Wisdom from Proverbs

[Zulu]

Proverbs 23:11
For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

Do not pick on those smaller or weaker than you, for they have a mighty redeemer; and he will hold you responsible for any evil done to them! God protects orphans, widows, and anyone unable to protect themself. If you take advantage of such persons, the LORD God will personally defend them and seek you out to destroy you (Deut 27:19; Ps 12:5).

The immediate context is removing old landmarks and entering the fields of fatherless children – stealing real estate by moving property boundaries or aggressively using fields without their permission (23:10). They do not have an earthly father to defend them, but they have a heavenly Father, Who is almighty. He will defend and avenge them!

In Bible times, a redeemer could purchase your freedom or deliver you from oppressors. Both property and persons could be redeemed by purchase (Lev 25:31,48). And the LORD redeemed Israel from Egypt and Babylon by force (Ex 6:6; Deut 7:8; Jer 50:33-34). Eliphaz and David described God redeeming them from trouble (Job 5:20; Ps 25:22).

The LORD of hosts, Captain of heaven’s armies, is the Redeemer of orphans and widows. He is a mighty Redeemer. Pharaoh’s Egypt was ravaged and ruined before the LORD was done with them. They should have been kinder in their treatment of Israel. For the LORD of hosts came to fight for Israel! He will always fight for the oppressed!

Pleading the cause of another is fighting for them – verbally, financially, or violently. David prayed, “Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me” (Ps 35:1). He went on from there to describe the punishment he hoped God would heap on his enemies (Ps 35:2-6). He will defend the oppressed!

This rule is a serious matter. Solomon also wrote, “Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them” (22:22-23). Moses had written, “Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless” (Ex 22:22-24).

Love orphans and widows: go out of your way to help them whenever possible. This is the pure religion of Jehovah (Jas 1:27). The consequences of neglecting them or taking advantage of them are dire. And if you see them being oppressed, the Highest is watching (Eccl 5:8). He is the Father of the fatherless, and the Judge of widows (Ps 68:5). Let all abortionists, their legislators and protectors, take heed! Judgment is coming, soon!

 

[Dreamer]

Thank you for this, zulu. I have paid close attention to it. Very good word.

 

[Zulu]

Proverbs 3:1 - My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:


Hearing instruction is not enough. There is profit only in remembering and doing it (3:2). To hear and forget is a horrible waste of an opportunity; and God will hold us guilty, if we squander the precious privilege of hearing wisdom (1:24-32; Luke 12:48). We must remember what we are taught; we cannot forget it (3:3,21; 4:4-6,13,21; 6:21; 7:1; 22:18).
Keeping our hearts is a priority, for out of it are the issues of life (4:23). Your heart directs your life (Luke 6:45). So we keep wisdom there to guide it (3:3; 4:21; Ps 37:31)!
Paul warns soberly about letting the things we have heard slip away (Heb 2:1-4). We are dealing with the Creator God of heaven and the consequences of forgetting are horrible!
Men remember what they count important. It is not a function of memory: it is a function of priorities. It is not difficult, as much as it requires diligence. What do you remember?
James warns us to be doers of God's word, not just hearers, deceiving ourselves (James 1:21-25). The saving benefits of truth are for those who remember and do it. Or we are like a man seeing his faults in the mirror of God's word, who makes no corrections. But those who see the instruction, remember it, and continue to do it shall surely be blessed.
Paul warns the gospel only saves those who keep it in memory (I Cor 15:2), for some at Corinth had forgotten the resurrection of the dead. Without this doctrine, he easily showed that salvation from sin is lost and we are of all men most miserable (I Cor 15:19).
Dear reader, it is our duty to hear instruction carefully and bring forth fruit (Luke 8:18). What kind of ground are you? Satan will snatch away instruction, unless you take it and keep it in your heart, where it can bear the fruit of righteousness (Luke 8:12).
So David teaches us to hide God's word in our hearts (Ps 119:11), and we do this by memorizing it. Learning verses keeps them in your heart, where you can easily meditate on them (Ps 1:2; 119:15,23,43,78,97,99,148) and readily use them (22:18; Lu 4:4,8,12).
Then Peter teaches the importance of repetition (II Pet 1:12-15). Though his hearers already knew the truth, he was committed to frequent repetition to help them remember.
Jesus had the law of God in His heart; and so He delighted in keeping God's will, which is revealed there (Ps 40:6-8). Are you glad He kept the will of God (Heb 10:9-10)?

