: (a) before you were born again---the struggles within, the loneliness, lack of peace, absence of love, unrest, and fears; (b) the decision that revolutionized your life; and (c) the change---the difference it has made since you received Christ.

3. You want the moment of your new birth to be clear, so be specific. Don't be vague. Speak of Christ, not the church. Emphasize faith more than feeling. Be simple and direct as you describe what you did or what you prayed or what you said. This is crucial!

4. You want your testimony to be used, so be practical. Be human and honest as you talk. Don't promise, "All your problems will end if you will become a Christian," for that isn't true. Try to think as unbelievers think.

5. You want your testimony to produce results, so be warm and genuine. A smile breaks down more barriers than the hammer blows of cold, hard facts. Let your enthusiasm flow freely. It's hard to convince someone of the sheer joy and excitement of knowing Christ if you're wearing a face like a jail warden. Above all, be positive and courteous. Absolutely refuse to argue. Nobody I ever met was "arm wrestled" into the kingdom. Insults and put-downs turn people off.

Ask God to open your lips and honor your words . . . but be careful! Once your missile hits the target, you'll become totally dissatisfied with your former life as an earthbound, secret-service saint.

No persuasive technique will ever take the place of your personal testimony. If you have not discovered the value of telling others how God rearranged your life, you've missed a vital link in the chain of His plan for reaching the lost.

A key to success ~ Charles Stanley

Acts 13:1-5

Our heavenly Father’s desire is that we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 6:29), become like Him (Rom. 8:29), and carry out God’s plan (Eph. 2:10). Setting goals will help us to succeed in accomplishing His work.

Asking God for instruction is where we should begin every time. Through meditating on the Scriptures, seeking the Lord in prayer, and receiving wise counsel, we can determine the work He has chosen for us. Setting wise goals along the way will also help us achieve it in a godly manner.

I remember a time when I wanted to get a clearer picture of the Lord’s work for me and how to carry it out. I set aside a week to pray and fast while I sought to know His plans. Each day I would record ideas that came to mind. Sometimes they would seem too big, and I would hesitate. But I could sense the Spirit’s urging to write everything down. By week’s end, I had a list of goals. Some of them were short-term—for the next day, week, or month. Others were intermediate, covering a year or two, or long-range for the following five to ten years. Many of the ideas seemed like impossibilities at the time. It surprised me how God brought many of them to fruition, not because of anything I planned but because they were what He wanted.

Life is a gift: God gave us physical life in our mother’s womb and spiritual life in Christ (John 20:31). To waste what He has given is wrong. Setting goals in line with His purposes will help us succeed both spiritually and physically—in growing Christlikeness as well as relationships and work.

Jesus, our fountain of faith ~ Bob Hoekstra

And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. (Acts 3:16)

The path of discipleship can only be traveled by faith (by trusting in our unseen Lord). Progress can never be made by sight (by relying upon that which our human senses can gather and process). "We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Therefore, it is vital that we understand where we must go for the source of our faith: "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus is the source of faith. The Scriptures often expound upon this fundamental truth.

This truth was again declared when the lame man was healed at the temple gate. This miracle occurred when two of the Lord's disciples were going to the temple in Jerusalem to pray. "Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer" (Acts 3:1). A crippled man requested a gift. "And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful… asked for alms" (Acts 3:2-3). Peter and John had no money to give, but they offered far more than the man had sought. "Then Peter said, 'Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk'" (Acts 3:6). They offered this man healing in the name of Jesus Christ. "And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God" (Acts 3:7-8). The miracle was extensive. The lame man was not only strengthened to walk, he was also enabled to leap and stirred to give exuberant praise unto the Lord.

As an astonished crowd gathered, Peter explained how the miracle was related to the name of Jesus. "And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know." The name of Jesus referred to His person and His power (that is, all that Jesus was and all that He was able to do). This demonstration of Jesus' power was experienced through faith in His name (that is, reliance upon who He was and what He could do). Then, Peter explained the source of such faith. "Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." Jesus is the source of faith. Those who know Jesus to be a wonder-working Lord will trust Him to do extraordinary things.

O glorious Lord, I see many matters that only You can handle—problems in the world, needs in the churches, difficulties threatening loved ones, burdens in my life. I trust in Your name. Please show again who You are and what You alone can do, Amen.

Are you constantly seeking the Lord’s direction for your leadership? (91-3) ~ Barry Werner

Are you constantly seeking the Lord’s direction for your leadership? (91-3)

October 14th, 2009 in 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, Dependence on God, Leadership Principles, Old Testament, Problem Solving | leave a response

Christian leaders should constantly be asking, “What does God say?” Read 2 Samuel 5:17-25.

Leaders constantly seek to know what resources they have available. They are constantly searching for and trying to attract competent people. They set target dates and check points, establish lines of communication, determine the evaluation process, create budgets and timelines and the list goes on and on. Every one of these activities is critical to effective leadership. Too often, however, even godly Christian leaders forget to ask, “What does God say?” David discovered the importance of this question when the Philistine army massed to challenge his right to rule as the new king over all of Israel.

A little background, the nation of Philistia was made up of a number of city states ruled by local leaders but they were united by a national allegiance to a king. We see this at work in 1 Samuel 27 when David, who was on the run from Saul, lived peacefully in a Philistine city state ruled by Achish but in 1 Samuel 29 when the entire Philistine nation massed an army and Achish invited David to be part of his army, “the princes of the Philistines” rejected David’s participation. National leaders could overrule local leaders.

It was to the national advantage of the Philistines to keep Israel’s leadership fragmented and they did not want David as a national king of Israel. Without a central army powerful enough to challenge their raiding parties, the Philistine city rulers had free reign to tax and/or take whatever they wanted from Israel’s border towns and local farmers.

