Wisdom Exemplifies The Love Of Christ
Proverbs 24-27
To exemplify means to show by example!
God has shown us by the life story of Lord Jesus Christ!
God has shown us by the truth of the Word of God!
God is showing us daily, if we have allowed the Holy Spirit to be our Guide!
God is showing us by His chastising of us when we do wrong.
God has shown us example after example of what He will do when certain things are done or are not done in the stories in the Bible.
The theme of the Bible is the love of God!
1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
If we are God's children and are led by Christ's example then we will also show the Love of God!
Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
There is no excuse for our ignorance on these matters!
In the very first Book of the Bible it says:
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
God takes us throughout the Scriptures to show us His image.
God is love and this is the most important part of His image and the example we are to show to all those who cross our paths in this life time!
*****Pro 24:1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
Pro 24:2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
We are to witness to those who cross our path if at all possible but we are never to associate ourselves with those who are evil or that do evil!
1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
In this day and time it is a fact that we cannot move away from evilness.
In all walks of life there are people who prey on others.
Today the story is terrorism throughout the world.
This thing distracts us from those, our own politicians and leaders, who are trying to destroy our nation from within.
There are also the local criminals who destroy everything they touch.
And then there are also those who preach and teach a false gospel.
All these not only destroy the innocent but in the end they destroy themselves!
Because their thoughts and conversations are always on evil things and their lips always speak of mischief.
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
If we are truly wise we will not be associated with sinful evil people.
*****Pro 24:3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
That word "house" not only means a place to live such as a structure but it also means the people that live inside that structure.
A strong home does not just automatically exist!
A strong home is the product of wise planning and hard work!
We have already established that wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord.
A strong home must be built on a solid foundation!
Luk 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
There is only one foundation that can be built on today in this world, that can survive the evils of it!
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
This is the foundation of salvation!
Act 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
This is a home built by obeying the Word of God!
Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
A strong home is built when we follow these principles in this Book of Proverbs!
Pro 22:17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
Pro 22:18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
Pro 22:19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
We can see that wisdom involves the proper treatment of not only our friends but also our enemies but wisdom also shows us how to treat ourselves.
There is no better example that Jesus Christ.
*****Pro 24:15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
Pro 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Pro 24:17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
Pro 24:18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
This cursed world has made men to be enemies of men. This was never God's intention!
But God warns all those who would cause harm to His children!
To spoil is to rob and plunder.
Those who are wicked may cause a just man to fall but those who are justified will not stay down.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Those that are justified, need only to repent to be raised back up!
But the same is not said of the wicked, they will fall without a remedy!
For all those who are interested, this means that the wicked will never be able to totally destroy God's people!
Those that are justified are on the winning side!
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Since we know all these things it would be easy for us to gloat over our victory.
We are never to gloat over God's judgment over our enemies!
We are to hate sin but we are never to hate the sinner!
The truth is that seeing God's judgment served should cause us all to fear the Lord even more!
We are never to forget we serve a powerful God!
Jer 10:12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
Nothing much displeases God more than when His children rejoice over God's judgment on those who are lost!
Many of those will be some of our own family members!
Verse 18 does not mean that God's wrath may be turned from the enemy and toward that righteous person who is rejoicing but it certainly can mean that He will execute judgement on both.
It is true, that as we recover from some evil thing it is hard not to rejoice when God's justice is served.
But this is the reason Jesus said we must love our enemies as we love ourselves.
We will never rejoice over those we love when we see God's justice!
Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
There is a reason God will wipe away all our tears in Heaven and this may be one of those reasons!
*****Pro 24:19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
Pro 24:20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
Again the Lord teaches us not to worry about things we cannot control.
We are not to be jealous of the prosperity or in any way envious of those who are evil and wicked.
We must not become angry with God because of these things.
Why? Those who are wicked have no hope beyond this life, they are condemned!
There is no prospect of future happiness or fulfillment!
They will be eternally separated from God!
They will suffer the wrath of God throughout eternity!
There is no reward for those who are evil!
Instead of worry, we should trust in the Lord.
We must remain committed to the Lord.
We can rest in the Lord.
We can wait patiently for the Lord's return!
God does not want us to worry!
God certainly does not want us to strike out in anger.
God does not want us to be their judge.
Pro 23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Pro 23:18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
How do we describe the world we live in today?
*****Pro 24:24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
Our legal system has faltered in the name of politics, personal relationships, favor, bribery and even fear and the wicked are defended while the innocent are forgotten or even punished!
Even our own Supreme Court bows at the whims of politicians!
They forget that they all will answer to the Supreme Judge of this earth!
Gen 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right"?