 

[Zulu]

Proverbs 19:5 - A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.



How important is telling the truth? Extremely! A false witness is someone who tells lies against or for another person, especially when that person is on trial for a crime. But this proverb also condemns all lying. Liars will not escape punishment, for all good men, and magistrates and rulers, and the LORD God of heaven will all pursue them to judgment.

Reader, let this short sentence reflecting the LORD's hatred of lying cause your heart to tremble with fear about misrepresenting a matter or telling a lie. Only those who love death will rush over this proverb and enter into their day without checking carefully for honesty blemishes in the mirror of God's word (12:19; 21:6; James 1:21-26).

God hates lies and liars (6:17,19; 12:22; Ps 5:5-6), and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire (Rev 21:8; 22:15). Every time a person lies, he claims and proves the devil is his father (Gen 3:1-5; John 8:44). The blessed God made it the ninth commandment (Ex 20:16), and His New Testament apostles blasted it also (Eph 4:25; Col 3:9; I Tim 1:10).

Lying will bring certain judgment. One lie leads to another to keep the previous one covered, until a liar is caught in a web of deceit that destroys his soul and reputation. Men depend upon truth for survival and success, so a liar will be avoided and punished (Ps 101:7). Civil authority depends upon truth, so they will punish liars (16:13; 17:7; 29:12; Deut 19:16-21). And God will judge liars severely (II Kings 5:25-27; Acts 5:1-11).

This proverb is weighty with a sober warning - and it is repeated just four proverbs later (19:9)! Do you get the message? God and all good men hate lying! You should hate it! The Bible is filled with a variety of warnings against lying (Lev 19:11; Ps 101:7; Jer 9:3-5; Acts 5:3-4). Be sure your sin will find you out - especially lying (12:19; Num 32:23)!

Do you embellish facts, exaggerate events, polish stories, or round numbers in your favor? Do you allow incorrect facts to stand, when they are in your favor? Ah reader! Speak the truth openly and plainly at all times. Hate lying and any of its subtle forms! Love honesty and truth! Pray for deliverance from this curse of the devil (Ps 119:29)!

Parents! Demand truth from your children from their earliest days, as babies begin lying before they begin talking (Ps 58:3-5). Emphasize total honesty in all family dealings and at all times, and punish lying more severely than most or all other infractions. Especially focus on lying to avoid punishment, for telling the truth then is learning the fear of God. If you do not punish them early and teach them to hate lying, they will be punished later!

Is it ever right to lie? Yes, when innocent life is at stake! Rahab was justified before God by lying to protect the two spies (Jas 2:25). God blessed two midwives for lying to Pharaoh to protect Israel's babies (Ex 1:15-21). David, the man after God's own heart, lied on numerous occasions (I Sam 19:11-17; 21:10-15; II Sam 15:31-37). And God sent a lying spirit to King Ahab, who neither desired nor deserved truth (I Kgs 22:19-22). These are just a few of the examples in the Bible of lying that are not condemned.

Our blessed Lord is the Faithful and True Witness (Rev 3:14). The reason others did not believe Him was because He told the truth (John 8:45)! Natural man prefers lies, and nothing has changed today! Evolution? What a ridiculous, insane lie! Churches preaching lies will always have larger crowds than those teaching truth (I Tim 4:1-3; II Tim 4:3-4). Wise men will not measure godliness by growth or success, but by truth (I Tim 6:3-6).

 

[Zulu]

Proverbs 10:23 - It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.