The Philistines massed a national army to challenge David’s right to rule in Israel. To meet the challenge David massed a national army in Israel. David’s army may have been a worthy adversary to any individual Philistine city leader but not their national force and David knew it. When the Philistine army massed, David immediately went to the Lord to see if he should fight, flee or negotiate. The Lord gave David a battle plan and assurance of victory.

When the Philistine army massed a second time (probably a year or more later) David did not assume that the Lord’s instructions were once for all time and he went back to again request direction from God. Ironically God gave the same go ahead but a different battle plan.

How are you doing seeking the Lord’s direction for your leadership? Did you receive direction once and made an assumption that this directive was for all time or do you go back for new direction for new challenges even when the circumstances appear similar to when you first received direction?

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Tags: Seek God

« Have you communicated your vision to your team? (91-2

Something out of nothing~ Bob Coy

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel!"-Ruth 4:13-14 (NKJV)

Ruth's story is one of redemption. It started out tragically. Her husband died, and she made the precarious journey from her homeland of Moab to Israel, which was the land of her widowed mother-in-law, Naomi. The two of them had virtually nothing-empty hearts, little money, and few prospects of changing their situation-as they made their way to Naomi's hometown of Bethlehem.

But Ruth caught the eye of Boaz, a wealthy landowner who was also a relative of Naomi. Under Jewish law, a provision allowed relatives to redeem property that had been lost. This was accomplished by marrying the widow and paying the current landowner a fair price. This meant Boaz could marry Ruth and legally purchase the property that had belonged to Naomi's deceased husband. By doing so, he would be able to provide for both women. Boaz and Ruth's relationship progressed; they married and had a son.

Naomi's friends celebrated her success and said to her concerning Boaz, "May his name be famous in Israel!" Whether they realized it at the time, their words had prophetic significance. The name (or lineage) of Boaz has become the most famous in human history. Not only did it produce King David, but generations later it led to the King of kings, Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5-16). This means that Ruth-a one-time widow from Moab, a nobody with nothing-received a husband, a son, and the honor of being associated with the most prestigious lineage known to man.

This prophecy demonstrates how God can make something out of nothing, which is what He does in each of our lives when we receive the redemption found in Jesus.

Discuss and share an example of how you have seen God bring something from nothing. How did God get the glory in this situation?

Dig into Ruth 4:5-15. How did the people respond to the actions of Boaz? How is this story of redemption a reminder of what God has done for each of us? What is God doing in you to bless generations to come?

Decide with your group to make the name of your redeemer famous in your community. What could your group do to lift up the name of Jesus where you live? Determine ways you could actually celebrate the name of Jesus in such a way that others would be attracted to Him.

True tolerance ~ Greg Laurie

Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
— Acts 4:12


I find it ironic that those who tell us we need to be tolerant are very intolerant of the gospel. In fact, the most intolerant people seem to be those who are always telling you to be tolerant. I have heard the complaint that Christians are so intolerant, yet I don't think that is true at all.

I think Christians are the most tolerant people of all, because we want to reason with those who have a different belief system than ours or live a different lifestyle than we live. Yes, we believe in absolute truth and believe in it unapologetically. But I have found that people who are the most intolerant are the ones who say, "I don't like the fact that you believe in absolute truth, and I am tolerant of everyone except you. I want you to shut up. I don't want you to state your views." What happened to all their tolerance? Where is the so-called love?

To proclaim that Jesus Christ is the only way to God will offend some people. But we proclaim it because the Bible clearly teaches it. This is what we call an essential, a nonnegotiable. Jesus stated it as succinctly as it could be stated when He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). When we state that as fact, it will offend certain people.

When a physician discovers a problem with a patient's health, he or she must tell the truth, even if it could upset the patient. As Christians, we must tell the truth about a person's condition, which, according to the Bible, is sinful. We must explain the problem and then offer the solution through Jesus Christ. And this will offend some people.

Twitter Proverbs from Rick Warren

• The strongest shield against any sin is always humility.Bad news:humility grows best thru painful experiences.Isa.38:15 NIVabout 9 hours ago from web

• NEVER follow a pastor who belittles other’s success,doubts other's motives,or criticizes other's efforts 4 Christ. Rom.14:4about 9 hours ago from web

• "Addiction is finally about idolatry.The addict will do anything for his idol"- Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. A Breviary of Sin3:06 AM Oct 13th from web

• When u die, u wont regret your unfulfilled dreams,just your unattempted ones.The 1st is reality;the 2nd is tragedy.Matt9:2910:05 PM Oct 12th from web

• "God isn't a God of the edges,with only an interest in beginnings.He is God of the whole show"- Quarks,Chaos&Christianity7:42 PM Oct 12th from web

• Never waste energy trying to be well-known.Today’s hero is tomorrow’s zero.U work on character & leave reputation to Him6:09 PM Oct 12th from web

• “Promotion comes neither from the east nor west nor south.God is the judge:he puts down one & sets up another” Ps75:6-76:08 PM Oct 12th from web

• Tues Oct 13 Open-Participatory Conf.Tweet ur insights on Eph. 3:8-11. End w #Eph33:04 PM Oct 12th from web

• "The world’s poor feel we ate the appetitizers,entrees&dessert,then asked them to tea & said‘Let's split the bill"Freidman2:59 PM Oct 12th from web

• Pastors should wash their own clothes,dishes & change diapers.You may be annointed but you're just human. Acts14:15a10:42 AM Oct 12th from web

• Speakers like travel because it feeds the ego. Always being in the spotlight blinds u. Watch VH1's Behind the Music to see the harm10:35 AM Oct 12th from web

• TRAP:More interest&time speaking elsewhere than caring for ur flock.“My own vineyard I've neglected”Song1:6 Breeds hypocrisy10:31 AM Oct 12th from web

• Today our deeds,not the creeds,need a reformation: "NOW REFORM your WAYS & your ACTIONS & OBEY the Lord!"Jer26:139:46 AM Oct 12th from web

