Proverbs - Dealing with the Wicked

Proverbs 21:10

The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.

When we are dealing with wicked people we just have to know that they usually don’t have our best interest in mind.  This should protect us from becoming involved in a business dealing or partnership with the wicked and not hang our mouths open when they desire evil.  The wicked need to be forgiven and receive a new nature created after Him who loves them.  He must change their desires and show them how to love their neighbor.  When we see someone wicked, let us not be surprised.  Let us be cautious and caring.  Let us bring their souls before the Lord and ask Him to reveal Himself to them.  

Knowing God - The Lord Gives Sentences

Jer 4:12

 Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them.

The Lord Gives Sentences

                                                                  

Jeremiah was going to give a sentence or judgment from God to His people regarding their actions.  Our God is the One who has every right to pronounce judgment on us.  He will tell us what is right and He will tell us what is wrong.  It is not up to our own standards or the society in which we live.  God is the Judge and it is He that determines whether things are sin, compromise or idolatry.  I fear our culture encourages believers to inwardly determine their own standards.  It is God, who reigns on high that determines what grieves His heart and creates winds that parch and trouble our lives.  We are the created ones.  He is the Creator.  It is the Lord who says what sexual sin is, what gossip is and every other form of sin that Christ died for.  Have we become so arrogant that we think our own understanding is to be that which determines righteousness?  Be open to the Lord’s sentencing.  Listen to the Jeremiahs in your life.  Our God is worthy and alone judges righteously.

Proverbs - Let's Keep Our Homes 'Nice'

Proverbs 21:9

It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop,

 than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

Here is one of those proverbs that contrast one thing with another.  It is better to be on a roof of a house than in a beautiful home with a brawling woman.  Wow!  These ‘women’ verses really hit us between the eyes!  Something we can learn from this is to be sure that we don’t make having a beautiful home our goal at the expense of being an angry or controlling woman.  The home will not be a beautiful home if the keeper of the home is angry or contentious.   A man will try to work late, stay at his family’s house or church if he comes home to a woman who is nagging, angry or unkind.  Children will want to be at other people’s homes if their homes are filled with arguing and cruel words from their mother.  Keep your home nice but keep yourself nice first.  Don’t allow yourself to incur debt that leaves you stressed and blaming in order to make a home look gorgeous to the eyes.  Remember that your disposition is very much the defining factor to have your house become a home.

Knowing God - The Lord is NOT a Deceiver

Jer 4:10

Then said I, Ah, Lord God! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.

The Lord is NOT a Deceiver

                                                                  

Jeremiah was a prophet of God.  He heard the Lord speak to him and yet came to the Lord and concluded at this point that the Lord was deceiving His people.  Why would Jeremiah do this?  It might have been because the promises of peace and restoration were not going to happen until after great discipline and chastening.  Jeremiah had heard both the promises and warnings but somehow only remembered the words of comfort and redemption.

Sometimes we may conclude the wrong thing about God because His promises may not happen in the manner of timing we would prefer.  God is not a deceiver.  God is truth and God is light.  Our God is faithful and our God says what He means and means what He says.  His timing and His ways are His domain.  We dare not tell the Lord He has deceived us because things aren’t happening in the way we thought they should have.  Hold on to His promises because He is a God of truth.  He has not deceived you nor will He ever.

Proverbs - Consistent Work is Good

Proverbs 21:8

The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

When someone is froward it means crooked and unpredictable.  We need to avoid being women who are always changing our minds, convictions and disciplines.  We want to be pure women whose work is right.  We do good things that are needed and don’t need a whole lot of hoopla to sense accomplishment and purpose.  Making the bed is noble because we are doing it in love and faithfulness.  Washing the dishes is right because we are making an environment where our family can feel taken care of and loved.  Buying milk is good because the Lord wants our family to open the refrigerator door and see His provision.  Washing the clothes and folding them is good because we are reflecting the God who loves to wash us from sin and have us start each day with his clean mercies in our lives.  We are not to be fickle, foolish women always having to be entertained by some new venture.  We are to be pure women whose work is right.

Knowing God - The Lord Justifies

Isa 50:8

 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

The Lord Justifies

The Lord is the One who justifies us.  He decides what is right and He decides what is wrong.  If people think we are wrong and the Lord says we are justified in our actions, we are justified.  If people say we are justified in what we do but the Lord says it is wrong, it is wrong.  When others contend with us and challenge us, it is of the upmost importance to be in a place where we have sought God’s judgment on the matter.  When others oppose us and God says we are justified in what we do, we can gently forgive and resist the opposition and not be so easily shaken or confused.  The Lord wants our lives to be lives that He builds according to His leading and laws.  We will not suffer needless self doubt when we have sought the Lord on a matter and are walking in obedience to Him.

Proverbs - We Must Think to Do

Proverbs 21:7

The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

Wicked people don’t want to judge matters.  They don’t want to find out what the best thing to do is and they just want to hurry up and take what they want rather than seeking the Lord on His mind on the matter.  When we buy things on credit or spend money allocated for something else, we are taking that which is not ours.  God gives us a certain amount of money and we are accountable to judge where this money should go.  It is not left to us to hastily use it as we desire but rather judge matters and appropriate our funds in the way He deems just.  We have been called out of this wicked world into the kingdom of Jesus Christ.  He is the righteous judge.  He will show us what He has given us money for.  We must not refuse to do judgment but rather lay our finances out and see where we are at.  Bring them into the light and make some hard decisions guided by God’s wisdom.