Proverb a Day in May - May 31st/Chapter 31

As we come to the last chapter, let me say thank you to all who took the journey with me. I pray that each of us learned something from it and come away stronger Christians for it. On this last chapter, I have asked Phyllis Blickensderfer to cover the topic of a virtuous woman for us. You can read her blog at http://blicktx.blogspot.com/, and you will not be sorry that you did. While it is obvious to see why this is important for women to know, it is also important for us guys to know, as well. This is the type of woman you should look to marry; the type of woman you should pray for and help your current wife to become; and the kind of woman yoou should seek to raise your daughter to be like. The follwoing is her study on this important subject:

I learned it years ago. So well that I can quote most of it still today. It was part of a program our church offered that encouraged verse memorization. To memorize it, we had to say it over and over and over again until it was a part of our thought pattern. I believe we do too little of that today.

Beginning with the tenth verse, "Who can find a virtuous woman?" Followed by not only her description, but by her family’s description – husband, children, servants. We move through her daily life of picking and choosing what needs to be done, and following through to provide for her household. There's no indication that she is a stay-at-home-mom, but there's also no mistaking how she looks after homemaking.

As women, we need to be certain how her qualities are displayed in our own lives.

Does the heart of our husbands safely trust us? We hold his heart in our hands to lift in celebration or squeeze down into a painful lump. We are to be of help to him, that remains a part of God's plan. We promise before God and an assembly of friends that we will do him good all the days we have together, till death parts us. That, too, is part of God's plan.

This is followed by her daily chores. Let me tell you, this lady is NOT lazy. Read through the list of work she accomplished. Verse 25, however, gives us pause -- she may not have recognition for this work, for "she shall rejoice in time to come." We could use some of that patience, couldn't we?

Don't think you get enough appreciation from your children? She does. "Her children arise up and call her blessed." Then, we are back to that husband, who does not only called her blessed but praises her. Those are awesome rewards, aren't they? Honestly, don't we get some of that? Our children do appreciate our work, and so does that wonderful man God provided to look after our family. At times we may think they don’t, but look back just a bit and recall their gratitude.

By the way, did any of her attributes include physical beauty? Is there a verse that tells how her looks stop a man in his tracks? Do any of her activities attract the attention of others?

Now, some would say there is not a witnessing message in this chapter, just examples for a woman to set as goals laid out in the Bible. Look again. Verse 30 gives us the true reason for her virtue, for the blessing from her children, from her husband – her focus is on her Lord:

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. [Proverbs 31:30 KJV]

Without the Lord, it is all in vain. Without the Lord our future ends with death.

Proverb a Day in May - May 30th/Chapter 30

Today, on our next to last chapter of Proverbs, we have a new human penmen - Agur. Not much is not for sure about him, but the Treasure of Scripture Knowledge says this: Agur was probably a public teacher, and Ithiel and Ucal, his pupils; and this was the massa, or oracle, which he delivered, not by his own wisdom, but by the Holy Spirit, for the benefit of man.

One of the great truths he touches on is found in Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. You get the sense from the start of the chapter that Agur is letting us know that these are not his words, because his words are brutish and lack wisdom and understanding. BUT, the words of God, and the Word of God, is pure. Pure from any doctrinal error, pure from any sinful corruption, and pure in It's preservation for us today in the King James Version for the English speaking people.

It is my prayer that you can sing with the Psalmist in Psalm 119:140 Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.

Proverb a Day in May - May 29th/Chapter 29

Today, I want to cover a verse that is often misquoted: Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Many times when a pastor, or other type of leader, gets up to give a plan for the future, they some times will quote from Proverbs 29:18. When asked why other preachers and pastors are not as successful they will often reply, "Well, the Bible says that where there is no vision the people perish, and they just did not have a vision of growth for the future." And while that may be true about that pastor and his lack of vision for the future, the fact is the Bible is not speaking of "a vision of the future" here in this verse. The word vision comes from a Hebrew word which means, "oracle." This is evident by the part of the verse that is never quoted: but he that KEEPETH THE LAW, happy is he. The failure comes when there is no preaching of the truths of God's Word. When we proclaim the truth of God's Word, we give the hearer the opportunity to inherit true happiness through obedience.

As we continue to read and study God's Word every single day, let's take heed to this verse.

Proverb a Day in May - May 28th/Chapter 28

Today, let's look at Proverbs 28:10 Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.