Sin is a joke to most today. Mischief that harms others is celebrated. Consequences of sin are ignored, and reprovers are despised. Sin is the delight of many. They sin without fear, guilt, or shame. They jest and joke about evil; they mock the righteous. But such men are fools. Those with understanding look at their wicked approach to life and know that judgment is coming. Wise men know there is great reward for sobriety and righteousness.

"Fools make a mock at sin," the wise man teaches (14:9; 15:21). They delight in sin; they use it as entertainment for television and movies. The most mischievous boys in school are the most popular; the bold and flagrant sinner is considered brave and strong; the wildest actors are stars. They rap brutishly about their favorite themes, whoremongering and violence. But hell, both here and hereafter, is coming. See the comments on 14:9.

The segment of society most susceptible to this disease is young men. They still have the full folly of youth bound in their hearts, but they have the abilities and liberties to be out and about in mischief. Solomon feared their draw and influence on his son (1:10-19; 2:10-22; 13:20). Paul warned, "Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded" (Tit 2:6).

Compulsory education, a joke if there ever was one, crams all these young fools into classrooms, where frumpy old women try to teach them ridiculous subjects with no bearing on life. What is the certain result for young men, who should be working a man's day, at a man's job, under a man's rule? Folly, frustration, mischief, rebellion, and sin! They egg each other on in sinful pranks, until society reeks of their noxious insanity!

What happens when these fools get home? They are fed a diet of profane entertainment that is nothing but mischief at the expense of God and others. Consider it, reader. Our nation is mad! Wickedly so! The sitcoms, consuming the nation's evening family time, are straight from hell in their disregard for God, morality, sobriety, and others.

Young fornicators take advantage of girls, without regard for them, their fathers, or their future husbands. They laugh about their exploits. Young gluttons have eating contests, and roar hilariously when one throws his food back out. They put sugar in the gas of the principal's car, and celebrate when he has his engine replaced. But God is not mocked!

Fools think only of the moment; they miss both tomorrow's consequences and God's judgment at death. The magistrate puts them in prison; their public records now include a felony; a bigger fool molests them in a prison shower; they contract a deadly pestilence; and death will bring a reckoning with the infinite God of heaven. What a sport! Ha! Ha!

What kind of a person thinks and acts this way? A fool. There is no fear of God before their eyes (Ps 36:1-4; 53:1; Rom 3:18). They rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked (2:13). They are the bane of every nation, the calamity and grief of every father, the heaviness and shame of every mother (10:1; 17:25; 19:13; 29:15).

How are they corrected? Easily! "Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools" (19:29). "A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ***, and a rod for the fool's back" (26:3). It is only because severe punishment is not executed speedily in this country that we have such a plethora of amoral anarchists (19:25; 21:11; Eccl 8:11).

Solomon, when using death as a means of promoting sobriety, told young men, "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity" (Eccl 11:9-10).

Parent, you must soberly teach your children about life, death, morality, sin, and the right treatment of others. Jokes should not be allowed (26:18-19; Eph 5:3-5), but especially jesting about sin and wickedness, and certainly not at the expense of others. The tender regard for all things, even baby birds in a nest, should be cultivated, but especially doing good to all men (Deut 22:6-7; Gal 6:10; I Tim 4:10).

A man of understanding has wisdom regarding these matters - he sees through the folly of the fool and considers it carefully. He sees the trouble coming tomorrow for today's folly. He sees the judgment coming after death. He sees the great reward of righteousness (21:12; Job 18:5-21; Ps 19:11; 37:34-38; 58:11). Be wise, reader, and understand!

Moses prayed, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Ps 90:12). Ah, reader, this ought to be your prayer and pursuit! For the favor of God and life is upon the wise, but the way of transgressors is hard (13:15)!

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences" (II Cor 5:10-11).

Rather than rejoicing and sporting in what this life had to offer, our blessed Lord looked constantly at the joy awaiting Him in heaven (Heb 12:1-2; Ps 16:8-11). He had wisdom and understanding to look beyond the folly here for the joy there. Isaac Watts encouraged us by writing, "The hill of Zion yields, a thousand sacred sweets, before we reach the heavenly fields, or walk the golden streets." Only the wisdom and understanding of faith can find the sacred sweets here and see the golden streets there. Lord, open our eyes!