It is only those that judge b y being faithful to justice that will be esteemed by those who know the truth and the knowledge of God!
And there is no Scripture that approves of the Sharia Law of the Muslim!
Pro 17:15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
America and her leaders have fallen into this trap along with most of the world!
And people wonder why God allows such evil to happen.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Even many who claim to know God but their actions do not show that truth.
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
God is nowhere near this sort of justice!
What is the first thing we need to do in America?
*****Pro 25:5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
The greatest responsibility of any leader is to protect their nation.
They must also protect that nation from the influence of wicked people.
Any leader that brings to his council such evilness is no leader at all!
2Ti 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
The leader that rejects the Word of God is an unfaithful man and should be regarded as such!
*****Pro 25:19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
An unfaithful leader will cause us pain as that of a toothache and be as useless as a runner with a broke foot.
Those that are wise know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior!
This wisdom will make them dependable and trustworthy!
This wisdom will make them do the right thing!
We should not put confidence in any man unless our confidence is already in the Lord, so we can discern right from wrong!
*****Pro 25:20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
We should never be insensitive in trying to cheer up someone with a heavy heart!
When sympathy is needed, cheerfulness can sometimes cause harm!
When our neighbor or our friend are hurting, they do not need jokes or merry songs, they need loving sympathy.
Sometimes there are no words of comfort and they just need a silent friend by their side!
Job 2:12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
Job 2:13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.
When these so called friends of Job did begin to speak they ruined all the good they had done by their silence.
Nitre is like baking soda and when vinegar is poured on baking soda, it produces a terrible reaction!
Sometimes our words, even though well intended, can produce a terrible reaction to those with a heavy heart!
*****Pro 25:21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
Pro 25:22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.
It is in the Old Testament where God laid down His basic principles of building human relationships!
Doing good to an enemy is a difficult thing to do!
We cannot defeat our enemies by being good to them but we must never sink to their level of wickedness.
We are to treat our enemies no different than we would treat the poor.
If he is hungry feed him.
If he is thirsty then provide him with water.
In the days of Solomon, people used a fire to cook and to eat and even other purposes.
If for some reason you had allowed your fire to go out it was necessary to borrow some coals from your neighbor.
Giving some coals, in a coal pan to carry home on his head was a kind and a neighborly act!
"Coals of fire" are a metaphor for remorse and repentance and symbolizes overcoming evil with good!
Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
This is also a specific place where the Lord said a reward could be earned, here on earth and also in Heaven!
Pro 11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
There is never a place in the Scriptures where God says it is alright to do wrong even to our enemies!
*****Pro 27:2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
We must always be aware of self-pride!
Bragging is thinking we are better than others!
Being humble prompts others to think more highly of us!
God's eyes are on us at all times and we are always to be humble before Him!
Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
If we are truly wise in the ways of the Lord, then we will also know the example that our Lord set when He walked among us.
Jesus said:
Joh 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
If we are truly wise, we will let others praise us.
It is far better for a stranger to approach us and say "you seem to be a Christian" than for us to brag about it.
It is far better to be known for actions than for what we say.
Paul said "I am what I am but only by the Grace of God".
If we are not praised by others then we should be satisfied with no praise!
If we cling to the Word of God and wise in the fear of the Lord, then God Himself will praise us.
1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: "and then shall every man have praise of God".
It is far better to patiently wait on the Lord and stay busy in the work that He has given us to do, for that will also bring His praise and that should be all our goal!
*****Pro 27:11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
As wise children of God, we can bring great joy and gladness to the Lord.
It should be our goal to be a testimony to the wisdom and the character of the Lord.
Everything we say and do will reflect on our testimony of the Lord!
We can earn the trust of the Lord by being obedient to His commandments, always being truthful, and making good decisions.
We can earn the trust of the Lord by never being ashamed of the Lord nor being ashamed of the Word of God!
Proper behavior is based on keeping the commandments of King Jesus!
Jesus said:
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
In other words "Wisdom Exemplifies The Love Of Christ"!
We are the representatives of the Lord and we need to act in His best interest.
It is the will of God that none would perish but the truth of our world is, that so many of this world will never respond to the "Gospel" but it is still our job to take the "Gospel" to all that cross our path!
*****Pro 27:20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
Hell is the place of the dead and destruction will come to all those in Hell when they face the Lord at the White Throne of Judgement.
Hell is always hungry and is always craving for another soul.
All those that reject the Word of God are never satisfied to stand alone and they will take as many others with them to Hell as they possibly can.
It is the Church that stands in the gap and it is us who know the truth of the Lord that need to take our stand on that truth.
True satisfaction can only come by the "Fear of the Lord" and a close, and a personal, and a loving relationship with Him!