This is not just a verse that deals with pastors, though it does take on a greater meaning to those who are in that calling. But each of us have what is called a "sphere of influence" that we must be careful with. The proverb implies that this person was leading the righteous astray by deceit and for their own pleasure since the end result would be that the person would fall into the pit that they created for others.

As I read it, I was reminded of all the televangelist that have led Christians away from the local church, and into their own personal ministries. They enjoy the fame and money for a while, but they always seem to fall into a pit of their own making in the end. Why? Because God is still in control!

Lets strive to be upright and lead those around us in our "sphere of influence" into the paths of righteousness so that we may have good things in possession.

Proverb a Day in May - May 27th/Chapter 27

In today's chapter, there is a thread of thought dealing with those around us. Let me share it with you quickly today (I do know that while some may want more detail in the post, not everyone has the time to read long entries, so it is with those folks in mind that I do try to keep it short...though by explaining it I have just taken more of your valuable time, so....oops.) Here goes:

1. 
   
   The ADVANCING of others - Proverbs 27:2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. If you have to tell everyone how great you are, then it probably is not true! It is not our job to advance ourselves, but to advance the gospel to the whole world. Let other's praise you, so that God may praise you in the end.
2. 
   
   The ASSEMBLING of others - Proverbs 27:8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place. There is a nest of safety, a place that God has for each born-again believer. That place is the local, New Testament church. We should each seek our place and serve.
3. 
   
   The ADVICE of others - 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. This has been one of my purposes for this series this month. As I think about the subject of iron sharpening iron, I thought about what is involved. There has to be a little friction to make the blade sharp. But too much friction, and the blade become notched and ragged and unusable. Discussion is good, but can be taken too far. How many of our Proverbs deal with just leaving alone those who want to fight and argue just to do so? But as sincere, born-again believers, we should seek other like-minded people to discuss, and even disagree with sometimes (as long as it is not a fundamental truth), so that we might become "sharper" in our faith and knowledge.

Proverb a Day in May - May 26th/Chapter 26

In the 26th Proverb, there are a couple of topics covered, one of those being laziness. There is a lot that can be said about those who are lazy, but the fact is they are too lazy to read this so I will skip it. (That's sarcasm people, lighten up!) What I do want to cover is what is mentioned in Proverb 26:21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

What caught my eye in this verse is the example that Solomon uses of coal with strife and fighting. The weather here in MI is getting pretty warm, and it made me think of my smoker outside. I bought this smoker late last year, and it was a little too cold and windy to do much with it, so this will be our first summer smoking with it. I was looking and reading up on different techniques on how to keep the fire an smoke going with charcoal. BTW - my smoker is a horizontal unit that has the side burner. One of the techniques to use is to put unlit coals in the burner, then add a few pre-lit coals on top of those coals. What this does is keep a steady fire going with a steady stream of smoke. That is what you want for smoking meats - but not in our personal relationships.

Let's face the facts today - there are some who just like to fight. They are contentious by nature, and will do anything they can to keep the fire, or strife, burning. Matthew Henry makes a great point: Contention heats the spirit, and puts families and societies into a flame. And that fire is commonly kindled and kept burning by whisperers and backbiters. The proverb lets us know that strife is always there, and it is our responsibility to distance from it when all possible and not to fan the flame.

Proverb a Day in May - May 25th/Chapter 25

Today's Proverb starts off with an introduction to this section of the compilation of Proverbs, which is also referenced in another of Solomon's writings in Ecclesiastes 12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. We read how the Holy Spirit inspired Solomon to deliver many Proverbs, and king Hezekiah had his men copy them out. The reason why some believe Hezekiah did this was because many of the following Proverbs deal with political precepts and for the conduct of their house and kingdom (John Wesley).

What we see here is that Solomon authored many Proverbs, and many more that were not preserved by the Holy Spirit in our Holy Bible. I believe this is a picture of Christ, who was a "greater than Solomon." Remember how John ended his Gospel account: John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

As we continue to read and study these Proverbs, lets remember the One who is greater!

