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Proverbs Chapter 21
I'm sure this doesn't mean that all kings and leaders of nations are in the will of God or obey God. We've seen too many evil rulers throughout the ages to know that is not the case. But God is sovereign and still in control. He can set up kings and take them down at very fast. He allows evil kings to rule sometimes because of the sin of the people who willingly choose the evil kings who promise them prosperity and the good life. People will vote in presidents that can make the best campaign speeches. Eventually an evil kingdom will come to its end. God will allow so much but no more. Look at the fate of Hitler, Stalin, Nero and many others through the ages. They now face the judgment of God. It doesn't pay to live and walk in evil continually without repenting. We all end up in the same place standing before God answering to Him for what we've done in the body. The only escape from the judgment of God for our sins is to come through Christ Jesus for cleansing of our sins. He did no sin when he walked the earth. When He died, His death counts on behalf of all who believe and receive Him.
We have those that deceive themselves into thinking they are righteous and have no sin and then we have those that always feel guilty and never have any confidence. The answer is to trust totally in the Lord and be covered by His righteousness. We can do all things through Christ and nothing without Him.
Religious works like sacrifices, baptisms, rituals and such do not change the heart. It points to the perfect way of salvation that came when Jesus made the perfect sacrifice for sins. Even before that event occurred though, executing justice and fair judgment pleased the Lord more than the sacrifices. Our treatment of our fellowmen is what the Lord sees. "Love our neighbor as ourselves," comes into play here. I believe in public worship and attending church with fellow believers but if we went to church, came home and started treating our neighbors and relatives like dirt and never did them good, what would it profit?
Pride leads us into all the other sins because we forget our great need for God in our lives. Once we forget our dependency on Him for His righteousness as opposed to what we generate on our own, we get prideful and open ourselves up to sin.
This verse is a good one for me. If we get in a hurry and do not think first or wait for things until the right time, we get ourselves in trouble. I watch the family cat sometimes when she goes out on the deck. She will look and think first before leaping off the deck and going out further from the house. I never see her run out and leap without pausing sometimes a long time to contemplate where she wants to go. If she was a person, I picture her never getting into debt or impulse buying.
Its just not worth it. To get things by lying and deceit is not getting them fairly and honestly and the innocent victim gets hurt. We fail to realize that God sees all theses things, what goes around, come around. We reap what we sow. In the end we die and these things go to someone else anyway. This also applies to preaching false doctrine and deceiving people that way. It profits nothing. The treasures also that are not laid up in heaven will not last. It is in vain and for nothing.
To gain in that way is to cause loss to someone else. It will profit nothing. It will not bring joy, it will not bring salvation and the thing that is taken will not last. I've even heard many stories of people who win the lottery that somehow end up financially worse when their money runs out. How much more from someone who steals. Its not worth it. Then when we face God, our deeds are made known to the whole world.
When we get away from God and His commandments, our ways become strange. Those that walk with the Lord may be considered strange to those who are of this world but our works are pure and right. Froward means to be deceitful and false. It is the very opposite of God thus showing us that those who live that way are away from God and do not know God.
This one needs no explanation. None of us like to be with a person who is constantly complaining.
Wicked people will even show this trait to their family and neighbors. All who know them will suffer from their evil.
When simple unlearned see the results of what happens to the scorners or to the wicked, that is the one way they learn to know good from evil. The wise will accept good instruction and receive knowledge. It will make them all the more wiser.
When we see the wicked prosper, it may cause us to wonder about the reason but we must consider that what they have in this life is it. It is all they will ever have. A wise person will see and understand this. The the end of the wicked will be everlasting punishment in hell. God will eventually overthrow all wickedness. Where is Mussolini today? Where is Queen Mary and all the other evil rulers. Look what happened to Herod. Chapter 73 in Psalms is a good Psalm that kind of explains things. God will eventually right all wrongs.
The bible seems to have the answer to many things that trouble a seeking soul.
If we give it shall be given to us. We must have compassion on the poor. If we have it to give and do not, it is sin. Even as Christians we must avoid the "Be ye warmed and filled, " type of Christianity. If it is in our power to be able to physically help someone, we must. One thing to avoid though is to use wisdom and give so as not to create a dependency on us as the giver. Better to give through a reputable organization like a church, except in emergency situations. I've saw someone become bankrupt because his relative began to rely on him too much and never learned out to make a living by hard work. In all things we must seek the wisdom of God so that we don't get into things beyond our means. This doesn't mean we help the poor so much that we ourselves go bankrupt and end up in debt. Giving means to give what we have to give without defrauding our families and debtors. We also have to discern the freeloaders and those that are out to take advantage of the kind of heart. It is the real poor and destitute that we must help. About real active faith, James writes:
One key verse in James 2 verse 19 where it mentions that the devils also believe and tremble. They have no good works with their type of faith.
If we have wronged someone and send a gift in secret, it may work good and pacify his anger but if we do it publicly and make a big show of it, it could work the opposite.
