PROVERBS 132006 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Proverbs 13

Proverbs chapter...

Now, on Sunday, I had several people approach me expecting to hear some type of cooking story because as many of you know, last week at the beginning, I shared a cooking story with you to demonstrate how I do not know how to cook and I'm not able to function in the kitchen if I do not have instructions or a recipe of some sort.

And so this last weekend with my wife gone at the retreat, everybody expected for some, you know, horrendous cooking story from me. But I played it safe. I ate out most of the time. And the only thing I cooked at home was frozen pizza and that Texas toast that you just throw in the oven. So there was no saran wrap involved this time. I was, you know, I improved and it was really good. You know, I was thinking about it's kind of ironic, don't you think? Because I was homeschooled.

So you would think I'd be a master of home economics, right? I mean, you know, they take that at public school, but I was there the whole time that I was in school. So I don't know what happened. But we've been talking about wisdom in the book of Proverbs. Now, wisdom, again, is not how smart you are. It's not about how intelligent you are or how high your IQ is. Wisdom, as the Bible talks about, is wisdom.

Following God's recipe for life, and that's where we get the cooking illustrations and examples from. It's taking what God says and applying it and living it out the way that God says we are to live. Wisdom is not how smart you are, but it's how well you receive instruction, specifically how well you receive God's instruction.

You know, it's a question we need to continually ask. How well do I receive from those that God has placed in authority in my life? Do I let them instruct me? Do I let them correct me? Do I take their words and follow them? God has placed them there and that is my role to be obedient to those he has placed in authority in my life.

Also, we need to ask ourselves, how well do I let God tell me how to live through his word? How well do I sit down and spend time in his word and allow him to use that?

To instruct me in my life and to change the way that I live, to make my decisions and help me walk with him. There is such a strong emphasis in the world around us today on our feelings and how we feel. And society is teaching us through that to turn and to look more and more to ourselves, to do what is right for ourselves and what we think is is right and and to be concerned about our own selves.

In essence, our society is reverting back to the time of the judges, where it says throughout the book of Judges that everyone did what was right in their own eyes. And it was not a good thing to say. It was a demonstration of the corruption of that time. Proverbs chapter 12, we looked at last week in verse 15, says the way of a fool is right in his own eyes. But he who heeds counsel is wise. And so once again, as we get into chapter 13, Proverbs

We need to open up our hearts and ask God to do a work, invite him and receive from him instruction for our lives. And when he speaks in areas that apply to us, we need to take those scriptures and live by them and allow God to work in us the way that he wants to, to tell us to live the way that he wants us to live, to instruct us and correct us the way that he wants to do that in our hearts.

And that's why it's so important for us to be reading the scriptures and spending time here together so that God can speak to our hearts, to our lives. He can give us counsel through his word that we are not living in a way that is just right in our own eyes, but that we are receiving from God what he has to say about the situation that we are in. Otherwise, we will end up being fools.

just doing what is right in our own eyes. And that is not what we want. So let's allow God to speak to us in Proverbs chapter 13, starting with verse one. The first proverb of the evening says this. A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. Really, the same line of thought of what I've just been sharing with you

Solomon says that a wise son heeds his father's instruction. A wise son is one who takes what his father says and puts it into practice. You know, there's those phases that a child goes through. There's the times when dad's instruction is unquestionable. It's got to be right. It's got to be perfect. But then later there comes a time when dad's instructions are unthinkable, right? You just...

There's no way I would even consider doing that. You've probably heard the stages that a child goes through. It's kind of popular, happens a lot. On Father's Day, people share this. But let me just share that with you briefly. Four years old, the attitude of a child is, my daddy can do anything.

At five years old, my daddy knows a whole lot. At six years old, my dad is smarter than your dad. At eight years old, my dad doesn't know exactly everything. Ten years old, in the olden days when my dad grew up, things were sure different. Twelve years old, well, naturally, dad doesn't know anything about that. He's too old to remember his childhood.

14 years old. Don't pay attention to my dad. He's so old fashioned. 21 year old. 21 years old. Him? My Lord, he's hopelessly out of date. 25 years old. Dad knows about it. But then he should because he's been around so long. 30 years old. Maybe we should ask dad what he thinks. After all, he's had a lot of experience.

