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The center of the Traditional Anglican Communion; adhering to the Holy Bible (KJV) in all matters of Faith and Doctrine, a strict reliance on the Thirty Nine Articles of Religion, The two Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, the Two Creeds, and the Homilies and formularies of the Reformation Church of England.

Verse of the Day

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Devotion on Proverbs 24 (Part One, v1-16) - 15 August 2013, Anno Domini




1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. 2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. 3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: 4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. 5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. 6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. 7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. 8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person. 9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men. 10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. 11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; 12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works? 13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: 14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off. 15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place: 16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. (Prov 24:1-16)

            “Do not talk with other boys who use profanity or vulgarity at school, OK?” I heard these words from my mother perhaps three to five mornings a week before hustling off to elementary school. With her first words of “Do not talk….” I could finish her sentence for her. Why do you suppose our mothers warned us often of things NOT to do? Perhaps it was for the purpose of burning the advice into our minds and consciences so that we could NEVER forget her loving advice. Do you suppose God, a loving Father, is any different? These verses today are simply re-wordings of many familiar warnings already repeated often in God’s Word. I have written before of an occasion in the ministry of the Rev. Charles Spurgeon, and I will repeat it here again for its absolute application to the issue at hand. After service one Lord’s Day, Mr. Spurgeon was standing at the door of the sanctuary greeting the congregants as they left. One of them said to Mr. Spurgeon, “Rev. Spurgeon, are you aware that you have preached the same sermon four Sundays in a row?” “Yes, of course, I am aware of that fact,” responded Spurgeon, “and when you take heed to the words of the sermon to do them, I shall move on to the next!” Repetition aids recall….remember?

            The opening two verses of this Proverb are a continuation of the last chapter in which Solomon is castigating the debauchery of the wicked. “Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. 2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.”  The repetition has the same effect as my mother’s early warnings. God gives us ample reason to avoid the wicked. Instead of studying righteousness and peace, they study war and mischief. Rather than builders, they are demolishers of goodness. If we sleep with the swine, we shall also stink as the swine and become like them. The wicked place licentiousness in the place of the liberty which they promise. A poverty of virtue will always end in a poverty of life.

            In verse 3 and 4, we are reminded of that Spiritual Temple, or edifice, that is made without hands, i.e. WISDOM.  3 "Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches."  God grants wisdom through a number of means: His natural creation, the Law, His Word, and Prayer, among others. He gives to all who seek; however, that wisdom must be applied through understanding for it to be efficacious. Wisdom leads to understanding, and understanding to knowledge without end. The most important knowledge of all is the knowledge of the Lord, and that knowledge will fill every chamber of God's Temple which temple we are. A man, full of knowledge and wisdom, is a man rich indeed.

            It is a fundamental fact that nothing can happen without MIND. God is the great Architect and Builder of the Universe. Without the MIND of God, there would be NOTHING! 5 "A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength." So it is true that the greatest minds of man will accomplish the greatest good if those MINDS and Hearts are devoted to God. Practically all of the major sciences were the result of great Christian minds. It is the mind that tells every part of the body to perform - even the involuntary functions such as heartbeat and breathing. A despondent or distressed mind will eventually result in maladies of the body. The man who is wise will seek out the best treasure which is knowledge. He will grow in wisdom and knowledge. 6 "For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. 8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person." When nations mobilize for war, all of the armaments have already been prepared due to a prior planning and consideration of the impending conflict. A nation that gives no thought to being prepared for war, in time of peace, shall lose the peace and gain the war. All important decisions should be taken with deliberation of many expert counselors. No man decides to have brain surgery with consulting a brain surgeon. The fool knows EVERYTHING until he is called on the carpet and demanded of his knowledge. He is closed lipped when drawn before the examiners. Bad things often happen as a result of foolish care, but the evil person is the intentional agent of evil.

            What, pray tell, is the nature of evil actions and thoughts? 9 "The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men." The real nature of foolishness is sin. Foolish thoughts reveal a cavalier view of sin and a complacency to allow it for light or transient reasons. Any man who does not consider and know the Law of God to be of the ultimate importance is a fool! Not only does the fool consider the Word of God of little import, but he considers offensive behavior toward others to be of no account.

            The Christian is not immune from trial and trouble. As a matter of fact, such things are often sent by God to strengthen us. The green soldier may not negotiate the obstacle course very proficiently without failing time and time again. But perseverance grows his muscles and his coordination until he is able. Failure in business, art, or sports strengthens us. 10  "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." Who has fallen on the ice more - the amateur skater, or the Olympic champion? The thing that makes the champion is not to be defeated by failure. Try, try again until success is gained. The same is true of the life of the Christian. We should not deliberately sin, but we do often sin unawares until we remember. We strengthen our resolve through the benefits of the Holy Ghost to avoid that particular sin, and all others.  By and by we are sanctified and made holy in the ways of God.

            11" If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; 12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?" Remember the depository of all thought is the MIND. Whatever is created in the physical world was first created in the MIND. You may lie to yourself in claiming that you did not know the seriousness of the hunger your neighbor was experiencing until he perished; but you cannot lie to God. He know the contents of the mind and the promptings of the heart. He will NOT be deceived. For every starving child without the means of survival, there is an adult somewhere that has all the means necessary to relieve the child - and does not! We will answer not only for the sins of commission of the General Confession, but those of omission as well.

            13 "My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: 14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off." If we have never tasted of honey, we may not crave it; but once tasted, there is no better desert. It is healthful to the stomach as well as the mind. Knowledge of wisdom shares the same gratification to the soul. Once we taste of the beauty and benefits of wisdom and knowledge, we can settle for nothing in its stead. We CRAVE to have it, and we shall find it at all cost. First of all, spiritual knowledge is wholesome for the soul. Secondly, it is delectable to heart. and thirdly, it is satisfying in ways that nothing else is.

            Herein lies comfort for the righteous and warning to the wicked: 15 "Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place: 16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief." It is wrong enough to disturb a man in the field of labor, but that often is less egregious than disturbing a man who has gone to his place of rest. One may be coincidental, the other deliberate. An honest man may fail at business or at labor, but, being honest, he will make up the difference and start anew. But neither God or man has patience for the willfully wicked. When he falls, it is unlikely that there will be a mad rush to pick him up. We fall many times, and sometimes with willful intent; but Jesus Christ will always receive us when we repent of our sin.