Proverbs 18:2 - Listening with a Discerning Ear

Proverbs 18:2

A fool does not delight in understanding; but only in revealing his mind. 

Message: Listening with a Discerning Ear

Time: Proverbs records multiple individuals as its author with Solomon as the principal author. Solomon died in 931 BC though most think the book was likely in its final form sometime before the end of Hezekiah’s reign in 686 BC. It is a book that instructs people on the path of wisdom. It speaks to all of life and living our lives under the authority and direction of God.

What the Lord is Saying: Am I a good or bad listener? The biblical position of a bad listener is a fool. 

Proverbs 18:2 

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. (ESV)

Proverbs 18:13

If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.

Proverbs 29:20

Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

I notice in some people this is hard, but in others it is easy. I must admit, I sometimes have a hard time with people that take every conversation and spin it on themselves. I try to listen more than speak but in certain situations it is hard not to give my opinion. I try to make an effort to do this in conversations. In sharing the gospel it is a challenge I think at times to listen and not speak. I notice myself at times just preparing to speak rather than listening to the other person. 

James 1:19 says, "Let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger." Perhaps anger takes place with fast talking. Perhaps it is necessary to understand the person and their perspective before speaking. 

Again, as I think about myself, I know there are times when I am quite impatient. I am not sure if it is that I want to speak, but maybe I just don't want to listen. It feels like it is worse when I’m tired. Like today in Sunday School and fellowship afterwards I had no problem listening to people. Glad to have them speak and learn. Granted one person was talking long and I was nervous because of the other people present and wondering if they too were getting impatient. 

I would say I am a pretty good listener. 

Prayer: God - I Pray that I am a good listener. For me I think this also means being patient with people and agreeing to listen and not letting my mind wander. Lord, you know where I struggle. My impatience affects my listening at times. Help me with my pride. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Proverbs 10:8 - Don't make excuses, receive your orders

Proverbs 10:8

The wise of heart will receive commands, but a babbling fool will be thrown down. 

Message: Don't make excuses, receive your orders

Time: Proverbs records multiple individuals as its author with Solomon as the principal author. Solomon died in 931 BC though most think the book was likely in its final form sometime before the end of Hezekiah’s reign in 686 BC. It is a book that instructs people on the path of wisdom. It speaks to all of life and living our lives under the authority and direction of God. 

What the Lord is Saying: In this verse is a new idea. Thus far in these verses of chapter 10, the primary focus has been on righteousness alone. All proverbs I think will in some way though deal with that subject because overall that is the point of a proverb - to compare righteous behavior with unrighteous. But the proverbs have thus far have been more about how we earn our possessions and how wisdom is to be our focus. This verse presents the idea of the heart. In addition, it speaks to the idea of receiving. Everything else that has been thus far is generally an action that the wise person has done (e.g. "a wise son makes" in verse 1, "the hand" in verse 4, "he who gathers" in verse 5) or what that wise person's life now looks like after all of those actions (e.g. "memory" in verse 7 and "blessings" in verse 6). 

For the wise person, it is not only what they do, but also how they receive. To me, this verse is saying that the wise person will accept commands. The wise person can be told what to do. The wise person accepts direction, instruction, correction. 

I had a situation at work happen last week in which I told an employee something about their work life and what they need to do differently. It was in regards to their work hours and reminding them they are on salary and with being on salary they can be at times asked to do things on their day off. They were thinking that if asked to do something on their day off, then they should be able to make up that time with personal time off. They offered a solution and I told them that solution was not acceptable and they would need to work without getting anything in return. I was instructing them about something that was different from what they were expecting. And I was asking for their obedience. She received it, but she was not happy. And so things were initially stressful with her, but fortunately things have improved and she is going to adapt. 

Very often in our world, we often do not see things the way we should or need correction. We need commands to show us the right way and therefore to avoid the wrong way. But I notice more and more that we are driven by emotions and what we want and what we are comfortable with and many are not willing to accept those commands. Instead they babble. They give all the reasons why the command won't, how it is out of line. There needs to be trust. 

Trust I think is often just this. Trust is not knowing the entire story but going forward with it anyway. It is going beyond understanding. It is taking a leap. 

In my conversations with people online, I have a man I have been speaking with that wants everything in life to check his box. He wants it all to line up perfectly. He says he believes Jesus lived, died, rose again and he believes he is a sinner, but he is not willing to accept that his sin resulted in Jesus dying. He does not believe the reason for Jesus' death was necessary. 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints says that Jesus' death and resurrection begins their new life but man is still accountable for carrying out his sanctification. In essence, Jesus only covers a persons sins if the person lives their life in an acceptable manner. But that doesn't actually require any real trust. Jesus is not a stepping stone. Jesus is everything that we need to get us to God. The good life that we live following His death and payment for our sins is a response to what He did. It is not being lived to pay off what he did or ensure that we get it. We live holy lives because God is holy and we should be a people that are like Him. But Jesus' death on the cross needs to mean something. And this is where I think the CJCLDS gets it wrong. They are not really trusting in what Jesus has done. They are trusting that they are carrying it out well. There is a distinction. There is a difference. 