35 years old, I'm not doing a single thing until I talk to dad. 40 years old, I wonder how dad would have handled it. He was so wise. 50 years old, I'd give anything if dad were here now so I could talk this over with him. Too bad I didn't appreciate how smart he was. I could have learned a lot from him.

The stages, as it's noted, and maybe you can relate to some of these attitudes throughout your life. And those times where, man, your parents, they could speak nothing false. Everything they said was the truth. And then later you begin to realize, well, they don't think and know everything. All of their thoughts aren't exactly right. And then you come back around again to the point where you realize, well,

No, they were right. It was me that was backwards this whole time. It was me that has been off and out in left field. Now, let's take that concept and that idea and transfer it

To God, a wise son heeds his father's instruction. And so if you're a wise son, child, physically, literally in this earth, then you will do well to hear and to heed the instruction and the correction of your parents. But as children of God, we also need to apply the same principle that if you heed your father's instructions,

you will be wise and you'll be blessed. If you live life God's way, you will be blessed. For us, God is alive and he's here to teach us and to help us in life. So the best attitude among all those that we just read is the attitude of the 35-year-old who said, I'm not doing a single thing until I talk to dad. That is really the attitude that should be upon our hearts in this life.

That I'm not going to do anything until I talk to the Father, until I talk to God and hear what he has to say about my life and my situation. It's so important for us. God is real and he is alive. He desires relationship with us. It's not just religion and the system, but he wants to be involved personally and intimately in our lives so that we can have this attitude that I'm not going to do anything.

Until I hear from God, until he speaks to my heart. But how quickly, you know how it is. We begin to act like we know better than God and we disregard. We think we don't need to talk to him about this one or we disregard his commands and consider ourselves to be different. This situation, my situation right now, it's different.

We have that attitude so often, but we need to be wise and to heed our father's instruction, to be in the word of God and allow him to speak to us and direct us. Verse two, a man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, but the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.

The fruit of his mouth, Solomon talks about. Now, this is a subject that is repeated over and over again throughout the Proverbs. And we saw it last week and we'll see it for many weeks to come. The fruit of his mouth. Oh, how our words are so important. It's stressed over and over again because we need to know that our words are not just words.

You know, we say sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me. And we get the idea that words are just kind of nothing. They don't mean anything. But throughout Proverbs, we learn over and over again that our words are very, very important. Our conversations are very important. And the things that we say are crucial. We need to be concerned with what we say and how we speak. In Luke chapter 6, Jesus says,

speaks to us as trees or relates to us as trees. He says,

For out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.

He says, you guys are like trees. And it's very easy to tell what type of tree it is by the fruit that it produces. And if it's producing good fruit, then you know it's a good tree. And if it's producing bad fruit, you know it's a bad tree. It's not a bad tree producing good fruit and there's not good trees producing bad fruit. If it's producing bad fruit, it's a bad tree. And if it's producing good fruit, it's a good tree. And he says in the same way,

The things that we speak and what comes out of our mouth demonstrates our heart. It demonstrates what we are really like within. What comes out of your mouth shows what kind of tree you are. Now, please listen and hear what Jesus is saying for a moment. The yelling and the screaming, the cursing, the foul language, the gossip and the slander.

It's all the overflow of what is in your heart. It's just a taste of what your heart is like. You know when you go to Starbucks and you get the extra foam and it just kind of spills over the sides? That's the overflow. It's just a taste of what's really inside the cup. And Jesus says the overflow is what comes out of your mouth. And the reality is your heart is

is much worse. And it's producing that. That's just what spills out of your heart. It's not the foul situation that causes the foul language, but it's the foul heart that causes the foul language. It's not that person who cuts you off that causes that type of speech, but it's your heart. It's the heart that brings forth those things. And so when inappropriate speech occurs,

or tones come out of our lips, we need to recognize that it's not the situation and everybody else's fault, but it's my heart. And then I need to ask God to change my heart because he is the only one who can. It needs to be a warning flag for me when those things come out of my lips that I need God to do a work in my heart because it's out of the overflow of my heart that the mouth speaks.

Verse three, continuing on the same line of thought, he says, he who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction. Here we see more exhortation regarding our words and the importance of guarding our mouth. What does it mean to guard our mouths?