 

[Zulu]

Proverbs 4:14 - Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.


Wickedness is wrong! You know that. But you must also avoid association with wicked persons and reject their lifestyles. Solomon warned his son against evil friends and their habits, for he wanted him to stay in the way of wisdom and right paths (4:10-13). The way of the wicked is dangerous and hopeless (4:16-19). Stay far away from it (4:15)! You cannot embrace Lady Wisdom and enjoy her benefits while walking with sinners.

This simple rule is crucial, especially for youth, because they are most susceptible to evil influences of peer pressure. They are more impressionable by what they see on television, which is nothing but glamorization of the way of the wicked. They are more vulnerable to the insinuations and subtle instruction of false teachers. This simple rule is crucial!

"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners," (I Cor 15:33). Why the warning about deception? Most think they can resist the seduction of ungodly persons. Others think they can influence evil friends to righteousness. Both are wrong: a white glove in mud will always get muddy, but the mud will never get glovey! Be not deceived!

David put it this way: "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful" (Ps 1:1). This rule would have saved Lot (Gen 13:10-13), Dinah (Gen 34:1), Solomon (I Kgs 11:1-10), Jehoshaphat (II Chr 18:1-3; 20:35-37; 21:1-6), and Peter (Matt 26:58). What about you?

Do not even enter the path of the wicked. But if you find yourself there, do not go any further with them. Get out! Now! Are you compromising this crucial rule? Where do you work out? Will you only marry in the Lord? What school have you chosen? How righteous are your friends? What do you read? Can you avoid a subdivision, if you have children? What music and television do you choose? Is there family you should avoid?

God is serious about separation from the wicked (9:6; 13:20; 14:7; 22:24-25; II Chron 19:2; Ps 101:3-8; Rom 16:17-18; I Cor 5:1-13; II Cor 6:14-17; Gal 1:6-9; Eph 5:11; II Thess 3:6; I Tim 6:5; II Tim 3:5; Titus 3:10-11; Jas 4:4; Rev 18:4). You cannot go out of the world (I Cor 5:9-10), but you must not conform to it (Rom 12:1-2; I John 2:15-17).

What is the lifestyle of the wicked? Habits and preferences that promote sin! You can judge activities and places by those using them. Without analyzing rock-n-roll music directly, its artists, producers, and listeners condemn it - for they are wicked one and all. There is no reason to study nightclubs; those who build them and use them love darkness.

How can you pray, "Lead us not into temptation," but neglect, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation"? Do you need friends? Then make them good men who will provoke you to godliness (13:20; Ps 119:63,79; Titus 1:8). A true church of Jesus Christ will provide more friends with godly influence than you can ever rightly love and serve!

 

[Zulu]

Proverbs 25:8 - Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.



Slow down! Haste makes waste! And haste can put you to shame! Slow down! If you are in a conflict with another person, do not react hastily. Do not rush to any action. Calm down; sit down; slow down. Think through every angle carefully, or you will miss the obvious and be put to shame by your enemy and not know what to do. Slow down!

Conflict and strife are regular parts of life in a sinful world. They evoke strong passions, which cause men to rush to action. They want to rectify the situation immediately, but such haste in a conflict can easily leave a man exposed to the wiser reaction of his opponent. The human heart and its demand for haste must be ruled (16:32).

A passionate response is usually a poor one. It is better to let passions cool before planning any action. The mind is usually not fully engaged, when the heart is pounding and the emotions are raging. Cool off first, before you do anything or even plan anything. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God" (Jas 1:19-20).

A multitude of counselors makes for safety in war (20:18; 24:6)! What blessed wisdom! And they cannot be just any counselors; they must be wise, experienced, and sober. They should be uninvolved third parties, who can think objectively and wisely. They should have experience in battle, and they do not need to be close friends. Friendship blinds eyes and stops ears, so seek counselors who will not become inflamed with you.