• Only antidote to radical evil is radical love,radical good,radical grace.FEB 9-11 RADI'CALIS camp will shake u to ur core.9:30 AM Oct 12th from web

• For some a cliche,for me a conviction:YOU CANNOT OUTGIVE GOD! I've lost the giving game for 34yrs,raising the bar every yr8:22 AM Oct 11th from web

• RT @KayWarren1: He loves each one of us, as if there were only one of us. Augustine7:53 AM Oct 11th from web

• You can't change the world if you are afraid of it. 1 John 5:4-52:28 PM Oct 10th from web

• Dimtwit=not worth reading,Halftwit=out of space,Nittwit=picky,Outtwit=funnier reply,Twitness=gospel,Twiticism=flame others11:40 AM Oct 10th from web

• @kenwhitten Rick ur tweets are so good u should do a book of them called "You will be my Twitnesses!" FUNNY KEN!11:05 AM Oct 10th from web

• "Do you help God by being so righteous?There is nothing God needs from you. Job 35:7 (TEV) It's GRACE. Relax & love him!10:53 AM Oct 10th from web

The good I wan't to do I can't ~ Kay Arthur

Have you ever, in a sense, known what God wants? You know just innately. You know that you ought to be good. You know that you ought to do right. You know that you ought to treat people differently, but you blow it. And then you determine, hey, I’m not going to do that anymore. I’m not going to blow it anymore. But then the good that you want to do you can’t do. And you find out that you’re doing the evil that you don’t want to do. What’s the problem? The problem is it’s not life in the Spirit.

As we continue this vital series on life in the Spirit, and it’s vital, because there’s no life apart from the Spirit of God. And there’s no power and there’s no peace, and there’s no joy and there’s no gentleness and faithfulness and goodness and kindness and self-control and all those wonderful things that make life what it ought to be.

As we continue this series, remember we’re in the Old Testament. Remember we have seen the Spirit of God move. Remember we have seen man created in God’s image, filled with God and able to be God’s vice-regent on earth until man sins. And then when man sins God withdraws because man has chosen to walk his own way. And the wages of sin is death. And sin is simply independence from God.

It all lines up and all comes down to the root cause and that is that, excuse me God, but I will call the shots. You’re not going to. And so that’s what happens. And when man calls the shots himself, he gets messed up.

Well, what God does is God begins His redemption. Remember He doesn’t want man to be dead in trespasses and sins. He doesn’t want man to experience the second death.

So God says I’m going to send a Redeemer. Now, as He shows us this in the Old Testament and we saw that in Isaiah. We saw a number of scriptures in Isaiah 11 and in Isaiah chapter 42 and Isaiah 61 that there is a Messiah, there is a Promised One, a Savior that is going to come and rescue us. And the Spirit of God is going to rest on Jesus Christ.

All right, now I’m going take my handkerchief, okay just imagine me sitting here, as Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of God resting on Jesus. Now what God has to do in order to bring people to life is He has to take this Spirit that rests on Jesus; so imagine that handkerchief coming off my head and He’s got to put it into His people.

How’s He going to do that? Well God starts His plan of redemption with the Jews. From Abraham comes the very first Israelite, the very first beginning of this family of God. And so what you have is God raising up a nation. That nation is the Jewish nation.

And what He’s going to do is He’s going to take these Jews who know the law, who know what God says is right and who keep breaking the law. They know to do good, but they don’t do it. They know that they are to have no other god besides Him, but they choose other gods. They take other gods and they bow down and they worship those gods. And because of that God has to deal with them. He made a covenant with them. The covenant was the law. And the law said hey, here’s the standard of righteousness and I want you to live up to that standard.

But man can’t because man has no ability to do that. Man is dead in his trespasses and sins. So God cannot lower His standard because God is holy. So what He has to do is He has to change man. And He changes man by putting His Spirit within him.

So what He’s going to do is He’s going to show us how He’s going to bring the Jews to life in Christ. You say, but Jews and Christ don’t go together. They did at one time. They did at one time, not for the whole nation, but let me show you.

And what I want us to do is I want us to go first of all to Isaiah chapter 44, verse 3. All right now, I want you to look at the text. Remember what Precepts for Life is all about is bringing you face to face with God’s precepts, which is what the Word of God is for life, so that you know that you know and you just don’t say well I’m a follower of so and so. This is my favorite teacher. This is my favorite radio personality. This is my favorite television personality. No, unh, unh, no, it’s got to be God. It’s got to be God. He shares His glory with no one.

All right, so Isaiah chapter 44. And as we look at Isaiah chapter 44 I’m going to read to you verses 1 through 3. “Now listen O Jacob, My servant.” Now who is Jacob? Jacob is Israel and Jacob’s name is changed to Israel. So He says, “Now listen, O Jacob, My servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen: Thus says the Lord who made you.” In other words, I created you. All mankind was Gentiles and I created you as a separate nation. I don’t even number you among the nations because I’m taking you and I’m making a special entity out of all mankind. So all the rest of mankind is going to be called Gentiles, Goyem, to the Jews and you’re going to be a Jew.

So He says, “And Israel, whom I have chosen: Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you.” You keep stumbling. You keep falling. You keep falling short of My standard, but I’m coming to help you. And He says, “Do not fear, O Jacob My Servant, and you Jeshurun whom I have chosen.” It’s a synonymous term. “For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; and I will pour out,” now watch, “I’m going to pour out My Spirit.”

Think of the hankie on my head. I will pour out My Spirit on you. “I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants.” In other words, hey, I’m going to redeem you. I am going to put life; I am going to put My Spirit back inside of you.