Again we are reminded of the final end of all wickedness and those that chose that way over the salvation that is given to us through faith in Christ. Destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. On the other hand we see that to do judgment and be fair in our dealings, brings joy. God loves to see us do good things and bring forth fruit of repentance, righteousness and justice.
The New Testament tells us more of the final place for the wicked than the Old Testament but here we find one that hints about the final place. They remain in the congregation of the dead. I believe this speaks of eternal hell.
Those that live carelessly and spend without restraint will eventually be given to poverty. Those that love pleasure are poor spiritually and their soul is never satisfied. The wonder of all wonders is that God didn't leave us in hopelessness. He did not leave us without a way out or an escape from the pollutions of this present world we live in. We don't have to have a heart that is full of sin and iniquity. We can have that clean heart spoken of in Psalm 73. That is why Jesus came. The very Son of God came to make the way for us to be saved. By accepting His gift of salvation He provided for us, we are given a way out. We are given the Holy Spirit to abide with us forever. We can live above the bondage of sin.
Remember the old road runner cartoon where the coyote would set a trap for the road runner but end up falling into it himself, that would apply here. The wicked try to entrap the righteous but will only harm himself in the long run.
This is why much prayer and seeking God should be done before one enters into marriage. Never should a believer even consider marrying someone who does not believe. If a woman who believes in Christ marries a man who does not believe, she is placing herself under the headship of someone who cannot possibly be under the headship of Christ. If a believing man marries an unbelieving woman, he is asking her to submit to things she does not believe in. Trouble surely lies ahead in both cases. Even if both are believers, God knows our makeup, inside and out. He knows if we are suited for one another or if our calling and purpose is what will work for good together rather than separate. Once we get into a marriage though, good or bad, we need to work it out and never give up. God also works miracles.
The parable of the 10 virgins can really relate to this verse.
That is so true. There is surely not much one can add to this verse except maybe 1 Peter 3:10.
There are a lot of great verses about the use of our tongues in both Old and New Testaments.
Remember the time Joshua sent in spies to Jericho to check out the city before conquering it.
This one is for all of us. How much trouble we would avoid if we think first before we speak. We admire those that are good at debates and making a quick comeback but that is actually the total opposite of what we should be. We should always consider what we say before speaking.
This is a good description of the antichrist that is to come in the future. He sits in the seat of the scornful, exalts himself above all that is called God, his mouth speaks blasphemies, he looks more stout than his fellowmen and deals in proud wrath against God's people. Yet when he first arrives on the scene he seems like a nice person who cares about people and obtains the kingdom with flatteries. This reminds me of a politician who desires to win the presidency. He will say anything and do anything to get elected and make the people think he is going to really be on their side and the economy will be better. The economy will probably get very bad for a while before the antichrist arises to make it better. It will get better but we must not be fooled into thinking that the "better" is really good. The economy prospered under Hitler but look what he did to get prosperity. Over six million innocent people were put to death unmercifully. In saying that though, God many times will prosper a nation that turns to Him so not all prosperity is for evil purposes. Discernment is always needed.
If anyone does not work, he does not eat. The lazy cannot make a good living because he is too slothful so it ends up being the cause of his death.
We actually receive when we give. When we give with a heart of love, it will come back to us. We will be taken care of. Some have turned these type of scriptures into a greedy message of prosperity but there is some truth in the message. We are not promised great riches until the reign of Christ. Until then we are promised an abundance of spiritual blessings and also to be provided for if we help provide for others. It is not a get rich quick promise of material wealth.
Religion that does not change the heart or cause someone to live in godliness is a false religion. It's a waste of time. To give a sacrifice, to do good works and to make a show of worship is in vain and profits nothing if the heart is not right or attempting to get right when one comes to worship. We have the story of Cain and Abel. Abel's offering was one of faith and in his worship toward God it was sincere and in humility. Cain offered his offering as a ritual or a religious act and did not acknowledge his need to be cleansed from sin. He did not make an offering for his sins but offered another kind of offering but it was not mixed with faith.
When Cain killed Abel out of envy we see something in Cain that was lacking or he wouldn't have been envious of his brother in the first place. When we come to God we must come with an attitude of humility with a heart that desires always to be cleansed and clothed with the righteousness of Christ, never trying to create our own righteousness but trust in the righteousness of Christ to cover our sins and make our hearts pure in the sight of God.
We see the attitude here of how we should approach God.
Perish means more than just die a natural death. It means to die spiritually and be eternally separated from God. Lying to get someone in trouble is really evil but it is done so much in society.
A wicked man will want nothing to do with God or those who are walking in the ways of God. The upright are directed by the Lord. he will direct the paths of those who desire to live according to His word.
In other words it is pure stupidity that would cause us to go against God purposely. No one or nothing can outdo or outwit God in anything.
Unless we are walking in the will of the Lord and living for Him, we can prepare the greatest horses in the world for battle and it may be for nothing. Horses are a vain thing for safety. Our trust must be in the Lord who has the power of life or death. -Dorna Chambers
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