Unless you are very careful, small conflicts will escalate quickly into much larger wars (17:14). Responding foolishly without due deliberation is the mark of a fool, and such a reaction usually deserves punishment (18:6). Forcing wrath will bring forth more strife, just as surely as the churning of milk brings forth butter (30:33). Slow down!

Kings go to battle slowly. Jesus said, "Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace" (Luke 14:31-32).

If you have ever slept on a conflict, with a mind toward fearing God and loving wisdom, you woke in the morning with a very different perspective than what you went to bed with. This is wisdom. By allowing some time to pass, your passions cooled, your mind had time to clear foolish emotions, and the Holy Spirit could direct you. Lord, help us.

 

[Zulu]

Proverbs 3:11 - My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:


Affliction comes to every saint. Adversity, difficulty, pain, and trouble are the tools of the blessed God to correct your faults and perfect you. Instead of resenting His chastening or tiring of the setbacks He sends your way, you should rejoice that He loves you and wants to perfect you. If He left you alone, then you are a *******, and not a son (Heb 12:7-8)!

No one likes affliction, difficulties, or trouble. These are things you try to avoid as much as possible in life. But the Lord sends them in love, for He is able to use them to teach you more than peace and prosperity could ever teach you. Good times feel great, but they never made anyone better. Hard times feel bad, but they make you stronger and wiser.

It is easy to fret against the Lord, to say, "Lord, why did you send this into my life?" It is easy to say He is not fair - you do not deserve such trouble. It is easy to get discouraged and think of quitting your Christian race. Job fell for these thoughts. But Elihu told Job he was wrong, God was right, and Job could end the painful lessons by humbling himself.

There are four reasons bad things happen to a Christian. He is being chastened for sin in his life; he is suffering the natural consequences of his own foolishness; he is being tested to build his faith; or God is simply manifesting His own glory in his life. The purpose of self-examination is to analyze your circumstances to find God's lesson in them. Once a man knows the matter is an act of God, he should humbly submit to it and rejoice in it.

The ultimate reason for cheerfully accepting God's chastening in your life is the proof it gives of His love for you (3:12; Heb 12:5-6; Rev 3:19). The true God only afflicts His children out of faithfulness and desire for them. David said, "I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me" (Ps 119:75).

The second reason for cheerfully accepting God's chastening in your life is that it keeps you back from sinning more (Job 34:31-32; Ps 119:67; Jer 31:18-19; I Cor 11:32). Since that is often the only way you can learn not to do something wrong that is appealing, you should be thankful for His mercy in teaching you His law and ways (Job 5:17; Ps 94:12).

The third reason for cheerfully accepting God's chastening is the loving reason for it - to make you perfect (Rom 5:3-5; Heb 12:10-12; Jas 1:2-4). Learning to patiently deal with adversity is a great measure of maturity (24:10; I Pet 5:10). Affliction builds faith in God; prosperity does not cause you to trust Him more (30:8-9). Paul got excited about the opportunity to grow in the grace of God through adversity in his life (II Cor 12:7-10).

This proverb, like the rest, teaches wisdom. By seeing adversity as His tool of perfection, you are forewarned and forearmed to handle it wisely (Eccl 7:14). The quicker you learn the lesson, the sooner the trouble will be lifted; if you despise and resent it, He will bring it with greater intensity (Job 36:15-18). There is no reason to faint, for they that endure shall obtain the promises (II Cor 4:16-18; Gal 6:9; Heb 6:10-12; 12:1-6; Jas 5:11).

 

[Zulu]

Proverbs 15:18 - A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

All men will fight at the drop of a hat! And they may drop it themselves! This fighting spirit is from man's depraved nature inherited from Adam (Titus 3:3; Rom 1:29-31; 3:13-18). It is based in man's pride and selfishness, which demand preeminence over others (13:10; Phil 2:3-4). It is based in hasty anger from an impulsive spirit, which instantly reacts to discredit or dominate others and revenge any offence or wrong (Jas 4:1-5).