If we truly love the Lord, He knows it!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
Proverbs 24-27
To exemplify means to show by example!
God has shown us by the life story of Lord Jesus Christ!
God has shown us by the truth of the Word of God!
God is showing us daily, if we have allowed the Holy Spirit to be our Guide!
God is showing us by His chastising of us when we do wrong.
God has shown us example after example of what He will do when certain things are done or are not done in the stories in the Bible.
The theme of the Bible is the love of God!
1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
If we are God's children and are led by Christ's example then we will also show the Love of God!
Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
There is no excuse for our ignorance on these matters!
In the very first Book of the Bible it says:
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
God takes us throughout the Scriptures to show us His image.
God is love and this is the most important part of His image and the example we are to show to all those who cross our paths in this life time!
*****Pro 24:1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
Pro 24:2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
We are to witness to those who cross our path if at all possible but we are never to associate ourselves with those who are evil or that do evil!
1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
In this day and time it is a fact that we cannot move away from evilness.
In all walks of life there are people who prey on others.
Today the story is terrorism throughout the world.
This thing distracts us from those, our own politicians and leaders, who are trying to destroy our nation from within.
There are also the local criminals who destroy everything they touch.
And then there are also those who preach and teach a false gospel.
All these not only destroy the innocent but in the end they destroy themselves!
Because their thoughts and conversations are always on evil things and their lips always speak of mischief.
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
If we are truly wise we will not be associated with sinful evil people.
*****Pro 24:3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
That word "house" not only means a place to live such as a structure but it also means the people that live inside that structure.
A strong home does not just automatically exist!
A strong home is the product of wise planning and hard work!
We have already established that wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord.
A strong home must be built on a solid foundation!
Luk 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
There is only one foundation that can be built on today in this world, that can survive the evils of it!
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
This is the foundation of salvation!
Act 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
This is a home built by obeying the Word of God!
Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
A strong home is built when we follow these principles in this Book of Proverbs!
Pro 22:17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
Pro 22:18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
Pro 22:19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
We can see that wisdom involves the proper treatment of not only our friends but also our enemies but wisdom also shows us how to treat ourselves.
There is no better example that Jesus Christ.
*****Pro 24:15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
Pro 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Pro 24:17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
Pro 24:18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
This cursed world has made men to be enemies of men. This was never God's intention!
But God warns all those who would cause harm to His children!
To spoil is to rob and plunder.
Those who are wicked may cause a just man to fall but those who are justified will not stay down.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Those that are justified, need only to repent to be raised back up!
But the same is not said of the wicked, they will fall without a remedy!
For all those who are interested, this means that the wicked will never be able to totally destroy God's people!
Those that are justified are on the winning side!
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Since we know all these things it would be easy for us to gloat over our victory.
We are never to gloat over God's judgment over our enemies!
We are to hate sin but we are never to hate the sinner!
The truth is that seeing God's judgment served should cause us all to fear the Lord even more!
We are never to forget we serve a powerful God!
Jer 10:12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
Nothing much displeases God more than when His children rejoice over God's judgment on those who are lost!
Many of those will be some of our own family members!
Verse 18 does not mean that God's wrath may be turned from the enemy and toward that righteous person who is rejoicing but it certainly can mean that He will execute judgement on both.
It is true, that as we recover from some evil thing it is hard not to rejoice when God's justice is served.
But this is the reason Jesus said we must love our enemies as we love ourselves.
We will never rejoice over those we love when we see God's justice!
Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
There is a reason God will wipe away all our tears in Heaven and this may be one of those reasons!
*****Pro 24:19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
Pro 24:20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
Again the Lord teaches us not to worry about things we cannot control.
We are not to be jealous of the prosperity or in any way envious of those who are evil and wicked.
We must not become angry with God because of these things.
Why? Those who are wicked have no hope beyond this life, they are condemned!
There is no prospect of future happiness or fulfillment!
They will be eternally separated from God!
They will suffer the wrath of God throughout eternity!
There is no reward for those who are evil!
Instead of worry, we should trust in the Lord.
We must remain committed to the Lord.
We can rest in the Lord.
We can wait patiently for the Lord's return!
God does not want us to worry!
God certainly does not want us to strike out in anger.
God does not want us to be their judge.
Pro 23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Pro 23:18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
How do we describe the world we live in today?
*****Pro 24:24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
Our legal system has faltered in the name of politics, personal relationships, favor, bribery and even fear and the wicked are defended while the innocent are forgotten or even punished!
Even our own Supreme Court bows at the whims of politicians!
They forget that they all will answer to the Supreme Judge of this earth!
Gen 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right"?
It is only those that judge b y being faithful to justice that will be esteemed by those who know the truth and the knowledge of God!