If you need the picture, then go ahead and picture it. You know, put a couple centuries right there on each side of your lip and just have them zip it up whenever anything appropriate, inappropriate is about to come out. Ephesians 429, Paul tells us, let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth. But what is good for necessary edification that it may impart grace to the hearers?

So, the guard's at the door. He asks for the password. And if it's good, if it edifies, and if it brings grace, then let it through. But if it does not, then we are not to bring it forth out of our lips. Paul is holding us accountable. He's saying, you can control. Set a guard over your lips, over your mouth. Control what goes out.

Be careful that you do not allow your conversations and your mouth to just speak whatever it wants. He who opens wide his lips...

shall have destruction. You just speak whatever you want, whenever you want to, you'll have destruction. Take your words and conversations very seriously. It's not a minor issue. And so you need to ask God to help you in this. In Psalm chapter 141, verse three, David, realizing the importance of this, he prays to God and he says, Lord, set a guard over my mouth.

You guard my mouth, God, because I can't. I'm not strong enough and I'm not quick enough. It comes out many times before I've even thought about it. But Lord, you set a guard over my mouth and keep watch over the door of my lips and make sure that what comes out is good, that it builds up and that it brings grace to those who hear. Proverbs chapter 13, verse 4. Solomon says, the soul of a lazy man desires and has nothing.

but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich. The soul of the lazy man desires and has nothing. Now, notice the subject of this verse. It really has nothing to do with being wealthy or poor monetarily or physically in this life, but it has to do with your soul. The soul of a lazy man desires and has nothing, but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

The soul is speaking about the inner me, inner me, inner being of man. I'm having trouble with my words. You better be praying for me. The inner being of man is the soul, the life that's within. And Solomon says, listen, the inner being within of a lazy person desires but has nothing. But the inner being within the life within of the diligent shall be made rich.

The lazy person has an empty soul, Solomon says. The soul desires, it has cravings, but it's never satisfied. And you know that. We've experienced that. We've tried the things and tried to satisfy with all the pleasures of this life. And Solomon writing this says,

Later goes on in his life to do just that. And you can read the book of Ecclesiastes for his account of what he tried. He tried everything. There was nothing that he kept himself from. No pleasure. He tried building. He tried gardens. He tried palaces. He tried, you know, relationships, having 300 wives and 700 concubines. He tried alcohol. He tried everything.

He tried everything that you could try under the sun and he was still empty. He didn't heed his own words, knowing that that emptiness cannot be quenched except by diligence. What kind of diligence? Hebrews 11, 6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. For he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

The soul of the lazy man is going to be empty, always craving, always desiring, never satisfied. But if you will diligently seek God, God will reward you. There's great wealth and great riches within, in your heart, if you will seek God. Jesus came so that we could overflow with life and not be empty.

Remember that time in John 7, 37 and 38, the theme verses for this fellowship, living water. Jesus says it was on the last day, that great day of the feast. And Jesus stood and cried out, saying, if anyone thirsts, if your soul is empty, come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Not only will you be filled, but you will be filled to overflowing water.

Jesus came, not that you would have just a regular life or a semi-blessed life, but an overflowing life. Not an emptiness within, but so much life that it overflows and spills out to those around you. He came to overwhelm us with life, not to leave us thirsty. But we must be diligent. We must diligently seek Him. We must, as He says in verse 38, believe in Him, as the Scripture has said. Verse 5 says,

A righteous man hates lying, but a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame. This is something that's really great about the Word of God, the Bible that we have before us. You know, time and time again,

God calls us on the carpet. We may not like it too much at the time, but he really confronts us about ourselves in many ways. You know, it's easy to deceive ourselves, to trick ourselves and be confident that we are righteous and that everything is OK. But then he asks us the question, do you lie? Is that a practice of your life? Is that something that's routine or regular in your life? Are you involved in telling lies?

And partaking in lies. Are you joining others in lies and deceitfulness? Solomon says, listen, a righteous man hates lying. So if you're involved in lying, if that's a part of your business practices or a part of your relationship with your family, consider what Solomon is saying. A righteous man hates lying. That doesn't mean he hates it, but does it anyway. Right.