A wrathful man is one that gets angry quickly. At even slight provocations, he reacts immediately against the person that offended him. Of course, this provokes the offending party to greater anger as well. Therefore, what might have been solved easily or might have simply disappeared becomes a major conflict. The wrathful man has stirred up strife beyond what it would have been. His quick anger increases conflicts wherever he goes.

However, a man that gets angry slowly can calm feelings and end fights. Rather than react with haste or violence, he gently and patiently absorbs the offences of aggressors and causes their fury to dissipate. It is impossible to fight with a pillow! If it takes two to fight, which it does; then the slow-to-anger person ends fights by calming the escalating emotions and attacks. His lack of anger appeases the strife that briefly appeared.

Angry men are fools, for they defy wisdom by their emotional outbursts (14:17,29; Eccl 7:8-9). They are dangerous to be around, because they will start and aggravate conflicts among men (17:14,19; 19:19; 29:22). You should avoid and reject such men, because they will corrupt your noble spirit that hates fighting (14:7; 22:24-25; I Cor 15:33).
Wise men learn to rule their spirits and avoid getting angry (14:29; Jas 1:19-20). Solomon said such a man was greater than a man who could defeat a city single-handedly (16:32)! A glorious man will defer his anger and pass over the transgressions of others (19:11). He does not want to fight. Soft words work wonders with angry people (15:1).

Jesus Christ taught that offering the other cheek was a godly response to provocation (Matt 5:38-42). He condemned anger without a righteous cause (Matt 5:21-26). The great ones in the kingdom of heaven are peacemakers, not fighters (Matt 5:9; Jas 3:17-18). They are the meek of the earth, and they rejoice to give in to others whenever possible.

Hatred stirs up strife by anger; but love covers all the offences and sins that occur among men (10:12; I Pet 4:8). Jesus Christ gave the ultimate example of being slow to anger during his outrageous trial and crucifixion (I Pet 2:19-23; Mark 15:5). Are you like him?

 

[Zulu]

Proverbs 17:16 - Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?





Fools pretend to want wisdom! They attend church, carry a Bible, drop a few bucks in the offering, ask questions, compliment the preacher, and buy a religious book now and then. But they have no heart for real learning, for correction and instruction. They are totally content in their little fantasy world - trusting their own imaginations and doing their own things. Reader! Can you prove you are any different? Do you have a heart for wisdom?

Knowledge and truth are not rights. God owes them to no man, and He only gives them to some. He will not give them to fools! In fact, He will take from them the little knowledge they think they have (Luke 8:18; 19:24). The visible creation proves God's existence; but when men reject it, He turns them over to insanity (Rom 1:18-32). He may even send lying spirits to deceive them for their arrogant ignorance (I Kings 22:15-23).

Fools desire to tell their own opinions (18:2). They have no pleasure in learning; they want to teach. They want to prove that reasoning in a circle from nothing leads to something - their own preconceived thoughts! The greatest collection ever of such fools occurred in Athens, with the development of Greek philosophy, where Paul tried to warn them against their superstitious babblings (Acts 17:16-31; I Cor 1:19-24; I Tim 6:20).

Of course, fools make a show of wanting knowledge, truth, and wisdom. They bring, as it were, a payment for them. But the holy God, Who sees the deepest motives and thoughts of the human heart, cuts them off completely. Though they may attend public preaching or teaching, He knows their intentions are false; so He may even deceive their teacher to lead them into greater error (Eze 14:6-11; 33:30-32; Matt 13:10-16). Give God the glory!

Wisdom is only for those who sell-out for it, buy it at any price, and will not sell it (2:1-5; 4:7; 18:1; 23:23; Matt 13:44-46). Fools and scorners, called dogs and swine by Jesus, are to be cut off from knowledge and truth (14:6-7; 26:4,12; Matt 7:6). Ministers are to avoid and reject them and their questions (I Tim 1:4; 4:7; 6:4-5; II Tim 2:14,16,23; Titus 3:9).