Now, go to Jeremiah chapter 31. And as we go to Jeremiah 31, who was a later prophet than Isaiah, when we come to Jeremiah what we have is God’s people have failed Him so often that God is about to really chasten those people. He’s about to take them to His divine woodshed. And what He’s going to do is He’s going to bring the Babylonians, modern day Iraq; that’s where the Babylonians lived, the Chaldeans. It’s a synonymous term. And He’s going to bring the Babylonians, which is a world power down against His very own people because they keep disobeying His law. He’s going to take them into captivity, because they did not listen to God.
But He’s making them a promise. Before He takes them into captivity, He’s going to tell them about a great and glorious covenant that He is going to make with them. Now a covenant is a solemn, binding agreement. And any covenant that is ever made, like the marriage covenant, God becomes the administrator of that covenant. God watches over that covenant to see that both parties keep it. And if one breaks it, then God judges them.

That’s why when you see David and Jonathan making a covenant, then they say God do so to me and more if I break this covenant. In other words, God, You judge me.

All right now, Jeremiah chapter 31. He’s telling them this in the midst of their sins, in the midst of the fact that they keep failing. Now listen, what He’s telling them He would be telling you too. If you keep failing and you keep falling and you keep trying to measure up to a certain standard, and you can’t, no matter how much you try, you’re always crashing, then God’s got good news for you.

Because the covenant that He promises to the Jews, you’re going to see this in the weeks to come, but the promise that He gives to the Jews He’s also going to give to us. That is so neat. And you’re going to see it for yourself as we study the Bible inductively. Verse 31: “Behold, days are coming declares the Lord when I,” God is speaking, “will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.”

In other words, Israel, even because of their sin, defied it. And they became two kingdoms instead of one, the Northern kingdom, ten tribes and the Southern kingdom, two tribes. Jacob, Israel had 12 sons. Those 12 sons are the fathers of the 12 tribes of Israel. So they’re divided into Israel and Judah. And He says so a day is coming when I’m going to make a solemn, binding agreement with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

Now watch what He says. “Not like the covenant, which I made with their fathers on the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant, which they broke.” (Isaiah 31:32) Now what is He talking about? Imagine Moses up on the top of Mt. Sinai. What is he doing up there? He’s getting the commandments, by which they are to live, the standards that God sets for all mankind. I mean you can take the Ten Commandments out of the classroom, you can take the Ten Commandments out of the courthouse, you can take them and you can throw them away, but it doesn’t get rid of them, because that is God’s standard. That’s God’s standard for our worship for Him. That’s God’s standard for our worship for man.

You say I don’t need that standard, I just believe in the golden rule. And I say to you, what’s the golden rule? The golden rule is do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. Do you know what the law and the prophets hang on? Do you know what the Old Testament hangs on? It hangs on this, that you shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, with all they strength. This is the first and foremost commandment.

Well the first part of the Ten Commandments deal with your relationship to God and loving Him that way. And then it says and the second is like unto it. Thou shall love thy neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:28-31)

Well, in a sense, that’s where we get the golden rule from or from another scripture that says that do to others like you want them to do to you. Treat them that way. (Matthew 7:12) So let me ask you a question, is society living that way? I mean they love that golden rule as long as others are treating them the way they want to be treated. But they don’t care about the way that they treat others.

So God is coming along and saying you’ve got the Ten Commandments; those Ten Commandments are broken. You’ve broken them over and over again. But this new covenant I’m giving you, I want to tell you something; it is such good news. Listen to what it is. He says in verse 33, “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, both houses. He says, “I will put my law within them and on their heart I will write it.” (Jeremiah 31:33a) Now there’s more good news and we’ll look at it in just a minute.

Welcome back my friend. Let’s go back to Jeremiah because this is good news. All right now, Jeremiah 31. “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days. I will put My law,” where, “within them.” (Jeremiah 31:33a)

Under the old covenant, the Ten Commandments, where was the law? The law was on tables of stone. He says I’m going take My law and I’m going to go from tables of stone and I’m going to put it within you. Now watch what He says. He says, “And on their heart I will write it.” Before, I wrote it with the finger of God on tables of stone. Now I’m going to write it and He’s going to do it by the power of the Holy Spirit. I’m going to write it on your heart, on your heart.

You’re not going to have to look externally. It’s going to be internal. You’re going to have an internal power, an internal ability. All right, now watch what He says. “And I will be their God and they shall be My people.” (31:33b)

When you look out at people and you see them among the walking dead, so to speak, dead in their trespasses and sins, and you look at the Jews and they’re trying to be righteous and they’re not succeeding and part of that nation has just turned their back on God and they don’t even care about the Ten Commandments. Is God through with them or does God have a promise for them like He does for the whole world? Well this is His promise for them. And this is what He’s saying: I will be your God. You can be My people. And He says, “And they will not teach each man again, for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them declares the Lord.” Why will they all know Him? Listen precious one, He says, “For I will forgive their iniquity. And their sin I will remember no more,” no more. (31:34)

In other words, I’m going to take all that wretched past, all that failure, because you could not please Me and I’m going to blank it out. I’m not going to remember it anymore the day that this new covenant happens. Oh, I can’t wait to move on and tell you what it’s going to be like, but first we’ve got to take care of the Jews.

All right, so this is a promise now, to Israel. Let’s go to Ezekiel chapter 36, awesome chapter. Israel sins. God takes them into captivity. He disperses them around the world. He brings them back to the land again, after 70 years of captivity. And once again they still cannot obey God. They still are walking in their own way.

So eventually in 70 A.D., after Jesus Christ is crucified, after Jesus Christ is resurrected, after Jesus Christ is ascended to heaven, then because the Jews still collectively as a nation, have not believed in Jesus Christ, have not received Jesus Christ, not all of them, then God has to judge the nation. And he scatters them and disperses them again. Every place that you go you can find Jews in this world. But the fact that they are out in all those nations is a disgrace to God, because He’s their God. And so He’s saying all right, when you went out in all these nations you profaned My name, because I gave you this land. I said to the whole world, I’m the God of the Jews and look at what you’ve done. And I’ve had to judge you. I’ve had to discipline you. So He says, verse 24, “I will take you from the nations. I will gather you from all the lands and I will bring you into your own land.” (Ezekiel 36:24)

Now what is their own land? Well get a map of Israel and look at it. It’s all their land. In fact, Jordan is part of the land that God gave them. Syria and Lebanon is part of the land that God gave them. You go down into the Sinai and that’s part of the land that God gave them. He says, “I’m going to bring you back into your own land.” Now watch. Then I will cleanse you. “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you.” So you want to watch the time phrase. You want to put a little clock. Remember when you’re studying inductively you need to ask the who, the what, the when, the where, the why and the how. This is a when, so you mark a when with a clock and I color it green, so I can look down immediately and say hey, there’s a time phrase, or there’s a progression here. He says then I will sprinkle clean water on you. You will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

See it was the idols and their filthiness that got them into trouble. They did not reach God’s standard. And so then He says, “Moreover, I will give you a new heart.” Oh. He says, “And I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh. In other words, He’s going to do a heart transplant. And give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26) I’m going to take out this heart of stone that is so cold towards Me and I’m going to give you a heart of flesh. And then He says, “And I will put My Spirit within you.” (36:27a)

Yeah, you’re right, you know what you’ve got to do. You’ve got to mark the word Spirit. Color it yellow. Go back and mark it nicely later if you want, or just mark it. All right, now watch this. “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes.” In other words, the Holy Spirit is going to empower you. He’s going to be your engine. He’s going to give you the power so that I the Spirit in you is energy. And I will cause you then, to walk in My statutes and to keep My commandments.

Oh, what good news because here was God’s standard. Here were the commandments, but they kept falling short. And what God is saying to them is hey, listen; I’m going to give you the ability to have life in the Spirit. I’m going to give you power so that you can live the way that I say live. This is His promise to the Jews. And as I told you, that if you would go. Well, let’s run there real quick, okay, I just can’t leave you without you seeing this absolutely, fabulous good news but and let’s look at Hebrews chapter 10.

It says in verse 15: “And the Holy Spirit bears witness to us; for after saying, this the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, and upon their mind I will write them. He then says, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. And it says since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus.” (Hebrews 10:15-19)

What is He saying? He’s saying listen; once you come to know Me, I forgive your sins. I come back in and that gives you the confidence to come to Me, to come into the holy of holies, to the very throne of God. And what do you find there? You find that you are free of a guilty conscience and you have grace to help in the time of need.

O beloved, we want to have further contact with you. We want to show you how to go even deeper than what I’m doing on this program. Go to our website, that’s preceptsforlife.com, preceptsforlife.com. And listen; if you have received Jesus Christ through this program, then I want you to let us know, because I want to send you a gift that will help you grow. We really do care about you. We love you. We thank God for you and we want to know that you’re there. We want to know about you. So communicate with us so that you and I can talk about life in the Spirit

Righteous Vs Wicked ~ Bob Caldwell

PROVERBS 11:1-12:28 12:3 A man is not established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous cannot be moved. One of the most powerful ways to get a clearer understanding of a concept is to see it in contrast with its opposite. Here in chapters 11 and 12, there are many statements that contrast a life of righteousness to a life of wickedness. Listed below are a few examples of what righteousness looks like versus what wickedness looks like. After reviewing these examples, I encourage you to make your own list from these two chapters. Hold onto the list as a reference as to how you make decisions and the actions you take. By integrating these principles into your life, you will, over time, be amazed at the results. You will find how they are directly related to the fruit of righteousness versus wicked thoughts and actions. Righteousness Wickedness 11:1 just weight dishonest scales 11:3 integrity will guide perversity will destroy 11:6 will deliver will be caught by lust 11:12 holds peace despise neighbor 11:17 does good for own soul troubles own flesh 11:20 God's delight an abomination to the Lord 12:3 cannot be moved not established 12:5 thoughts are right counsels are not deceitful 12:7 house will stand overthrown and are no more 12:10 regards the life of his animal tender mercies are cruel 12:12 yields fruit covets 12:13 comes through trouble ensnared 12:26 choose friends carefully leads them astray
Proverbs 11:1-12:28 1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight. 2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom. 3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. 4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death. 5 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust. 7 When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, And the hope of the unjust perishes. 8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, And it comes to the wicked instead. 9 The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. 10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. 11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. 12 He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, But a man of understanding holds his peace. 13 A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter. 14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. 15 He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, But one who hates being surety is secure. 16 A gracious woman retains honor, But ruthless men retain riches. 17 The merciful man does good for his own soul, But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh. 18 The wicked man does deceptive work, But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward. 19 As righteousness leads to life, So he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death. 20 Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, But the blameless in their ways are His delight. 21 Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered. 22 As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion. 23 The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. 24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. 25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. 26 The people will curse him who withholds grain, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. 27 He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, But trouble will come to him who seeks evil. 28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage. 29 He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise. 31 If the righteous will be recompensed on the earth, How much more the ungodly and the sinner. Proverbs 12 1 Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid. 2 A good man obtains favor from the LORD, But a man of wicked intentions He will condemn. 3 A man is not established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous cannot be moved. 4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones. 5 The thoughts of the righteous are right, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. 6 The words of the wicked are, "Lie in wait for blood," But the mouth of the upright will deliver them. 7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand. 8 A man will be commended according to his wisdom, But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised. 9 Better is the one who is slighted but has a servant, Than he who honors himself but lacks bread. 10 A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. 11 He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread, But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding. 12 The wicked covet the catch of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit. 13 The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will come through trouble. 14 A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, And the recompense of a man's hands will be rendered to him. 15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise. 16 A fool's wrath is known at once, But a prudent man covers shame. 17 He who speaks truth declares righteousness, But a false witness, deceit. 18 There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health. 19 The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment. 20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy. 21 No grave trouble will overtake the righteous, But the wicked shall be filled with evil. 22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight. 23 A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness. 24 The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor. 25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad. 26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray. 27 The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, But diligence is man's precious possession. 28 In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.
Proverbs 11:1-12:28 v. 1 dishonest scales – Scales and balances were used to determine product value for shopkeepers and bankers and some used dishonest scales. This is against God's commandment (Lev. 19:35) and here we see that God hates such dishonesty, but instead delights in honest transactions. v. 2 pride – Often referred to as the original sin. Pride comes before destruction (Prov. 16:18) and also shame, according to this verse. The opposite of pride, humility before God, leads us to exaltation by God (James 4:10). God desires a broken and contrite spirit (Ps. 34:18, 51:17) and is near to those who possess such. Humility is evident by the submission of one's own will to that of the Lord his God. This is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10, 111:10). v. 3 integrity – The upright are subject to honest actions. Their passion is to do justly, to love mercy and walk humbly with their God. This guide is a requirement for the believer mandated by God (Micah 6:8). He who shuns the counsel of God will always end in ruin. v. 4 riches and righteousness – Even here in this life it is righteousness that will deliver us from self destruction (Prov. 11:5-6). On the day we stand before God, all the riches in the world will not be enough to purchase our pardon from the Creator. Every man will stand and give an account for his actions (Heb. 4:13). It is the righteousness of Christ that will deliver God's people from death. It is the heart set upon the eternal hope of Jesus that will escape the day of wrath (Matt. 6:19-21). v. 5 blameless – Having no fault, guiltless. No man can work himself into guiltlessness, for the scriptures say there are none who are righteous (Rom. 3:10, Ecc. 7:20). The righteousness of the blameless comes from God, for it cannot be of man. It is the wicked person's unrighteous works that will condemn him in the end. v. 6 unfaithful/ transgressor – The unfaithful excel in and are condemned by their various lusts. The lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life are the common road to destruction, but the one who does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:16). v. 7 wicked man dies – The luster of this world ceases at death. We take nothing with us into the next life, thus the hopes of this world end when these bodies end. As Job shared in Job 1:21, "Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked shall I return there." Without Christ hope shall perish (Luke 21:34-36). v. 8 delivered – God is strong for those who are loyal to Him (2 Chron. 