It means he hates it and he does not do it. He stays away from it. He keeps himself from lies because he hates it. Do you lie? Are you involved and caught

A righteous man hates lying. Are you righteous? Continuing on in verse six, righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but wickedness overthrows the sinner. Now, continuing the thought from verse five, if you are righteous and hate lying, you're going to be guarded and protected. But if you're involved in lies, you ever heard the expression a web of lies? You know why it's called that? Because you get stuck and stuck and stuck until wickedness overthrows the sinner.

You need to come clean. You need to get right and stop lying. Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but wickedness overthrows the sinner. Now, righteousness is not a system of works. And you can try that if you would like. You can try to have your own righteousness, but you will not be successful.

That's what the Old Testament, the old covenant is not is all about. And that's why it was not sufficient. That's why it was not able to save, because it was based on what I do and how I live. We cannot be righteous on our own, but only by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. That's the new covenant. That's what it's all about. As we put our faith in Jesus and walk with him, he teaches us

to walk uprightly. It's not that we've followed these rules, but I have a relationship with him and he helps me and he teaches me to walk uprightly. In Jeremiah chapter 31, verse 33, talking about the new covenant that God will make, which is the covenant through Jesus Christ, he says this, this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people.

And so what God says is they're going to have a relationship with me and I'm going to be their God. They're going to be my people and I'm going to write on their hearts. It's not going to be that they have the commandments posted on the wall and they have to try to live those things. And if they don't, then they can't have relationship with me. No, instead, they're going to have relationship with me. And through that, I will teach them how to live and how to walk uprightly. I will teach them through the word.

The things that I desire for their hearts and their lives, the things that I want them to be involved in and the things I want to keep them from.

God says, I'm going to teach it. I'm going to write it upon their hearts. And so righteousness guards him whose way is blameless. Have relationship with God. Stay close to God. If you walk with God, you will be guarded. You will be protected by God. But if you do not walk with God, you will be overthrown. Either way, it's your choice to walk with God or to not. Verse seven, there is one who makes himself rich yet has nothing.

And one who makes himself poor yet has great riches. I think Jesus is the ultimate example of this. We studied it several weeks ago in Philippians chapter 2 verses 5 through 8. The fact that Jesus being God fulfilled this verse. He made himself poor. Philippians 2 verse 5 through 8 says that he made himself of no reputation. He emptied himself out.

Of his rights as God, of his privileges of being God. And he took the form of a servant and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Now Solomon says, the one who makes himself poor yet has great riches. When Jesus emptied himself, became a servant, became obedient to death on the cross, he made himself poor, yet he has great riches. Continuing on in Philippians chapter 2, verses 9 through 11, it says, therefore God has forsaken

highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, of those on earth, and of those under the earth, that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Jesus humbled himself and emptied himself. He made himself poor, yet he has great riches, the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue should confess.

We're not talking about temporary wealth, temporary riches of this life, but wealth that lasts for eternity. You can make yourself rich in this life and you can seek after and obtain all that this world has to offer. The fame, the fortune, the prosperity, the status, whatever is on your heart. Yet you will find that you still have nothing. As we talked about before, you'll still thirst, but in eternal perspective, those things are worthless. They do not have any value.

So you can chase after those things or you can follow the example of Jesus. You can make yourself rich in this life and find out that you're poor and have nothing. Or you can make yourself poor like Jesus did. Humble yourself and serve others and have eternal riches. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 16, if anybody wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. That's the role that we are called to.

To fulfill the example that we're called to follow, denying ourselves, taking up our cross and following him. He goes on to say, whoever desires to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what profit is it a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? We need to be careful that we do not get caught up in this life and building this kingdom and

But instead, we lose this life and deny ourselves to gain the next like Jesus did. There's one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing. And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches. Verse 8. The ransom of a man's life is his riches, but the poor does not hear rebuke. This is an interesting verse. The ransom of a man's life is his riches,

In other words, there's inherent dangers to becoming wealthy. Proverbs has a lot to say about that throughout the chapters we'll be studying. But here's one of the problems that Solomon mentions. If you're rich, you're vulnerable to having someone require a ransom from you. They've got some leverage now and they'll trade your life for your riches. But it's interesting, the poor does not hear rebuke. The poor person doesn't have the same threat. They don't have the same ransom for their life.