Romans 8:13 - "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." It is the Spirit in person who has trusted in Christ that will provide the means for them to be a new creature. A falling away can occur in a person's life, and this can be short period of time or long periods of time, but the goal in those times is to bring that person back to the live they lived before. It is to correct and teach them. But the Spirit continues to live in that person. And that is evident throughout our history. 

I titled this lesson - "Don't make excuses, receive your orders." We need to receive the orders that God gives us and follow those commands. We are not to start babbling that we do not need them. We trust in God. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your direction. Thank you for showing me that in my life I need to trust You. I need to learn things that are true outside of what I think I know. I am to be obedient to Your commands, your orders on my life. Forgive me for making excuses, for thinking of ways to avoid that command. Forgive me for finding ways to justify my own behavior rather than simply believing You. Forgive me for thinking that I know the right way to live. I do this Lord. I do not accept willingly the message that even my boss wants to convey to people. Right now that message is to be positive where I think one needs to be pragmatic and real. Correct me Lord. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Proverbs 7:21-27 - The Gatekeeper of Death

Proverbs 7:21-27
With her many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips she seduces him.
Suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as fetters to the discipline of a fool,
Until an arrow pierces through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, so he does not know that it his life.

Now therefore, sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words of my mouth.
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, do not stray into her paths.
For many are the victims she has cast down, and numerous are all her slain.
Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.

Message:  The Gatekeeper of Death

Time: King Solomon is the principal writer of Proverbs. Solomon's proverbs were penned around 900 B.C. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon reveals the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations, too. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Background
For me, the crux of the first 20 verses of Proverbs 7 is the pleading from a father to his son to treasure the commandments that he is passing along. Treasure the words of the sage, of the Father God. Stay close to them. Adhere to  them in your life, for only then will you be able to withstand the temptations that will be present in this life. And temptations will be many. But, the sexual temptations, or the carrying away of ourselves to abandon our principles will be the strongest. We can't even give them a moment. The door opens when we allow ourselves to be in a dangerous environment. For the young boy, it is walking down the road of the adulteress, where she lives. There are other ways to get to our destination, so we should not even go there. 

The Problem
These remaining verses catapult the encounter and we get to witness first hand what is in store for the person that gets pulled away. I must admit, as a man, these verses resonate with me because I am pulled away too easily, it would seem. The clothing manufacturers have continued to make clothing that simply show off too much of a woman. I struggle with my eyes and it is a struggle when people are bending over in front of you or wearing short dresses. I'm captivated by my wife, but would prefer it in the privacy of my own home. It's really a horrible thing for the man to live with for it is everywhere. And the phone makes it worse. It is too easily accessible. Thus, the title of this message: the gatekeeper of death.

Studying this passage
Verse 21 begins "with her many persuasions." Again, these to me are not just verbal, but they are visual persuasions. They could be a glance, an alluring look, but most likely they are the way a person carries oneself. 'Many persuasions' also speaks to the many different ways we are confronted with this. The temptation now shows itself in so many different ways. But also in these verses is the inference that the person is reluctant because "she entices" and "she seduces." Thus, even in these verses, one could apply I Corinthians 10:13 in that there is a way out when the temptation presents itself.

And then the striking words of verse 22 "suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to slaughter." The road to death is set. The man is walking it. He is captivated, and yet, his life will never be the same. The visual expression of an ox going to slaughter is such an assault; it is such a picture of what the sin does to us. It because a drug that overtakes all of our senses. The ox is obviously not realizing his destination. The ox is being led somewhere that it is thought will only yield good outcomes. The "slaughter" represents the end, not the journey. But "he does not know it is his life." He is consumed with the moment, not the end. The consequences or results of this act are not overtaken by the momentary high.

And so the chapter ends the way it begins. There are words from the wise one to the son, "Listen to me" and "pay attention." Here is the reason: "Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways" and "do not stray into her paths." In these words is the idea I think of 1 Corinthians 10:13 and it is "don't go there." Don't put yourself in a position that is hard to come back from. Once the ox is on the way to the slaughter, it is too late. I must think about this in my life. For instance, I just realized that when I am down on life, or angry, then it is not good to have my phone with me and so, like going to bed - don't bring it to bed. Leave it in the other room. 

At the end of this passage is more ammunition. It is the father building the case. He hopes that the son would simply listen to his words. He would hope that this is compelling enough. But, he also then shows the son the results of the sinful lifestyle. This paints the picture of any addiction in our lives.

For many are the victims she has cast down, 
and numerous are all her slain.
Her house is the way to Sheol, 
descending to the chambers of death.

The language is final. They are victims. They are numerous. This is a problem many have. They are slain - again death. Her house is on the trek to death. Her house is lower than any person really wants to go. It should be clear, but instead deception has taken over. 

Promise: The foolish young man who heeds the call of the adulteress will find nothing but destruction in her arms.

Prayer: Oh Lord, I need help in this. I am not strong. I am too easily lured away. Once the sin starts, it just continues to be a problem. I'm embarrassed as to what this sin has done to me over the years. To think that I can be so easily enticed. Lord, place a hedge around me. I need your protection. Give me strength. Give me rest today. Lord, I want to be free. I hate the feeling of being a slave to it. I want to follow you. Help me Lord. 

Proverbs 7:1-20 - Wisdom and the Forbidden Woman

Proverbs 7:1-20
¹ My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.
² Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of your eye.
³ Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding intimate friend;
⁵ That they may keep you from an adulteress, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.

⁶ For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice,
⁷ And I saw among the naive, discerned among the youths a young man lacking sense,
⁸ Passing through the street near her corner; and he takes the way to her house,
⁹ In the twilight, in the evening, In the middle of the night and the darkness.
¹⁰ And behold, a woman to meet him, dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart.
¹¹ She is boisterous and rebellious, her feet do not remain at home;
¹² now in the streets, now in the squares, and lurks by every corner.
¹³ So she seizes him and kisses him and with a brazen face she says to him:
¹⁴ “I was due to offer peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.
¹⁵ “Therefore I have come out to meet you, to seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you.
¹⁶ “I have spread my couch with coverings, with colored linens of Egypt.
¹⁷ “I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
¹⁸ “Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning; let us delight ourselves with caresses.
¹⁹ “For my husband is not at home, he has gone on a long journey;
²⁰ He has taken a bag of money with him, at the full moon he will come home.”

Message:  Wisdom and the Forbidden Woman

Time: King Solomon is the principal writer of Proverbs. Solomon's proverbs were penned around 900 B.C. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon reveals the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations, too. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.

What the Lord is Saying:

Keep, Treasure, Bind

My son

• Keep my words
• Treasure my commandments
• Keep my commandments 
• And live
• Keep my teaching as the apple of my eye 
• Bind them on your fingers
• Write them on your heart
• Wisdom is my sister
• Understanding is my intimate friend

I look at these opening verses and its clear that a parents words hold value to our children. The words of those over us, that have wisdom have value to us. They are to be a treasure, or of value in our lives. These verses don't express mere listening. Listening is assumed. Words are to be kept. They are to be followed. They are to kept as I live. They are to be wrapped and memorized and held onto in our lives, in our heart. Foolishness comes when we live to our own way. Without the Holy Spirit at work, living in us, we look foolish. There is a desire for wisdom and understanding because it's worth is clearly seen. We want it.

Resist Temptation
Why is it so important to keep the words, and treasure these commands? Because sin is lurking. Sin is waiting. Temptations are near and all around. In this passage, the danger is personified in an adulteress, luring us away. While adultery is the subject here, the issue here is one of being enticed away. The purpose of adhering to the commandments is they:

• Keep you from an adulteress
• From the foreigner who flatters with words

This is the entire purpose of this passage, to keep us free from what is present in this world in which we live. The adultery is real. The foreigner is real. These are not people that may be present. They are present. They are active and present in our lives. And keeping the commandments and words are meant to keep us from these people, from being swayed away. People will flatter us with words, but we must keep God's word close to our heart.

Looking in the wrong places
The Father will now tell of a story, of a situation of a young man, lacking sense. And now we will see why this young man lacks sense.

He says, this young man was Passing through the street near her corner; and he takes the way to her house, In the twilight, in the evening, In the middle of the night and the darkness. This is huge. The young man didn't just go any way, but purposely passed through the street near the adulterers corner, taking the way to her house. And he was at night, in the middle of the night, amidst darkness. He put himself in harms way. He didn't take precautions. Maybe he thought he could handle it. Maybe he was going somewhere else, and had no intention of seeing the adulteress, but he put himself in the way. He gave in to his trigger. 

In life, we have to stay out of harm's way. 

And this woman shows all the danger signs: And behold, a woman to meet him, dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart. She is boisterous and rebellious, her feet do not remain at home; now in the streets, now in the squares, and lurks by every corner. This woman goes to meet him. She isn't waiting. And she is dressed for her role. She is cunning. She is boisterous and rebellious. She does not reside at home, but lives really in the streets. She may sleep at home, but she doesn't live at home. Her business is in the streets. 

Verses 13-20 focus on her seizing this young man, taking him back to her place. Her husband is gone so they can have fun. There is a big danger here. But, it started with the son not keeping the commandments, but desiring to go his own way. 

Promise: We are to stay close to keeping the commandments and treasuring them so we will be kept out of the wrong places and be able to resist temptations. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the clarity of you Word. Thank you for showing us the importance of staying close to your commands. You are concerned about my forever, not just my today. Help each of my family members, my children to be able to resist temptations. Give them the power to flee from things that will bring them down. Help them to keep commandments and treasure the words both that we put forth as parents and from the Words of the Lord. Place them in Christ. 

Ecclesiastes 9:17-18 - Short-term Setbacks, Long-term Gain

Ecclesiastes 9:17-18
¹⁷ The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. ¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.


Message: Short-term Setbacks, Long-term Gain

Time: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C

What the Lord is Saying: This is sort of a tough set of verses, because while the verse mentions words of the wise and the great benefit of those spoken words, in our society right now it seems that wisdom doesn't always win out. More and more I notice the media centered society in which we live in. Too much is put on the importance of all types of media, what the news says and then social media. It is more woven into our framework than ever before and we are being redefined, not by the principles of Truth but by the message of the world. It concerns me, not only for the world, but also for my family.

This pattern seems to mention that the shouting of a ruler among fools is louder that the words of the wise heard in quietness and yet the latter is better, as we know. We need to garner high esteem for wisdom. Divine wisdom is better (stronger) than weapons of war, but one sinner may inflict much harm on God's people with these weapons (v. 18). Overall, it is a subtle thing that seems to be occurring in life, but over time it is shaping society. 

Promise: The words of the wise mean more in this life.

Prayer: Lord help me to always remember that your truths outshine and mean more than societies, even as they are voiced louder at times than wise words. Help me to stand on your promises and not lose sight of them. I can trust you and my relationship with You is what matters most. Change hearts and train me and my family to be tuned into you and your ways. Make us people of meaning.

Proverbs 26:11-12 - Fools and Their Folly

Proverbs 26:11-12

¹¹ Like a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who repeats his folly.
¹² Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Message: Fools and Their Folly

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: The imagery that is used in verse 11 is compelling especially considering the time when it was written. Dogs were considered an unclean animal at the time, not the cute companion animals they are today. When one is sick, they vomit and no one wants to ever return to vomiting. It is something that we have no desire to go back and do again. The fool is thus compared to one that is unclean returning to something that is unclean. The problem then with a fool is he doesn't recognize that his behavior is wrong and so he returns to it again. What's tragic is we are training a generation of fools because we are training people over and over to have no knowledge of what is right and wrong. Many therefore are returning to behavior that is foolish, but now society is going it normal behavior. But more directly this verse is focused on the person who is unwilling to receive any correction and prefers to repeat the same behavior over and over.

The fool is then, in verse 12, likened to one that is wise in his own eyes (as also mentioned in Proverbs 3:7).  This is on the heels of verse 11 and the notion to stay clear of one who is unwilling to receive any correction. Thus, a person that is wise in their own eyes. This means they are unwilling to take any direction from anyone else, like God, or the advice of anyone else. Wisdom is to trust in God. Folly is to not trust in God, thus trust only in self. Jesus came to call sinners. The turning point of any person is recognizing that in themselves they are a sinner. But, most are unwilling to see their sin or to see that it is serious.

Promise: Let us pray for ourselves that we would not repeat our folly.

Prayer: Lord, I pray that I am teachable and not stubborn in what I know, especially as I get older. I'm 49 now and concerned that as I get older, I get that feeling more and more that I am right and am not as teachable, but keep molding me and shaping me as you are the potter and I am the clay. And help my family to be responsive in the same way to being taught.

Proverbs 9:13-18 - Meet Woman Folly

Proverbs 9:13-18

¹³ The woman of folly is boisterous,She is naive and knows nothing.
¹⁴ She sits at the doorway of her house,
On a seat by the high places of the city,
¹⁵ Calling to those who pass by,
Who are making their paths straight:
¹⁶ “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,”
And to him who lacks understanding she says,
¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet;
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
¹⁸ But he does not know that the dead are there,That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Message: Meet Woman Folly

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: Throughout Proverbs wisdom is personified as a lady calling out to society to sit at her feet and listen to her righteous words. But, the Woman of Folly, as noted here in verse 13 is also mentioned and she presents an antagonist perspective.

This woman or this person or perspective is first of all loud. She is boisterous. And yet in the loudness she is naive and knows nothing. The loud voice is not necessarily the correct voice. The one who is loud is not necessarily the one who is right. She is simply loud. She shows a lack of experience and really knows nothing.

Second, she is lazy and simply looking for an opportunity to pounce on someone. She sits at the doorway of her house looking for someone that will be lured away. She is idle. She is focused on one thing and that is calling to those who pass by. More specifically, her audience is those who are making their paths straight. I can't help but go back to Proverbs 3;5-6 which says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. The one that is seeking to put their trust in the Lord, who has set themselves as a goal to not lean on their own understanding, but in all their ways acknowledge Him and therefore, He is making their paths straight. And this is the one that Woman Folly is calling to and sitting and waiting for. It is those that have the intent and desire to be men and women of God. 

But she is really focused on those who lack understanding (v. 4, 16). The problem with the Christian often is they have a little bit of knowledge, but if they do not plant themselves in the Word of God, yield to it and get trained by it, they are lazy or naive and lack understanding. Many a Christian has no idea what to do when someone comes to their door to question their faith or makes a remark. They are set in the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ, but that setting is a little watery. It is a setting where they can move about. The goal is for us to be firmly fixed in place. Otherwise, we are easily given into the world and its ways. 

One of the things that makes sin so attractive is the fact that it is often hidden or done in secret or off the beaten track. There is a conquest in doing it for we are people of adventure and there is something special about getting away with something and that something then giving us a fix of enjoyment. 

Proverbs 5:15 says to Drink water from your own cistern and fresh water from your own well. This is referring to intercourse or sex and the admonition to drink only from what is yours or has been given to you. And then here in 9:17 is the idea that Stolen waters are sweet. Adulterous intercourse is sweet. Human nature is corrupt and human nature is attracted to that which is unlawful. We struggle with being content and accepting the gift God has given us. Instead we want more. 

I have struggled with this. It is so easy in this day and age to get enticed away. If we give those sites or show our eyes, if we allow our senses to sit at their feet, we get lured away, and for a moment, a brief moment, there is a thrill and intensity. We have stolen a glance. We have garnered the forbidden fruit. We have turned to our God and said, "No sir, I'm in charge." We have denied the commandments and we feel superior in that moment. I have been there. I go there at times. It is wrong. I know it, but for whatever reason -- sickness, anger, feeling lonely, hungry, feeling tired and yet not sleeping -- in that moment of weakness I fall into bed with the woman of folly. I hate it. As Paul says, "I do what I don't want to do" but I do it anyway.  

In scripture, meat and wine are offered to the follower of God. Here the woman of folly offers bread and water. Both can meet a need, but meat and wine are more pleasurable and more powerful and longer lasting. This is what God is telling us. Seek My ways and listen to My commandments. Do what I tell you to do and you will receive more enjoyment. You think you have all that you need right now. You are in a habit, but know this, come to the Living Water and you will never thirst again. If I submit and surrender to him, then I am rich and full and complete.

This is a very powerful set of verses. In verse 18 is these words - But he does not know that the dead are there. The lure of the woman brings us in, to experience the pleasure and yet everyone in that place is basically dead. And even more her guests are in the depths of Sheol. Her guests, that is, the woman of folly, other companions, the others she has lured in, are empty. The danger is that we just jump from one pleasure to another pleasure. We are always in this state of needing to feed our senses and our desires, programmed now to think that this is the meaning of life. 

I think of Romans 1, when we give it an open door in our life, that is sin, when we stop honoring God and stop giving him thanks, then God says, "Go at it." He gives man over to it. And man is engulfed in it. This is the abhorrence of what is occurring everywhere. The Christian is as much a problem as those that clearly attack the Christian and try to silence him. 

Promise: Sin is seductive. 

My Prayer: O God, heal us. Bring us back to the joy of our salvation. Get me back on the straight and narrow path. Forgive me for thinking that I am God and I know better. You are everything and we need. Poor into the lives of my family and bring them to a true and complete knowledge of you.

Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 - The Virtue of Patience

Ecclesiastes 7:8-9
⁸ The end of a matter is better than its beginning; patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.
⁹ Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for anger resides in the bosom of fools.

Message: The virtue of patience

Time: Ecclesiastes: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: 

I continue to take a look at various verses in Ecclesiastes. Through this guided study I continue to do with the Tabletalk devotional, I am now on July 23, 2015. I love this study. It keeps me accountable and though I am slowly working my way through it, it is fine and good to enjoy God's word. Ecclesiastes gives me a healthy perspective on life (to borrow Tom Nelson's words). This perspective is not common to the message that I hear in the world. I read about the importance of a good name and that good name transcends all of life. In verse 2-4 it speaks of a happy heart and that happy heart doesn't always mean a smiling and happy countenance; at times it means the face is sad. The fact is, life is hard and there are hard events that occur in life, but God's peace can still reside in us.

The end
In these verses Solomon continues with this perspective. Verse 8 speaks of the end rather than the beginning being the key. The end of a matter is better than its beginning. I think I get too caught up at how things are going on now or at the beginning. Solomon reminds me that life is a journey. It is not a sprint. A wedding marks the beginning of a marriage and it is normally a very festive and huge presentation, but anniversaries should be far bigger productions. The key is how things progress and how things end. 

Patience
So the second half of that verse remains so key: patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. The challenge in life is to be patient. Progress takes time, but even more than progress the manner in which we end should be our real focus. Lord, help me to be patient and not to be so wrapped up in the day to day, immediate moments of life. I get too focused on getting things my way, now; help me to set good habits of patience.

Anger
Anger flies in the face of patience. I've always thought that I had a problem with anger, but really I have a problem with patience and it is anger that comes out. I get impatient and go to anger.  As this verse 9 says, Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for anger resides in the bosom of fools. I am a fool when I get angry. I hate that this is such a huge problem in my life. Lord, teach me o be patient. As Psalm 40:1 says, I wait patiently for the Lord.