And there is no Scripture that approves of the Sharia Law of the Muslim!
Pro 17:15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
America and her leaders have fallen into this trap along with most of the world!
And people wonder why God allows such evil to happen.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Even many who claim to know God but their actions do not show that truth.
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
God is nowhere near this sort of justice!
What is the first thing we need to do in America?
*****Pro 25:5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
The greatest responsibility of any leader is to protect their nation.
They must also protect that nation from the influence of wicked people.
Any leader that brings to his council such evilness is no leader at all!
2Ti 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
The leader that rejects the Word of God is an unfaithful man and should be regarded as such!
*****Pro 25:19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
An unfaithful leader will cause us pain as that of a toothache and be as useless as a runner with a broke foot.
Those that are wise know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior!
This wisdom will make them dependable and trustworthy!
This wisdom will make them do the right thing!
We should not put confidence in any man unless our confidence is already in the Lord, so we can discern right from wrong!
*****Pro 25:20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
We should never be insensitive in trying to cheer up someone with a heavy heart!
When sympathy is needed, cheerfulness can sometimes cause harm!
When our neighbor or our friend are hurting, they do not need jokes or merry songs, they need loving sympathy.
Sometimes there are no words of comfort and they just need a silent friend by their side!
Job 2:12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
Job 2:13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.
When these so called friends of Job did begin to speak they ruined all the good they had done by their silence.
Nitre is like baking soda and when vinegar is poured on baking soda, it produces a terrible reaction!
Sometimes our words, even though well intended, can produce a terrible reaction to those with a heavy heart!
*****Pro 25:21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
Pro 25:22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.
It is in the Old Testament where God laid down His basic principles of building human relationships!
Doing good to an enemy is a difficult thing to do!
We cannot defeat our enemies by being good to them but we must never sink to their level of wickedness.
We are to treat our enemies no different than we would treat the poor.
If he is hungry feed him.
If he is thirsty then provide him with water.
In the days of Solomon, people used a fire to cook and to eat and even other purposes.
If for some reason you had allowed your fire to go out it was necessary to borrow some coals from your neighbor.
Giving some coals, in a coal pan to carry home on his head was a kind and a neighborly act!
"Coals of fire" are a metaphor for remorse and repentance and symbolizes overcoming evil with good!
Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
This is also a specific place where the Lord said a reward could be earned, here on earth and also in Heaven!
Pro 11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
There is never a place in the Scriptures where God says it is alright to do wrong even to our enemies!
*****Pro 27:2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
We must always be aware of self-pride!
Bragging is thinking we are better than others!
Being humble prompts others to think more highly of us!
God's eyes are on us at all times and we are always to be humble before Him!
Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
If we are truly wise in the ways of the Lord, then we will also know the example that our Lord set when He walked among us.
Jesus said:
Joh 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
If we are truly wise, we will let others praise us.
It is far better for a stranger to approach us and say "you seem to be a Christian" than for us to brag about it.
It is far better to be known for actions than for what we say.
Paul said "I am what I am but only by the Grace of God".
If we are not praised by others then we should be satisfied with no praise!
If we cling to the Word of God and wise in the fear of the Lord, then God Himself will praise us.
1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: "and then shall every man have praise of God".
It is far better to patiently wait on the Lord and stay busy in the work that He has given us to do, for that will also bring His praise and that should be all our goal!
*****Pro 27:11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
As wise children of God, we can bring great joy and gladness to the Lord.
It should be our goal to be a testimony to the wisdom and the character of the Lord.
Everything we say and do will reflect on our testimony of the Lord!
We can earn the trust of the Lord by being obedient to His commandments, always being truthful, and making good decisions.
We can earn the trust of the Lord by never being ashamed of the Lord nor being ashamed of the Word of God!
Proper behavior is based on keeping the commandments of King Jesus!
Jesus said:
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
In other words "Wisdom Exemplifies The Love Of Christ"!
We are the representatives of the Lord and we need to act in His best interest.
It is the will of God that none would perish but the truth of our world is, that so many of this world will never respond to the "Gospel" but it is still our job to take the "Gospel" to all that cross our path!
*****Pro 27:20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
Hell is the place of the dead and destruction will come to all those in Hell when they face the Lord at the White Throne of Judgement.
Hell is always hungry and is always craving for another soul.
All those that reject the Word of God are never satisfied to stand alone and they will take as many others with them to Hell as they possibly can.
It is the Church that stands in the gap and it is us who know the truth of the Lord that need to take our stand on that truth.
True satisfaction can only come by the "Fear of the Lord" and a close, and a personal, and a loving relationship with Him!
If we truly love the Lord, He knows it!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
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