That the rich person has. And so maybe it's not as valuable as we think it is. Verse 9. The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out. Now Solomon always has contrast between the righteous and the wicked. And I like this one. The light speaks of our life. The vibrancy, again, the soul. The spark in our hearts. And the life of the righteous rejoices.

If you walk with God, if you have relationship with God, it's the best thing you could ever experience. It's the best walk you could ever have. It's the best relationship you could ever know. Your life will be abundant, full of joy and gladness. It's the result of relationship with God. Jesus in John chapter 10, verse 10, says that the thief, Satan, the enemy,

The ruler of this world comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy. But I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. Again, overflowing, abundant, joyful, fulfilling life. If you really want to be blessed, if you want to live life the way it's meant to be lived,

Follow God. Apply his principles. Put into practice the things that he's teaching us here. And you will experience life like you could never imagine. But if you do not have right relationship with God, Solomon says, the lamp of the wicked will be put out. There will be death. The lamp will be not smothered. Something like that, though. Put out. Extinguished. That's a good one. The lamp will be put out.

And so we have a choice to live life with God, following God's principles and be fulfilled and rejoice or to reject God and his principles and be put out, extinguished. Verse 10, by pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom. Now, I think the contrast that Solomon gives here is interesting. Pride is being contrasted with the well-advised. They are opposites.

Those who are proud are not well advised. And those who are well advised are not proud. Again, God is teaching us the importance of receiving instruction. If you will not receive instruction, know that you are full of pride and you will have nothing but strife. But if you will receive instruction, you'll be wise and you'll be blessed. Verse 11, wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished. But he who gathers by labor will

will increase. Time and time again, we see God tell us we cannot break his laws. We will reap what we sow. Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished. If you lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead, then you will find that it leaves you the same place you were, broke. It leaves you empty. But if you faithfully labor, if you work hard, you will increase.

And we always think that there's these great things that we can get on board with or things that we can do to kind of manipulate the situation to just get a little bit ahead. But it's not worth it. There's no shortcuts. Forget about all of the get-rich-quick schemes. Just work hard and trust God to provide, and He'll meet your every need. Verse 12, Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when desire comes, it is a tree of life.

I think the point of this verse is to not give up hope. There's a couple of different ways to translate it and a couple of different opinions. But hope deferred makes the heart sick. But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. You know how it is. When our hopes are not fulfilled, when we think they will be, it makes our heart sick. You've built up, you've got your hopes up for something, and all of a sudden it just falls through. The bottom falls out. It's not going to happen.

And sometimes the things that we hope for don't happen when we think they will. But for the things that God has given to us, for the things of God, we must keep on hoping. Because when it is fulfilled, it is a tree of life. You know, some of you have loved ones that you're praying for, that they would receive Jesus Christ and have eternal life with him. And it might be a long time and it might have been a long time already. But keep on praying. Don't give up hope.

Yeah, it makes the heart sick. It's difficult. But don't give up hope. Because when it's fulfilled, oh, it's so sweet. It's the tree of life.

To see God do that work. Maybe some of you have promises from God that you're waiting to be fulfilled. Don't give up hope. Even when everything is against it. Even when the situation just looks absolutely impossible. How many times do we see that in the scriptures? The situation looks exactly impossible and opposite of what God said was going to be the result. And yet God miraculously, supernaturally comes through.

And so hold on to those promises of God. Don't give up hope. Don't become heart sick, but keep your trust and hope in God and watch him do the miraculous. Verses 13 and 14. He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded. The law of the wise is a fountain of life to turn one away from the snares of death.

What is your attitude towards the Bible? What's your attitude towards this book that you have before you? He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded. That word despises, it means to hold into contempt or to hold as insignificant. And there's the attitude that can creep into our hearts of contempt, not enjoying, not liking contentment.

being against the word of God or thinking of it as insignificant. Well, that's just an old book. A lot of stories. Those who have that attitude will be destroyed, Solomon says. But those who fear the commandment, the only way to be saved is to fear his word. The only way to live life, bless the way that God intended, is to fear his commandments, to fear his word, to walk in his ways, believe what he says and obey him.

God's law is a fountain of life there in verse 14. The law of the wise is the fountain of life. The whole point of God's word is not to bum you out and, you know, make you have a miserable life, but to set you free and to give you the life that God intended, the life of blessing and fulfillment. The whole point is to give you life and turn you away from the snares of death.