Promise: From Coram Deo and Tabletalk - Impatience can lead to frustration, which can lead to anger. Cultivating a patient spirit by focusing on the promises of God in His Word and the work of the Spirit of the Lord will lessen frustration and reduce the anger that is the mark of the foolish heart. This is a vital task for unrighteous anger is the root of many other sins. May we seek the Lord's face in our suffering, trusting in the promises of God that we might endure in patience and love. 

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 - Mirth and Mourning

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4

² It is better to go to a house of mourning
Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because that is the end of every man,
And the living takes it to heart.
³ Sorrow is better than laughter,
For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
⁴ The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,
While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

 
Message: Mirth and Mourning

Time: Ecclesiastes: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: 

I became aware of these verses for the first time upon hearing the Choir's Chase the Kangaroo release in 1988. I was 21 at the time or close to it and in college and that CD quickly become one of my favorite music releases of all time. At the time, I was a sophomore/junior in college and I believe I was getting over a relationship with a gal I shouldn't have been dating to begin with. She tore down my self-esteem and although a Christian, the relationship was not good for me. I broke it off with her and she went berserk upon me doing this in the early part of 1988. It was a good decision, but a hard one at the time. Shortly thereafter I got involved with Campus Crusade and really sort of got my life back together, spending time with a new friend, Scott, who really helped me right the ship and get me grounded again in the Word of God. This was the year that Chase the Kangaroo came out. I had always been a Christian music nut, but my early years at Baylor did get me into mainstream music again.

The song ends with this chorus:

A sad face is good for the heart of a child
For the heart of a child
For the heart of a child
For the heart of a child
A sad face
A sad face
A sad face

In the liner notes, it referenced Ecclesiastes 7:3 and I appreciated that. The verse has always stuck with me. It has been a needed reminder in my life that "sorrow (can be) better than laughter for when a face is sad a heart may be happy." Maybe I have had a tendency in life to have a sad face.

One of the dangers about our current lives that I sense is the way we got from event to event, circumstance to circumstance. The instant gratification that has become the norm for us over the last 25 years has been eroding our time to simply reflect. Even this time that I take in the morning is tough. I have little time to ponder as I must get Derek ready for school shortly and get myself going. But, it isn't just having those responsibilities. These electronic devices in our lives mean that we just don't have to work anymore for much. It is a foreign concept at times to really take the time to think about life and our circumstances.

I remember this book my dad gave me about a Jewish lady that spent a year to mourn over the passing of her husband or daughter. I read that book at my dad's suggestion and it has always stayed in my life and thinking. It reminds me of the importance of taking the time to reflect and remember a person's life. We expect mourning to be quick now, mostly I think because the focus of life is so much comfort, enjoyment and satisfaction. Even today, I'm enamored by people that are always happy and always have a smile on their face. It's attractive I suppose. And yet I also wonder if that person is trying to fool themselves that enjoyment is all you need in life.

Yet Solomon in these words gives us the reminder that "a sad face is good for the heart."  Sometimes we need to take more time to ponder and think about life. It is contemplation and mourning that we often reflect on our state of mind and where we stand with God. In some ways that time period after I dated that girl in college turned into a time of mourning. It took me a little bit of time to get out of that funk. I needed to rediscover myself and who I was. And who I was in Christ. I never left being a Christian but I needed to restore my confidence. This verse expresses that the fool simply stays in the house of merriment or laughter all the time.

Promise: I must take time on a regular basis to meditate on Scripture and what it tells us about the Lord and His ways.

Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 - The Vanity of Political Power

Ecclesiastes 4:13-16
A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction.  For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.  I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him.  There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.

Message: The Vanity of Political Power

Time: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

The preceding four verses in this text spoke of "two are better than one." It was a wonderful text reminding me of the fact that we need one another. We need each other to be warm, to come to one another's aid, to encourage each other, and lift one another up. Today's passage follows those verses. 

This passage has its focus on rulers, kings and their successors, and their tenure and the memory of their service as king. The first verse mentions that a king needs to be teachable and wise. The leaders were often those that were wealthy, but wealth has no bearing on these qualities. This passage is not very clear in its purpose. It could be that these are bringing that kings, who are often revered, and looked up with extreme envy are not any greater. They still must have good character. And their reign may be pleasing to some, but by the end of their life different people may not see them as a great person. 

Even as I study commentaries there are different ideas as to what this passage is referencing. 

Promise: It's not the position that makes a person a wise and good person, but rather it is their character. 

Proverbs 5:1-14 - The Trap of Adultery

Proverbs 5:1-14
¹ My son, give attention to my wisdom, incline your ear to my understanding;
² That you may observe discretion and your lips may reserve knowledge.
³ For the lips of an adulteress drip honey and smoother than oil is her speech;
⁴ But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
⁵ Her feet go down to death,  her steps take hold of Sheol.
⁶ She does not ponder the path of life; her ways are unstable, she does not know it.

⁷ Now then, my sons, listen to me and do not depart from the words of my mouth.
⁸ Keep your way far from her and do not go near the door of her house,
⁹ Or you will give your vigor to others and your years to the cruel one;
¹⁰ And strangers will be filled with your strength and your hard-earned goods will go to the house of an alien; 

 ¹¹ And you groan at your final end, when your flesh and your body are consumed;
¹² And you say, “How I have hated instruction! And my heart spurned reproof!
¹³ “I have not listened to the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to my instructors!
¹⁴ “I was almost in utter the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

Message: The Trap of Adultery

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

The focus of today's passage is on adultery. This is long because it is meant to be clear. This is not fire to play with.

One thing that I looked at and noticed in my study yesterday of Proverbs 1, was that people are enticed and taken away by something often in their life. I often call this a temptation or that I have wandered off path and are engaging in sin. In actuality, in the Bible, this is referred to as having an idol in our lives. Idolatry is anything in our lives that we do to bring us joy and we do it in order to give us peace about life. We do it to give us joy. Our joy is not found in Christ, but it is found in this other thing that isn't just a part of our life but it becomes often what keeps us going. It becomes what we spend our money on or what we spend most of our time on. It becomes what we think about. And over time, God and His word are replaced more and more. No longer am I surrendering to God and His word and thinking that God's word is the highest source of good in my life. Now, I see this idol as that which can give me joy.

Their is idolatry in: video games, TV watching, Movie watching, eating, shopping, music, smoking, drinking alcohol, drugs, friends. There are many different idols in our lives, some not even so sin apparent.

This is rampant in our lives. The idol could be anything and often with people, it is anything. And yet what most people find, when they are honest with themselves is this idol does not necessarily bring them lasting joy. There isn't a peace in life like there is when Christ is on the throne. Testimonies from people resonate this when they say, "I tried ........ and it never brought complete satisfaction, but then I turned my life over to Christ and let Him take the reins and life became fulfilled."

In Proverbs 1:10-19 the enticement was friends that lured the pupil away to do things that were impure. The passage spoke of evil things but that evil could be anything. The key was it was with the wrong people, doing bad stuff, and that bad stuff ended up having a consequence. The last phrase of verse 19 says, "It takes away the life of its possessors." It's end is death. And today in this passage is immediately an equal warning as Solomon says in verse 5, "her feet go down to death; her steps take hold of Sheol."

What is it that I have done in my life to try and replace God in order to give me the peace and enjoyment that only He can bring? For me, money comes to mind. It's not that I have a lot, necessarily, but I often think that if I just had enough then life would be simpler. I say this because our wants are abundant and so I think that by having those things that I desire, and my family desires, that then I will be satisfied. Yet, I know it will be momentary because our desires never cease.

Very Important Subject Matter
First of all, I like how Solomon begins. Son, (1) Give your attention to me. Not an easy task sometimes in life to get someone to concentrate on what the other person is saying. Solomon clearly is saying that "I have something important to say. (2) Incline your ear to my understanding. Bend your ear not just to listen, but understand. We hear a lot of things each day, but how much do we really internalize or then practice? Solomon is saying to his pupils, what I have to say is meant to be followed. (3) That you may observe discretion. Retain these words in your heart. These words are my counsel to you. (4) Your lips may reserve knowledge. Literally, this is "Thy lips shall keep." This is life long understanding. This is life long "watch out." This is not momentary or just for a season. This is long-term. You need to be able to speak these words back to me. This is how important these words are. You need to be able to state this in your own words.

Warning
Verse 3 is interesting for the translation I have used has translated the word zur to mean adulteress. Zur is translated in the KJV as strange. The meaning is this is an apostate Israelite woman gone over to the idolatrous impurities of heathen religion. The idea of adultery here is someone that has traded in something they have been called to be for something else. It is not necessarily speaking of a woman that has started out with a husband and decided that her husband did not satisfy her desires, for whatever reason, and so is seeking out something else, not God-given, but what man has provided. God has been traded in for what people think is something better.

James 4:4 is a verse I have tried to memorize. It says, "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." James is speaking to people that have chosen to trade or replace God with the things of the world and for this he speaks to the people as adulterers.

This is significant because what is being spoken of here is not simply reserved for married people that are seeking after other people in their life and are practicing sex with someone else in their life. It is true that is adultery. God has given you a gift of a mate and you are saying to God, "The gift that you gave me is not what I think I need; I choose someone else and I think that person will fulfill my needs."

The application then for Proverbs 5 is far reaching. Adultery here is actually treason or any idol that we might have in our life.

And the idol or whatever we are being tempted to have in our life drips with honey. It is sweet. It is appealing. It suits my tastes. It drips honey and smoother than oil is her speech.  I can see why the word adulteress was chosen because this woman is using flattering speech, smooth talk, offering something which man desires, alluring speech. This is not, "Come over and clean the toilet" no this is come experience your wildest dreams. 

Not as it appears
Verses 4-6 then basically say, "things are not as they appear." Though this strange woman has spoken with flattery and allured you in her direction, in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, her steps take hold of Sheol. She does not ponder the path of life; her ways are unstable, she does not know it. 

Wormwood is an herb and an eastern medicine this was looked upon as being poisonous. Wormwood is the complete opposite of wormwood. It reminds me of the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the man that lured people by showing them sweet candy on his truck and then when they crawled in the truck it turned into a cell block. It went from sweetness to being a prisoner. 

Solomon says it affects the body (feet go down to death) and affects the soul (steps take hold of Sheol/grave/hell). Idols in our life don't just want a part of our life, but they want your entire life. She does not ponder the path of life. In her is not a big picture. If we could see our entire life in a moment, upon making a decision, it would affect our decision making. There are ramifications for our choices, but if we train ourselves into not looking at those consequences then over time we no longer have any long-term perspective thinking.

Heinrich Albert Schultens (1749-1793) stated that the design of the wise man seems to be, to point out the inconstancy, irregularity, and wickedness, of the strange woman's life. Her ways are inconstant; she is not attached to her husband, or to any one man, but abandons herself to the first comer; has neither knowledge, wisdom, nor discernment; she has no other rule than her passion, no other end than her pleasure. She is profligate, and wholly lost; affected neither by the fear of God, nor the care of her own salvation.

Second Warning
As if one warning was not enough, Solomon gives a second warning. This is a very significant event. In verse 7 and 8 he states further to: (1) Listen to me; He said previously that he wanted the pupil's attention and wanted his ear bent to understand. He says again, "listen to me." Listen to what I am going to tell you. The pupil will now hear of the consequence. (2) Do not depart from the words of my mouth; Don't choose the path; do not depart from my words. (3) Keep your way far from her; The last warning I saw in Proverbs 1:10-19 was Keep your feet from their path. With this issue the feet are to be far from the path. (4) Do not go near the door of her house. To clarify further, do not even go near the door of the house. We all know that going inside is a disaster, but do not even go near the door. 

A Hard Life
In a way this final part is similar to "God gave them over" found in Romans 1 (one of my favorite passages). The warnings have occurred. The danger sign is in place. "Keep Out" has been posted. But, if that isn't enough, he will now detail the results of going down that wrong path.

Or you will give your vigor to others and your years to the cruel one - Your strength; your person; your life and your future, will be handed over to the cruel one. The idea of vigor is what your life has meant thus far. Other translations use the word honor. Who you are is being given away. 

And strangers will be filled with your strength and your hard-earned goods will go to the house of an alien. Everything you have worked for is gone.  

And you groan at your final end, when your flesh and your body are consumed; And you say, “How I have hated instruction! And my heart spurned reproof! I have not listened to the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to my instructors! I was almost in utter the midst of the assembly and congregation.” Pride has taken over. Recovery in this moment is practically hopeless. 

Promise: Beware. Beware. Beware. Adultery always has destructive consequences. 

Proverbs 17:9-10 - Discerning Rebuke

Proverbs 17:9-10
He who conceals a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.  A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.

Message: Being wise with our words

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

He who conceals a transgression seeks love
He who conceals a sin or hides a sin or covers a sin or does not bring that sin to light -- in his brother or sister takes the course which leads to gain. We live in a world that loves to find wrong in others. It is presidential election time and the goal often is to find something in the life of a candidate to discredit him. It is to find something that will make him look bad. Right now, we have a candidate that is speaking matter of fact, but I find that what people love the most is he assaults people and he brings to light the things that they have done wrong. It is kindness and forbearance that we forgive one another and not just forgive one another, but ignore sins. Verse 9 speaks of friends and so this phrase is even more talking about our attitude towards each other. 

He who repeats a matter separate intimate friends
How often have I in my life brought up a sin from my own kids that they have done in the past and held it against them once again? Too many times. I am embarrassed at how often I have done this. I am not to catalog sins so as to add more fuel to the fire and make people feel worse. My goal should be to encourage and mention things that can build others up. I am to be kind in my speech. I am to be encouraging. O God, how poor I have been at this. How wretched I am. Help me to learn to praise more and thank people more and forgive more. Forgiveness needs to be the mark of my life. But, I should not think this covers all sins. The point here is the minor sins and minor infractions that really do not need to be brought up again and again.

A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
If a rebuke is needed, then it goes deeper, or will have more of an affect on one who has understanding.  A word is enough for the wise. If I am a person that has understanding, then rebukes or a harsh word will be more palpable. This seems like a personal characteristic at times. As I consider my children and how they respond to criticism; some seem to handle it better than others. And I think of employees that I have as well. Some accept the criticism better than others.

than a hundred blows into a fool
But a fool can't take even a hundred blows and come out unchanged. Lord, there are others that do not accept any sort of criticism. For the cypress tree, the more it is watered, the more it is withered. And even more of an issue is the person that has become so callous to correction. The horse has to have a bit and bridle in its mouth in order to be moved to change. Great lengths are necessary for some people to even hope that you can get a change out of them. 


Promise: The Bible over and over talks about our speech and its importance. I am to speak the truth in love, not seeking to crush sensitive souls but to build them up in Christ.