Proverb a Day in May - May 24th/Chapter 24

One of the encouraging thoughts in this chapter is the idea of getting up after falling/getting knocked down. We see it in:

Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

The blunt fact of the matter is that even those who seek to live a just life will fall, and fall many times. Everyone falls. What differentiates people is if they get up. When you choose the path of wickedness, you don't just fall, but you fall into mischief. When a Christian fails to get up after a fall or a stumble, there is something else that is revealed about them:

 

Proverbs 24:10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

 

Remember, it is not a fall that defines a man, but how they respond and get up. If you need examples, just read the life of Moses, David, and Peter, to begin with. They all had great falls, but they also rose up and moved forward and were remembered for their great faith.

Proverb a Day in May - May 23rd/Chapter 23

Aas we come to chapter 23, let me review with you a blog post from earlier; and in doing so, let me ask you to continue to frequent this blog, even after May 31st. Now, I won't be posting every day, but at least 2-3 times a week, Lord willing. Here is something that I wrote a couple of months ago on today's chapter.

Proverbs 23:29-35 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? (30) They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. (31) Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. (32) At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. (33) Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. (34) Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. (35) They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Here is one of the MANY Bible passages that teaches us the perils of alcohol. In this passage, we read about the Sorrows of Alcohol:

1. 
   
   The Reminder of the Sorrow Alcohol Causes - 23:29. It causes pain in the body with headaches, body sickness, agonies of the mind, and the torture of your conscience through the sins that it leads you to commit. You do things that you normally wouldn't do, and you say things that you normally wouldn't say. The next day brings sickness and regret.
2. 
   
   The Reality of the Sorrow Alcohol Causes - 23:30. The reality is that a person does not consume alcohol, but alcohol consumes them. It takes over their personality and takes over their life. Eventually, it is not enough and they need to mix the alcohol and make it stronger. Sin is never enough, and it quickly spirals out of control. Reminds me of the fact that an alcoholic never thinks they will be one when they take that first drink.
3. 
   
   The Remedy for the Sorrow Alcohol Causes - 23:31. Look not means that you are not in the presence of it, and so then you cannot be tempted with it. The best advice to avoid the pitfalls of alcohol is just to avoid it all together!
4. 
   
   The Results of the Sorrow Alcohol Causes - 23:32-35. Here, the author of this Proverb paints the "morning after" picture that the alcohol companies WILL NOT show you on their product advertisements. Why in the world would anyone choose to subject themselves to these sorrows? The answer is: SIN!

Instead of trying to figure out some way that it might be okay or acceptable to drink alcohol, lets just take the Principle of the Proverb and avoid the Sorrows of Alcohol.

Proverb a Day in May - May 22nd/Chapter 22

There are some more good verses on parenting and raising children (22:6, 22:15), but let me bring to your attention:

Proverbs 22:12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

In my study Bible, I have the word he circled, and the word overthroweth underlined. It is a reminder to me that it is not my job to correct the words of those who lie. It is the Lord's place, and HE will OVERTHROW them. The Lord has also kept His eyes open and has preserved knowledge. Adam Clarke has this to say about the verse: This providence has been wonderfully manifested in preserving the sacred oracles, and in preserving many ancient authors, which have been of great use to the civil interests of man.

It is amazing how much of our time is given to fight the liars and transgressors, when it is the Lord's responsibility to do those things. Lets just take our responsibility a little more seriously and go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Proverb a Day in May - May 21st/Chapter 21

In the 21st chapter, there seems to be a couple of threads of thought. One deals with those who are a false witness, which Solomon has much to say about in Provers. The other, which I will share a couple of brief thoughts about, is the subject of worship. And more than that, hollow, meaningless, evil worship.

Today, we often define worship and a song service, but it is much more than that. The two verse I want to point out to you are:

Proverbs 21:3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Proverbs 21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

Now, is God against sacrifice? No. But God is against sacrifice when the sacrifice is true worship of Him. How many Christians, pastors included, just go through the motions every Sunday, every Wednesday, every day, and never have any heart in their actions? It is God's desire for our heart right with Him first and foremost. Why? Because God knows that if our heart is focused on Him, everything else will be "brought up to speed." We often define our spiritual temperature based on what we do and do not do. But as Solomon points out to us, God wants our heart to be in it. Is yours?

Proverb a Day in May - May 20th/Chapter 20

As we come to the 20th day and 20th chapter, I pray this has been a blessing to you. Maybe some of you are reading this and feeling bad because you have not followed every day. To that I say, "It doesn't matter what prevented you in the past, just don't let it prevent you in the presence."