Let God direct your life through his word and you will be rewarded with abundant life. Verse 15. Good understanding gains favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard. Understanding is one of those words that's synonymous with wisdom throughout the book of Proverbs. And Proverbs 9 10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Knowing God is

is understanding. And Solomon says it gains favor. It causes favor. It brings favor in your life. If you want to have favor in your life, then focus on knowing God. Learn who he is and what he is like. Discover what he has done and get to know him personally. When I think about this, I think of Joseph as a great example of this. You can check out his story in the book of Genesis, chapters 39 through the end of the book.

But if you remember, his brothers hated him and so they sold him as a slave. But it says that the Lord was with him and he found favor in the eyes of his owner, a man named Potiphar. And he put Joseph in charge of all of his property because the Lord was with him and he found such great favor in Potiphar's eyes. Later, though, Joseph was falsely accused and put in prison.

Yet, even there in prison, it says that the Lord was with him and he found favor in the eyes of the keeper of the prison. And so as a result, the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of the entire prison and everything that happened within the prison was under Joseph's care and by Joseph's doing. He found a place of importance or position. He found favor there even in prison. And then, two years later, he's released from prison to interpret Pharaoh's dream. And Pharaoh says,

Finds favor with Joseph. Or Joseph finds favor with Pharaoh. And Pharaoh makes him again second in command. Of the entire nation. All the land of Egypt. Understanding. Gains favor. But. If you don't want to do that. If you don't want to get to know God and.

Center your life around getting to know him and spending time with him. If you want to walk in the path of not knowing God and not walking with him, then you will find that the way of the unfaithful is hard. And when you're tired of learning that the way of the unfaithful is hard, then turn back to Jesus.

Jesus said in Matthew chapter 11, come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. And maybe some of you, you need rest. Maybe you've been learning already that the way of the unfaithful is hard, that life is difficult. Life's a bummer. Life is miserable without God.

And Jesus says, listen, I know it's hard. That's why I say, come to me. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. We need to come to Jesus Christ with our burdens, with our unfaithfulness, knowing that, yes, it's what's made my life so hard and so difficult. And I need to come to him and allow him to give me rest. Verse 16 says,

You know, it's wise and prudent to know what you are doing and why. It's a good thing to know why you're doing the things that you're doing and why you live the way that you do. We need to give careful thought to our actions. We need to weigh them by the Word of God and then carry them out with confidence.

A man who acts with knowledge shows his prudence. And Solomon says, a fool shows his foolishness by how he acts. Verse 17, a wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful ambassador brings health.

Now Solomon is speaking about messengers and ambassadors and we can think about the situation that they were in that day and how that would be applied and many ways in our life today that it would apply. I think it's a real challenge for our hearts specifically in the workplace as employees. You know, if we're wicked employees and we're not doing what's right, if we're cheating the boss, we're going to fall into trouble. A wicked messenger falls into trouble. But a faithful ambassador does.

brings health. If we're faithful to do what we are told, if we accurately represent our employers, it brings health. It's what's best for us to be faithful as employees. Now, of course, we could look at this spiritually as well, because we are ambassadors for Christ as Christians. And God has called us to be representatives to this world of him and who he is and the characteristics that he has.

And how many times we hear it said, you know, I would go to church, but there's so many hypocrites. And it's true. There's no denying that. We're hypocrites. We fall short. We have all kinds of problems and things in our life. And so we must be on our faces before God and be faithful ambassadors. It brings health to accurately represent God to the world around us and his love for

To the people next to us, the people surrounding us, the people on the lane next to us or who cut us off. We need to accurately represent God to them and be ambassadors for Jesus Christ in all ways, in all points. Verse 18, poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, but he who regards a rebuke will be honored. Again, I ask the question, how well do you receive correction?

I don't know about you, but I hate to be corrected, man. It is just something that bugs me. It's worse than peeling off my skin. It makes me cringe just to think about it. It's something that God has always had to be working on in me. He teaches me and then, of course, I forget. And so He teaches me again and I forget. And I always have to learn to regard rebuke, to receive correction, to be open to it and welcome it

In my life. When God's word rebukes you. How do you receive it? