Proverbs - Heart For Wisdom

Proverbs 17:16

                                                                                     

Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, 

seeing he hath no heart to it?

To gain wisdom in our lives there is a price to be paid.  Oftentimes it is the price of going against what is natural or convenient in order to understand and follow the way of wisdom.  Wisdom is the higher road and takes focus and intent to stay on it.  Voices within and voices without,  will attempt to dissuade us of the wise way of living in order to make us into the foolish women that tear down their own homes. 

We must ask the Lord for a heart that desires to choose the wise way in order to be willing to pay the price.  Anything worth anything has a high price tag.  In order to enjoy the life that is ordered by wisdom we must be women who are willing to pay the price of self denial, self control and waiting on the Lord.  We will enjoy the benefits of a life that reflects the wisdom God has led us in.  Our finances will be ordered, our eating habits will result in a good weight, our homes will be in order and our relationships will be free of foolish entanglements.   Sure, there is a cost but the results are worth it.

Knowing God - He Moves Upon Empty Places

Gen 1:2

 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

The Lord Moves Upon Empty Places

The earth was already created here and we learn that it wasn't filled with life or order.  The Spirit of God moved upon the darkness of the deep waters.  The Spirit of God moves when there is darkness and lack of life.  The darkness didn't ask for the Lord to move upon it and yet the Spirit of God moved upon it.  Is there darkness in areas of your life? Do you sense an emptiness and lack of creativity?  Is there an existence you have slipped into that seems without form and void? The Spirit of God is moving and desires to speak life, order and color into your life.  Sense His presence.  Invite the Holy Spirit to move upon your life and begin to make something good out of things that seem lifeless and empty.

Proverbs - Warning

Proverbs 17:15

He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.

There are two things we are being warned about here.  The first is that the Lord hates when the wicked are justified.  This is when actions or motives that are evil according to the Lord are justified by human reason or thought.  The Lord hates this.  It is an abomination.  Whether it is a psychologist’s assessment or a friend’s hearty agreement, if anyone is justifying what God calls wicked, it is an abomination.  If it is a documentary on television or a scientific study, if they justify sin, God hates this.  If we, ourselves, justify what we have done when, in fact, the Lord says it is wicked, it is an abomination.  We must be cautious when giving reasons that we do not justify wickedness nor believe those who do.

Secondly, the Lord hates it when the just are condemned.  It is an abomination to declare a righteous deed as wrong when the Lord declares it to be righteous.  How often those who are doing His will are condemned and judged evil by this modern day standards!  How often those who are seeking to please the Lord are labeled and declared extreme and misfits of society!  If we are judged as such, we should remember that the Lord considers this an abomination and so were the prophets before us judged.

The Lord is our judge and when He says something is evil, it is evil.  When the Lord says something is right, it is right.  Let us never justify the wicked or condemn the just.

Knowing God - The Lord is a Living God

Josh 3:10

And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail

 drive out from before you

the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites,

 and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

The Lord is a Living God

                                                                              

God is a living God.  A God who doesn't just exist – but lives!  How will we know that this living God is among us?  By the fact that He will WITHOUT FAIL drive out from among us those enemies in our lives that threaten us and posses areas of our lives that He has given to us to possess.  The children of Israel were told to go in and drive out these enemies.  This was not to be done in their own strength.  The Lord would go before them – but they needed to proceed in conquering trusting the Lord to drive them out.  What sorts of Canaanites are in your life?  What habits, attitudes, fears or sins are occupying a life that has been purchased by the blood of Christ?  Turn and face them.  Move towards them with the confidence that God is among you and, without fail, will drive these things out from before you.  He wants you to know that He is the living God that knows how to make our lives worth living.

Proverbs - Contention and Conflict

Proverbs 17:14

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

Whenever an argument takes place, it has to start somewhere.  The scriptures tell us here that the beginning of strife is like letting a little water out of a dam.  Sure, it just trickles at first, but there is a great body of water behind it that is ready to follow and pour out on all that is in its way. 

We must recognize when the ‘water’ starts to trickle, when we are a bit bothered or disagreeable.  If we can get the picture of a dam full of the water of contention, we might be a bit more guarded at the beginning of potential conflict.

The Lord tells us to leave this contentious state before it gets out of control.  He is our rock and He is able to hold all of it back.  We mustn't be careless with attitudes and responses so as to avoid a devastating flood of words and actions that could follow.  

Knowing God - The Lord Will Break Our Pride

Lev 26:19

 And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:

The Lord Will Break Our Pride

The Lord is personally involved in the transformation of our personalities.  We are His people and He is our Father.  If we experience discipline from our Father it means that He loves us and desires to see us become all that Christ died and rose for us to become.  If we resist the Lord, He will break the pride of our power.  Our power is unreliable and often hurts and damages ourselves and those around us.  It is His power that we need and His authority we must put ourselves safely under.  The weightiness we feel sometimes might really be the exalting of ourselves to positions the Lord never intended us to walk in.  Perhaps your heavens feel like iron and the earth feels cold as brass.  Humble yourselves under His mighty hand.  He will break the pride of your power that you might experience His perfect power and your environment becomes safe and warm.

Proverbs - Rewarding Evil

Proverbs 17:13

Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

When a kindness is shown to us, it would be wise for us to take note of it and be sure to guard our future responses to that person.  Sometimes the enemy can whisper suggestions of ill intent about someone who has done good to us.  He will question their motives.  He will offer suggestions of evil intentions in order to sow discord among the brethren.  If we are not careful we might follow his suggestions and reward evil for good.

 The Lord warns us here that if we do this, our homes will be plagued with trouble.  Consider who you might have gossiped about or been unkind to lately.  Apart from this being wrong in and of itself, are the subjects of your actions people who have been kind to you?  Be aware of your adversary’s plot to have you reward evil for good.

 How about your pastor or ministry leaders who are seeking to bless and equip you?  Have you criticized and torn them down in the midst of their love and concern for your walk with the Lord?  How about your husband who is seeking to take care of you and provide for you?  Are you discontent and demeaning to the one who is growing in his calling as a husband and father? 

May we take note of good shown to us and be guarded against rewarding evil for this good.  This will protect our home from unnecessary trouble and we will not cooperate with the accuser of the brethren and author of confusion.