There is so much I would like to touch on today, but seeing that I have spent some time this week at the Independent Baptist Fellowship International, this verse is what stood out to me the most:

Proverbs 20:25 - It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

We see a lot all around us in the name of Christianity that is nothing more than devouring that which is holy. Holy means to be set apart, and there are some things that should be set apart for God: His Word; the local, New Testament Church, and evangelism, to say a few. And the worse part about is, that now many years later, we need to hold meetings and seminars to make enquiry and discuss what went wrong. God help us to never be entangled in the snare of worldliness and to always hold in high esteem those things which are the Lords. 

Proverb a Day in May - May 19th/Chapter 19

There is an old principle that states: If God said it once, it is important; if God said it twice, you better pay special attention to it. We notice that here in this chapter:

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

Proverbs 19:9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

We live in a society that does not place much value on the spoken word. You can say just about anything these days without any repercussions (unless you are a Christian speaking in public, but that is for another blog post on another day!). Yet, God holds us to every word that we utter, and has no use for those who lie, or bear false witness.

The phrase "shall not escape...shall perish" interest me. In it, there is an implied thought that the liar gets away with their lies for a moment of time, but their day of justice will come. Many times people do not consider the hurt and damage that their lies cause.

It reminds me of the story of the young boy who lied to all of his friends about how mean his mother was to him. His father found out about it and confronted him on the issue and the young boy broke down in tears, admitting what he had done. Earlier in the day, they had been working on putting in a new wooden fence post. The young son wanted to know what he could do to take back his words and make it better, so his dad told him to take a nail and nail it into the new fence post for every lie that he told. After he finishes this, his father then tells him to then take out each nail. Once he does, the son tells his father, "Look at all of those nail holes, I can't fix them and make the post look the same again?" And his father answered, "The same is true with our lies, once they go out, the damage will always be there."

Let us all take heed to Solomon's words and steer clear of lying. Remember, there is no such thing as a "little white lie" with God.

Proverb a Day in May - May 18th/Chapter 18

As I read chapter 18, I cannot get past the first verse: Proverbs 18:1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. At first glance, this seems to be speaking of something that is good, especially in our Independent, Fundamental, Baptist circles. But further reading and understanding reveal something different to us.

The word intermeddleth here means, obstinate; which means to be stubborn, determined to have own way. What I think Solomon, through the inspiration and leading of the Holy Spirit, is trying to warn us against is those who swant to seperate themselves by seeking and pushing "new" ideas, doctrines, etc. Remember, it was Solomon who told us that there is "no new thing under the sun."

So, this sepereated man here in Proverbs seeks desire, but not the right kind of desire. His desire is his own self reputation and pleasures. He is not content with traveling down the "old paths" with everyone else, but seeks to make his own, new path. Now there are times we are called to be a trailblazer, just like Paul in the New testament, but that should not be our desire The desire that motivates us should be God's desire working in us and through us. The man who desires to make his own path and way so that he does not have to answer to anyone and gets the glory for being on their own is not a man we should seek to be.

I know there are a lot of other truths to be learned from this chapter. What interested you today?

Proverb a Day in May - May 17th/Chapter 17

There is a principle in chapter 17 that I noticed after reading, and that is that sometimes it is better just to keep our mouth AND our ears shut.

17:4 - The wicked person referred to here is not necessarily the one who is doing the speaking, but the one who is doing the listening. Often times, Christians think they are doing nothing wrong because they did not say anything. Yet, this verse tells us we ARE a liar if we listen to those things that are not true. I believe the reason being that lies and gossip only spread as far as someone is willing to listen. As I often say, "Don't allow yourself to be someone else's trashcan. Tell them to keep their garbage to themselves."

17:14 - Solomon here gives great advice about how to handle a fight or a disagreement - walk away before it starts and gets out of hand! How many times do we feel the need to "get our point across," when really we are just giving in to our ego and trying to prove to everyone that we are right? We would have a lot less arguments and a lot more friendships still in tact if we would just quietly walk away from needless and pointless arguments.

Proverb a Day in May - May 16th/Chapter 16

There are a lot of great verses in this chapter that I will leave for you to comment on today. Let me just briefly touch on the ending verse: Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD. What this tells us is that nothing happens by accident or chance with the Lord.

Case in point when the church gathered together to choose who should take Judas' place in Acts 1:24-26 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, (25) That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. (26) And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. God had his choice in place, and His will was done and His name glorified in the choosing.

No matter what the situation is in your life, God is in control!

Proverb a Day in May - May 15th/Chapter 15

In chapter 15, one of the verses that stood out was Proverb 15:10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die. Next to this verse in my Bible I have this statement written down: Those who hate correction are those who KNOW they are doing wrong but CHOOSE to still do it.

What a shame when someone knows to do right, yet willfully chooses to do wrong. As born again believers, we know the way, yet it is our choice whether or not we will follow it. God has created us with a free will, and we exercise this free will not only in salvation, but in our daily life, as well.

The fact of the matter is that every Christian, from one time or another, will begin to stray from the way of life and need a little correction. How we respond to that correction and reproof is a proof of our spiritual stature. When we lash out in anger, it shows that we have not begun to stray, but we started straying a long time ago and are very far from the way God has for us.

Proverb a Day in May - May 14th/Chapter 14

One of the many truths we read in this chapter is, "The Regression of a Nation."

• #1 - They Flaunt Sin - 14:9. One of the first steps in the downward spiral of sin is to mock, or flaunt sin. When we, as a nation, not only no longer view sin as sin, but actually mock those who stand for what is right, then we have begun the regression of a nation.
• #2 - They Follow Sinfulness - 14:12. Notice the phrasing of the verse: there is a way which SEEMETH right. When a nation begins to flaunt sin and sinful lifestyles, they will begin to make decisions and go in directions that seem right, but that is only because their vision is off. The evidence of this is when a nation begins to make and pass laws protecting sin and oppressing righteousness.
• #3 - They are Filled with Slander - 14:25. A nation that is in regression is a nation that is filled with deceitful men and women who are more worried about promoting their sinful way and not truth. A true witness is more worried about truth and right and not their own personal agenda.
• #4 - They make sure Folly is Saluted - 14:29. True national regression is seen in whom they exhalt. America is a perfect example of this folly. When actors and athletes are our heroes, and not parents and preachers (preachers are those who proclaim the Gospel, whether in a church behind a podium or in the streets and the home in a one-on-one conversation), we have truly regressed as a nation.

Which leads to Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. If we would like for our country to once again be exalted, we must begin to exalt righteousness and no longer sin.

Proverb a Day in May - May 13th/Chapter 13

As chapter 13 continues, and as it was brought up in the earlier week's comments, we notice that there is a contrast of the good and the wicked. What I would like to concentrate on the last verses of the chapter that deal a little bit with child rearing.

• 
  
  13:22 - You notice that not only are parents to leave an inheritance, but this inheritance is to be to their children's children, or their grandchildren. I must be honest with you, I never realized how much the Bible deals with us influencing our grandchildren until recently when our men in our Saturday morning Bible study read and discussed the book "Anchor Man" by Steve Farrar. All throughout the Old Testament, we are told to And this is not to start happening after your children grow up and have kids, but now while your kids are still young. I think about all of the families who are struggling today, because the faith was somehow not passed from the second generation to the third generation. May each of us reading this today seek to teach our children and live our faith in such a way that we leave a godly heritage for the third generation to inherit from us.
• 
  
  13:24 - Do a Google search on "spanking children" and you will see that there are a variety of thoughts on the subject. Yet, the Bible is very clear that corporal punishment is what God calls for in correcting our children. Now, lets be very clear: the Bible DOES NOT promote child abuse and beating your children. But, in a Biblical sense, I believe you are abusing your child when you spare the rod. I know that in my own childhood that I steered clear of wrong many times (but not always!) because I knew that a spanking would await me if I chose to go through with whatever sin was before me. At a young age, I learned that there are consequences for doing wrong. How many children today are spoiled, not because they are given everything they want, but because they are never given the rod of Biblical correction?

What are your thoughts today on the chapter?

Proverb a Day in May - May 12th/Chapter 12

In Proverbs chapter 12, one of the issues it deals with is what some people do in private. Now, when we usually speak of things being done in private, we usually speaking about sin. But we notice in this chapter that some times the best things that we do should be done in private. Here are a couple that I have noticed:

12:11 - A good man COMMISSIONS SECRETELY. The opposite of quietly working and going about your business is the lazy man who follows the vain, or empty person. Here is a verse for all those who constantly seek after the "Get Rich Quick" schemes. There is no substitute for hard, consistent work.