16:9). Esther, Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-Nego, and Daniel are all classic testimonies of God's faithfulness to His people. The book of 2 Samuel says that God is "a shield to all who trust Him" (22:31). the wicked instead – As God delivers the righteous from the schemes of the wicked He often turns their own wicked schemes back upon them. Haman the Agagite received his own execution by the gallows he created to unjustly kill Mordecai and every other Jew he could get his hands on (Es. 7:7-10). The righteous are delivered "and it comes upon the wicked instead." v. 9 hypocrite – chaneph (Heb.) which refers to someone who is impious or soiled (i.e. with sin). Here it is used to describe a divisive, slanderous ungodly, malicious person; an infidel. through knowledge – Proverbs 1:7 explains that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. This concept was more about spiritual knowledge imparted by God to see through evil and choose good. v. 10 the city rejoices – When things go well for those that are good, many who surround them take part in their blessing, especially when these good men are men of influence (i.e., Joseph's life in Gen. 37-50, Daniel). jubilation – When a tyrant ceases to exist there is great relief to those who were tormented by him. Liberation from cruelty is cause for great rejoicing. Jewish history is filled with this sort of "liberation jubilation" (Exodus, Judges and the more recent holocaust). v. 11 blessing of the upright – God blesses a city for the sake of the upright and their intercessions for it (Gen. 18:22-33). A righteous man with power and influence makes many allies and cares for the prosperity of his people. A foolish leader provokes his enemies to wrath against him. He causes all who are near him to suffer a similar fate (Prov. 29:8). v. 12 devoid of understanding – By definition the fool lacks understanding, yet makes boasts about things he does not know. His assumptions justify his contempt for his neighbor, even though he is without a reasonable cause. holds his peace – A wise man holds his judgments. He is sensible and not quick to assume anything. He refuses to taunt his neighbor and looks into a matter before he makes a judgment (James 1:19). v. 13 reveals secrets – Choose those you confide in wisely. If a man tells tales to you then he will repeat your tales to others. A faithful friend is very much the opposite (Prov. 10:12). v. 14 no counsel – In a multitude of counselors there is safety from rash decisions and falls to temptations. In the multitude is accountability, guidance, and wisdom to glean from. Without counsel one is left open to the temptations and pitfalls that can snare him. He who has several to counsel him is less susceptible to make rash decisions. v. 15 surety for a stranger – It is difficult enough to be held accountable to pay off a debt you have incurred. How much more the debt of a stranger? Solomon makes it clear that if you make yourself liable to pay off a stranger's debt, you will suffer for it. will suffer – People with good intentions often enable a person in debt to slither out of their responsibility. When the debtor runs into trouble, acts of kindness from friends take the burden off him and places it on their shoulders. The debtor's character is not changed, his property remains, yet his friend now bears the burden of his debt. v. 16 a gracious woman – One translation reads (from the Septuagint), "A gracious woman raises up honor to the man…" Both translations convey the idea of a gracious woman being the testament of honor. She is both a receiver and a source of honor in her home. ruthless men – There are some men who kill and destroy in order to gain more riches. Their greed is the compulsion of their deeds of violence because their wealth is more valuable than their honor (James 4:1-4). v. 17 the merciful man – The merciful will be shown mercy when their time comes. Such a man builds a network of kindness and favor around him. He need not worry about revenge or retaliation from many enemies. His soul is at peace. His conscience can rest easy for he has no regret of cruelty. troubles his own flesh – The wicked have no rest (Is. 57:20-21). The wickedness of the wicked is their judge. They live in anxiety and are always having to look over their shoulder in fear of revenge or retaliation against them. Their lifestyle causes harm to their health. Psalm 37:8 says, "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm" (also Prov. 21:7, Ps. 11:5). v. 18 sows righteousness – Galatians 6:10 says, "…as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." Let us do good. This is righteousness because God is good (Matt. 19:17). Thus those who sow righteousness sow the seeds of God in this world. God will reward his laborers. v. 19 righteousness leads to life – "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3-8). Righteousness is more than just good works; it is believing on God who justifies by faith. This is true righteousness. Righteous works are the fruit of righteous faith and forgiven sins. he who pursues evil – From Genesis to Revelation this truth is consistent. Scripture consistently warns us about pursuing evil. It will always end in death (Rom. 6:23). Matthew 7:13 exhorts us to, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many who go in by it" (also Prov. 10:29). v. 20 perverse heart – iqqesh (Heb.), meaning crooked. This expression is equal to a twisted mind that is continually thinking evil thoughts and takes that which is good and flips it to become a device for evil (Gen. 6:5-7). God hates such thinking but delights in the blameless and pure in heart. v. 21 though they join forces – It is ironic that the wicked feel a sense of loyalty (family) to one another and they mix Biblical concepts with evil deeds. They share their lives with one another, despise betrayal, encourage and support one another, yet their deeds are wicked (2 Tim. 3:2-7). posterity of the righteous – Godly men usually raise up godly children. Though this isn't always the case due to free will, it is the notion conveyed in this verse (Prov. 22:6). The children of both the righteous and the wicked will reap what has been sown in their hearts. v. 22 in a swine's snout – A pig was an unclean beast, horrible and detestable to the Jews. Once a precious gold ring has touched the pig it is rendered a waste. In the metaphor it is lack of discretion and loose conduct that renders a good-looking woman's beauty useless on her (1 Peter 3:3-4). v. 23 The desire of the righteous – The righteous have learned to delight in the law of God (Ps. 1:1-3; 40:8; 119:77). As a result the righteous have God's goodness and favor for them to rest in until the end. The wicked can hope for no more than to pay for their wicked works in eternity. v. 24 one who scatters – God will always bless the giving heart (Acts 20:35). withhold more than is right – Greed is a spoiler of a man's conscience. It ruined Ananias and Sapphira and caused them to lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11). Greed causes a man to fight and lie in order to hold onto what he has and not give it away (James 4:1-6, 2 Cor. 9:6). Also see Sampson's story from Judges 13:24-16:31. v. 25 generous soul – God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:6-8). The generous soul does not give out of obligation, but out of love and the joy of seeing another blessed. They willingly lay down their lives for another, thus the evidence of God's love abides in them (1 John 3:16-19). They are blessed to bless. They are filled with the delight of God's grace working through them. v. 27 seeks good – He who is in constant pursuit of goodness and justice obtains the admiration of those near to him and his reputation. If you seek to do good, you will find that goodness will find you. trouble will come – He who is in pursuit of evil will find evil; the evil that he devises will eventually be repaid to him (Gen. 6:5-8). v. 28 trusts in his riches – Riches cannot buy eternal security, salvation, nor God's favor (Prov. 3:5-6). It was riches that caused the young ruler to forfeit the opportunity to follow Jesus. Jesus mentions the difficulty of those who trust in their riches to know God (Mark 10:23-25). v. 29 troubles his own house – A divisive man pulls apart his own household and if he continues, he will soon find himself forsaken by all. A fool is described as a lazy man in previous verses (Prov. 10:26). A fool may show himself to be diligent to do all the wrong things thus his restitution is paid under the rule of another. v. 30 fruit of the righteous – The word fruit is often used to describe what is yielded from a person's character, lifestyle, works, obedience, disobedience, etc. (i.e. fruit of the righteous, fruit of the wicked, fruit of the Spirit, etc.). In this verse it is confirmed that what is yielded from righteous living is life in abundance. he who wins souls – This isn't talking about winning souls in the sense of winning someone over to the idea of salvation. It is instead talking about winning the favor of others. It is wise to build a following of people who will get behind you, support, and pray for you because they adore you. v. 31 recompensed – Denotes a reward or repayment. The righteous will be rewarded not just in heaven but also here upon Earth. There is great reward in living in obedience to the King of Life. Chapter 12 v. 1 loves instruction – A wise man who is corrected receives wisdom and understanding from the rebuke because often the way to knowledge is through correction. A foolish person perceives correction as an offense. He