Paul prayed to be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men without faith (II Thess 3:1-2), and he praised the noble Bereans for their zeal for the truth (Acts 17:11). He warned men not to despise prophesyings, for they should love preaching (I Thess 5:20). The Jews before Ezra are the best example of coming with a sincere heart (Neh 8:1-18).

We are in the perilous times of the last days (II Tim 3:1 - 4:5). Men have a form of godliness, but there is no authority in it. They attend assemblies and listen to teachers, but they will not endure sound doctrine (II Tim 4:3-4). They are ever learning, but they never find truth (II Tim 3:6-7). They may pay a small price, but their heart is not in it.

Reader, how eager are you for wisdom and truth? And I mean God's wisdom and God's truth! - Not speculation about political conspiracies, the monetary theories of the Austrian school of economics, and alternative medical treatments. Do you crave knowing more about Christ Jesus the Lord? If yes, what sincere efforts will you make for it today?

Can you endure sound doctrine easily, because you crave the fear of the LORD and the knowledge of God? Have you responded to Lady Wisdom's invitation and met her requirements (8:34)? Many more claim to seek the truth than actually seek it! And you need to learn this distinction. Which one are you? Which one will you be this very day?

 

[Zulu]

Proverbs 19:20 - Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.


Are you wiser today than last year? Than ten years ago? These are important questions to answer. How wise will you be later in life? A godly man will greatly desire to grow in wisdom. And the way to increase wisdom is easy - you need to hear the counsel of wise men and accept their teaching. You need to appreciate and apply instruction from others.

Today is your opportunity to change your latter end. Will you be an older wise man, sought by family and others for sage advice? Or will you be an old fool, more a burden than a blessing? What you do today determines what you are tomorrow! You are not too young, and you are not too old. Consider your latter end, and receive instruction today!

The children of God were adopted by grace. But they were not adopted to squander their lives in folly. They were adopted to grow up and live as the sons of God in a crooked and perverse world (Matt 5:43-48; Rom 8:29; Eph 5:1-2; Phil 2:14-16). You can waste the grace of God, or you can use it to be great for Him (I Cor 15:10; II Cor 6:1; II Pet 3:18).

How much do you love the private counsel of holy and sober saints? How much do you crave the public preaching of God's word? Noble men and women receive it with a ready mind (Acts 17:11). A eunuch, a centurion, a businesswoman, and a preacher were all very thankful for teaching they received (Acts 8:26-40; 10:33-48; 16:14-15; 18:24-28).

Examine yourself! Are you truly wiser than last year or ten years ago? Have you grown in graciousness, so that you have more godly friends? Are you in better financial condition by learning and applying the rules of Bible economics? Do you know Jesus Christ and His doctrine better? Are you sought out by more saints to obtain your counsel?

Examine yourself! Does your spouse rejoice at the changes in recent years? Is your employer thankful for many job improvements? Do you handle adversity better than in times past? Can you answer the words of truth to those that ask? Do your parents and children esteem you more? Are you able to give God's answers for modern dilemmas? Is your pastor thankful for the visible progress? Could you run for office and win?

Life is short. What can you do? "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Ps 90:12). When? "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me" (8:17). Why? "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding" (4:7). How? "Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom" (18:1).

What do you think of preaching? Paul knew that Christians would stop enduring it (II Tim 4:3-4). Churches today prefer African sex music with lyrics about an effeminate hippie guru - they call it contemporary Christian music. If you want a wise latter end, then you will reject fables and demand intense preaching of God's word (II Tim 4:1-2). God sends preachers to teach knowledge and understanding (Jer 3:15). Listen to them!

What do you do with preaching? Peter told his readers to desire the sincere milk of the word to grow by it (I Pet 2:1-3). He exhorted them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ (II Pet 3:18). And Paul rebuked the Hebrew Christians for not developing into teachers (Heb 5:12-14). Make sure you prepare, pay attention, and apply what you hear (Luke 8:4-18; James 1:21-25). Hear and receive teaching that you might be wise!