12:16 - A good man COVERETH SHAME. The opposite is a fool who is always spouting off what they are angry about. But a good man is one who keeps their issues private. Or, using an older saying, "Don't air out your dirty laundry." Everyone goes through tough times, but you don't have to let everyone know about them all the time. I wonder how many Christians lament that people will not forget their mistakes of their past - yet they will not stop bringing them up all the time themselves?

12:23 - A good man CONCEALETH SUBSTANCE. The opposite is a fool who wants to tell you everything that is on their mind. You don't have to tell everybody everything you know! I think Facebook and Twitter, among other technologies, capitalize on our desire to always speak about everything that comes to our mind. Sometimes we forget that it is better to conceal a truth. It is not our right to know everything about everyone.

Hope this was a help to you today. What other verses spoke to you, what questions do you have?

Proverb a Day in May - May 11th/Chapter 11

Every time you read chapter 11 of Proverbs, one of the most well know verses of Proverbs comes to mind: Proverb 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. While much has been written and preached about this verse, and much could still be written and preached about it, let me share one thought about something that is sometimes said that bothers me a little bit.

There are always those who I call "super-spiritual" that want to do anything they can to be a wet blanket on the fire of a sold-out, soulwinning Christian. They are the ones who pipe up every time you say something about winning a soul to Christ and say, "Well, if you won them then they are still lost..." or some other statement along those lines. Now, before I go any further, I understand that we serve a sovereign God who is in the soul saving business. It is our responsibility to go out and spread the Gospel and to be a faithful witness for the Lord - and it is the Holy Spirit's job to convict of sin and God's responsibility to save the soul.

But when I, or some other Christian, makes the statement, "Hey, we won so-and-so to Christ today," we are not saying that we did the saving. What we are doing is using Biblical language. Why? Because Proverbs tells us he that WINNITH souls is wise.

So, instead of trying to sound super-spiritual and snuffing out the fire of a fellow Christian, show your true wisdom and go win someone to Jesus Christ.

Proverb a Day in May - May 10th/Chapter 10

In chapter 10, we see what I call, "The Delayed Results of Wickedness." How many times have we, as Christians, watched the wicked of the world continue in their wickedness, only to never suffer any consequences? I'll admit, it can be frustrating at times. Just as the prophet Jeremiah asked a couple of times, I sometimes ask, "Why do the wicked prosper?" But we must always remember that God is in control, and we are working on laying up and receiving rewards in heaven, and not accolades here on earth. We see in this chapter some delayed results of wickedness:

1. 
   
   10:3,7 - There will be a LOSS of SUBSTANCE - You have to build something up before it can be cast away. The Lord is allowing the wicked to build up what they have (their possessions and their name/reputation), only to take it all away in the end.
2. 
   
   10:9 - They no longer will be LIVING in STEALTH - There are those that secretly pervert, or make crooked, the path of their life. They do not follow God's straight and narrow way like the Christian who walks uprightly. And as they continue down this path with no repercussions, they think everything is okay. But there is coming a day when all things will be made known and their wickedness be made public.
3. 
   
   10:16 - Their work will be LOST to SIN - It is interesting to note that everything that the wicked work so hard to get will be the source of their great loss one day. As we see in verse 25, if you sow in the wind, you one day will reap the whirlwind.
4. 
   
   10:27 - Their LIFE will be SHORT - Everything will be going according to the plan of the wicked, then - WHAM - their life will be suddenly pulled out from under them and cut short. Their downfall will be quick and sudden.
5. 
   
   10:28-31 - They will LOSE their STRENGTH and SOUND - The wicked do not mind flaunting all they have, and telling Christians how ignorant and backwards they think they are. In doing so, they often become very oppressive of born-again believers. But to truth is, one day they will lose their strength and lose their tongue and will have nothing to brag or boast about.

Let's not envy the wicked, seeing that the Lord is keeping score and one day soon will right all wrongs. BTW - If it were not for the grace of God, we would all be cast into the lot of the wicked!

Proverb a Day in May - May 9th/Chapter 9

As we come to chapter nine, we also come, in my opinion, to one of the great singular verses in all of the Scripture - verse 10: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. You notice that it says "the holy," and not, "holiness," or, "what is holy." Strong's Concordance indicates that the word used for holy here refers to God himself. It is as if Solomon is saying here that understanding comes from fearing (reverencing) the Lord and knowing the holy God of heaven.