rejects the wisdom of instruction, thus his foolishness produces greater foolishness. v. 2 obtains favor – Ultimately, it is God who makes a man good because there are none who are innately good in and of themselves (Ps. 14:2-3). As he lives in obedience to God, he recognizes himself to be less than good, yet, at the same time, obtains favor from God because of the process of sanctification by His changing grace. v. 3 not established by wickedness – The wicked are always inventing new ways to perform new feats of evil. A thief can steal a great fortune only to have it stolen by someone more cunning and resourceful than himself. Righteousness is stable because it is good as define by God, who does not change. v. 4 an excellent wife – "Her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her" (Prov 31:10-12). In the times of ancient Judea, women worked hard to support her household (watering the flocks, drawing water and carrying the full basin home on foot, etc.), so this verse can also have a literal interpretation. Strong godly virtues (i.e., diligence, gentleness, and faithfulness) are important jewels in the crown of a righteous man as well. On the contrary, an unreasonable and scandalous woman fills her home with anguish and humiliation. v. 5 thoughts of the righteous – He who keeps his mind upon the things of the Lord will remain in perfect peace (Is. 26:3-4). He is at peace because he trusts God. The scriptures tell us that it was "believing God" that caused the Lord to credit righteousness to Abraham. If a man's thoughts are upon the trustworthiness of God then he is surely right, but if a man's mind is continually upon the gratification of his evil desires then he is deceived for his security is false and short lived. v. 6 mouth of the upright – A kind word turns away wrath (Prov. 15:1-2). The tongue of the wise uses knowledge in his dealings and thus is found blameless. The tongue of wicked is his snare as his guilt is determined by his evil plans. v. 7 the wicked are overthrown – A long life for those who are wicked is uncommon. If the wicked man is not brought down by his enemies, then his life and his house are eventually overtaken by a guilty conscience and an anxious soul. This is God's mercy. A bad seed usually produces fruit worse than itself. The house of the righteous is blessed to continue long in the earth. v. 8 according to his wisdom – God looks at the heart of a man, not the success of his outward feats. Though he may wrestle with the lust of his flesh, his effort to make godly choices in spite of his sin nature is pleasing to God and admirable to men. Putting obedience to the Lord before the lust of the flesh is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10). The pursuer of constant evil will not please God and will be loathed by men. v. 9 slighted but has a servant – It is better to be despised and have some form of livelihood than to make oneself despicable by pomp and arrogance and have no livelihood at all. v. 10 regards the life of his animal – A righteous man possesses virtues such as a caring heart and tender mercy. His heart is set on the wellbeing of all who live around him, including his animals. He has a precious regard for life. There is a form of wickedness that is cruel even in its most merciful moments because there is no regard for life in it. A man who makes himself an enemy of God, the Author of life is capable of becoming an enemy of all that is living. v. 11 he who follows frivolity – The old tale of the working ant and the lazy grasshopper explain this proverb to great detail (Prov. 6:6-8). There is a time and a place for merriment but it is certainly not during the time or in the place where there is work to be done. This is described as basic wisdom. He who cannot see this and chooses to play during work hours is lacking in wisdom and must be taught better. v. 12 covet the catch of evil men – The wicked covet the successful works of other evil men and seek to imitate them or take advantage of them to have that success for themselves. Without knowledge, they covet and devour one another. The righteous do not fear one another's antics but see success and then multiply that success in unity. v. 14 by the fruit of his mouth – Kind words filled with pious wisdom yield a great return to the teacher. If a man's words can bring him great reward, then how much more can that man's diligent and good works bring to him. v. 15 a fool is right in his own eyes – A fool is blinded by foolishness. He thinks so much of himself that he is deceived into believing that he doesn't need further counsel (v. 1). He who listens to and keeps wise counsel is wiser for it. v. 16 a prudent man covers shame – A fool cannot restrain himself in his fury but rushes to express it. A wise person will take refuge in discretion and hold his tongue as to not shame himself or the one upon whom his irritation rests. v. 17 truth declares righteousness – Because God will and can only bring forth truth, it is what is right. Thus he who speaks truth speaks the language of righteousness (Eph. 4:14-15). v. 18 tongue of the wise promotes health – There are people who seek no more than to wound the soul of another with their words. Perhaps they've not learned the healing power of tender speech and kind words. This verse contrasts the tongue that wounds with the tongue that heals. The wise tongue promotes healing and refuses to wound but encourages livelihood in the soul. v. 19 truthful lip shall be established forever – Because truth is the language of the eternal God, it will forever be spoken in His eternal kingdom. Every form of evil is temporary and will eventually perish, including the deceitful tongue. v. 20 counselors of peace – Blessed are the peacemakers (Matt. 5:9). The inventor of lies is the devil himself. It is his native tongue. Those who devise evil can do no more than speak the evil language. Those who are the sons of God will do no more than counsel in truth. This brings peace and joy to both the teacher and the listener. v. 21 No grave trouble – For those who love God, He is working all things out for their good (Rom. 8:28). They will never have reason for hopelessness for their hope is in the Lord who is full of strength (Jer. 17:7, Is. 26:4). Paul the apostle elaborates on the strength of the righteous and the revelation of the power of God in their troubles (2 Cor. 4:7-10). v. 22 Lying lips are an abomination – Lying is the language of Satan that ushered sin into the world. It is an abhorrence to God. It is judged along with its creator. Deeds of truth, not just words, are pleasing to God. Truth resides in Him. It is a part of his essence. Those who deal in it are a delight to Him. v. 23 conceals knowledge – "Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive" (Prov. 17:28). The wise man does not boast about what he knows and is careful about who he shares intimate details with. It is at the right and appropriate time that he speaks his knowledge. The fool is the opposite. He is boastful about his foolishness as if it were a good thing. He has little discretion about what he says and when it is said. v. 24 the diligent will rule – The diligent person gets things done in a timely manner. He is dependable and faithful (Prov. 20:6). His diligence makes him fit to manage others. The lazy man will eventually be put to work either by the urgency of his needs or by the forced hand of one who subdues and overtakes him. v. 25 anxiety in the heart – Hopelessness is a deep and bitter root of depression. Anxiety can quickly morph into a heart of depression. A downcast spirit needs to know there is hope. A good word, full of hope, can change the state of even the poorest of souls (Is. 61:1-3, 2 Cor. 1:3-4). v. 26 choose his friends carefully – This wise saying is the first chapter on the topic of friendly influence. The second is that "bad company corrupts good habits" (1 Cor. 15:33). Thus a wise man seeks out good and godly character in those who will be his confidants. They will in some form be his counselors. Wicked counsel, given to us by someone we admire, is only a step away from wicked action. v. 27 what he took in hunting – The lazy man is too lazy to carry his kill out of the wilderness or maybe even too lazy to go hunt for food. The diligent man works hard to claim his prize and it is precious to him. v. 28 righteousness is life – The general principles and promises of God lead to a better, more fulfilled life on earth as well as life eternal. There is no death in righteousness as God has defined righteousness. "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." (Rom. 4:3, Gal. 3:5-9, James 2:18-26). Abraham had a faith in God that caused him to obey the Word of God. This is righteousness and it leads to life.
"A man is not established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous cannot be moved." –Proverbs 12:3 We pray to meditate on the list that we have made today, God. Show us where we are soaking in wickedness and turn us toward righteousness