Every time I read this verse, I think of the great devotional book written by A.W. Tozer, "The Knowledge of the Holy." If there is one book (outside of the Bible, of course) that should be read and re-read, it has to be this book. Just writing about it percolates my desire to dive back into the book again.While I must admit I sometimes don't read the "Preface" of many books, this is one that I read every time. In it, Tozer makes this statement:

The Church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and had substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking, worshiping men. This she had done not deliberately, but little by little and without her knowledge; and her very unawareness only makes her situation all the more tragic. The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us. A whole new philosophy of the Christian life has resulted from this one basic error in our religious thinking.

I could go on with all the great truths Tozer shares in his book, but let me leave you with this opening thought from chapter one: What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

How is your "knowledge of the Holy?"

Proverb a Day in May - May 8th/Chapter 8

Today, in chapter 8, we read of the superiority of wisdom. Notice with me these truths about wisdom's words:

1. 8:6-9 - Wisdom's Words are Plain. How plain are these words? Well, Matthew Henry states it this way: Yet attention to the words of Christ, will guide the most ignorant into saving knowledge of the truth. There is no other book, like the Bible, that is so deep that you will never fully learn everything it has to teach you; yet so simple even a child could understand it.
2. 8:10-11 - Wisdom's Words are Precious. How precious are these words? The wisdom of Christ and the Word of God is, as the Psalmist says in Psalm 19:10, "More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb."
3. 8:12 - Wisdom's Words are Prudent. How prudent are these words? True Biblical wisdom leads to action. Adam Clarke explains it this way, "Prudence is defined, wisdom applied to practice; so wherever true wisdom is, it will lead to action, and its activity will be always in reference to the accomplishment of the best ends by the use of the most appropriate means."

I pray that the Lord showed you something great in Chapter 8 today, and that you will share it with us here.

Proverb a Day in May - May 7th/Chapter 7

Today, as we read chapter 7, we come in contact again with the "strange woman" from chapter 5. It would do well to note verses 8-9.

In it, I picture a man who is walking down the street. Now, we notice this was no random street, because verse 8 says, "Passing through the street NEAR HER CORNER..." I get tired of hearing people use the excuse, "Wrong place at the wrong time." While that is the case sometimes, most of the time we are right in the place where we want to be. This man gave into the temptation of the strange women and went to her corner of the street, went to where he could find her and have his sinful desires fulfilled. Reminds me of the child's Bible chorus: Oh, be careful little feet where you go...

In verse 9, I can picture a man who thought he was all alone, in the dark, and no one is looking. Yet, there is nothing that can be done in secret. The rest of the children's chorus goes like this:...for your Father up above is looking down in love. So be careful little feet where you go.

There are always consequences for choices made, and we see the consequence of following the strange women:

Proverbs 7:25-27 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. (26) For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. (27) Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

Proverb a Day in May - May 6th/Chapter 6

Chapter 6 brings up the issue of Laziness. In verse 6, the example that is given is the ant. Think about the ant.

1. 
   
   The ant is punctual in his work (works without being told to) - How many Christians can that be said of today? As a pastor, it sometimes feel as if you have to push and poke some Christians just to get them to show up to worship, much less serve and work for the Lord. As a born-again believer, we should have a desire to serve God without being told.
2. 
   
   The ant is purposeful in his work - Many Christians live a purpose-less life. They go about every day never considering the greater purpose of their life, never considering tomorrow and what it may hold. Just as the ant laid up food for the winter, we should be laying up treasures in heaven.

There are many other great truths here in this chapter, but I will let some of you comment on those. Looking forward to your thoughts.

Proverb a Day in May - May 5th/Chapter 5

Today's chapter deals a lot with the relationship that Solomon wanted his son to have with his wife. Solomon really gives good advice in 5:15-19 that needs to be taught in today's society. We have become a throw-away, disposable culture in everything that we own and do - including marriages. Many studies show that half of CHRISTIAN marriages end in divorce, so nobody is immune from it and could not be reminded of Solomon's advice.

In using the strange woman/wife of thy youth analogy, we also see the strange woman here representing false doctrine. Notice this about those who teach false doctrine:

5:3a - Her words are SWEET words. She will flatter you with her words.

5:3b - Her words are SMOOTH words. She will not ask you to do anything that may be hard to do.

5:6 - Her words are SHIFTING words. She will constantly change what she believe in order to draw more to her.

What is the result? We see it in 5:4-5 - Everlasting, eternal damnation.

Let's take heed and flee from the doctrine of strange women.

BTW - Don't forget to check back over some of the previous day's comments and catch up on what every one else added to that day's thought. Many great points and questions are being brought out.

Proverb a Day in May - May 4th/Chapter 4

Today's Proverb has a lot to do with LISTENING. It reminds me of a truth that I heard while in Bible College: God gave you two ears and one mouth because He wants you to listen twice as much.

Solomon starts off in verse one admonishing the reader to listen with purpose - "attend to know". How many times have we sat in a church service, listened to the preacher preach, but not heard anything? Many people have this idea that just showing up is good enough. But the fact of the matter is, we need to purpose in our heart to not just listen, but hear what is being said.

In verse 3, I have this thought written next to it in my Bible - I was once where you were, but you were never where I am. Experience, when used properly, can be such a great teacher. But too often times, those who are younger do not and will not take advantage of it.

A final thought is something that I once heard another preacher say, in regards to the phrase "know not" from verse 19. His thought was, "Wrong information produces wrong thinking, which produces wrong action." What a great principle for all of us to take to heart.

What spoke to you today from Proverbs 4?

Proverb a Day in May - May 3rd/Chapter 3

Thanks for those who not only read, but especially to those who took part in the discussion on Saturday, the 1st. I know Sunday's are a little more difficult to get to the computer because of church, so I am looking forward to getting everyone opinions and questions today.

There is a lot that can be said about chapter 3, but I will only comment on a couple of verses so that you may add your thoughts to some of the others. Here goes:

Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (7) Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Often, we only think about and quote verses 3:5-6, but I think verse 7 is the key to verse 6 and how to acknowledge God. How do you acknowledge God? By not being wise in your own eyes, fearing the Lord, and staying away from evil. If we can do these 3 things, then we will be acknowledging, or in tune with God and He can then direct our paths. So many Christians today lack purpose because they lack a proper understanding of themselves and of God's holiness and therefore they do not follow the path that God had set before them.

What are you thoughts?

Proverb a Day in May - May 2nd/Chapter 2

Today, Chapter 2 paints a little more of a positive picture in that it deals with the blessings of listening to and following after wisdom. You notice how Solomon teaches us that when we follow wisdom, we will not follow after the wicked. There is a conundrum today of Christians who claim to be sold-out for Christ, yet they are surrounded by wickedness. The two cannot and do not go together. I sure hope no one reading this today forsakes wisdom and follows after wickedness by not attending a Bible-teaching and preaching church!

Have a great day worshipping the Lord in your church today. If you live in the Westland, MI, area do not have a church that you attend regularly, let me invite you to the First Baptist Church. Our address is 1033 S. Wildwood, Westland, MI 48186, and our morning worship service starts at 11:00 am and our evening service is at 6:00 pm.

In between services, give me your thoughts on Chapter 2, and if you would like, share with us a blessing from your church service today.

Proverb a Day in May - May 1st/Chapter 1

As we begin our month long journey, it is important to ask the question: What is a Proverb?It has been defined as a short sentence often repeated, expressing a well known truth or common fact, ascertained by experience or observation; a maxim of wisdom.

In Scripture, it sometimes signifies a moral sentence or maxim that is enigmatic; a dark saying of the wise that requires interpretation.

The first few verses in the opening of the chapter lay the groundwork for what will follow. In these few verses, we notice:

I. THE PURPOSE FOR PROVERBS – 1:2-4
a. Study the Purpose – 1:2
b. Secure the Purpose – 1:3
c. Simplicity of the Purpose – 1:4

II. THE PRESCRIPTION FOR PROVERBS – 1:5-6
a. Perceive the Truth – 1:5
b. Process the Truth – 1:6

III. THE PAYOUT FOR PROVERBS – 1:7-9
a. The Payout is a Choice – 1:7
b. The Payout is Consistent – 1:8
c. The Payout is Complete – 1:9

The chapter also goes on to explain about the wisdom needed in choosing your friends (vs. 10-19), and the judgment that comes from ignoring wisdom.

What are your thoughts on this chapter?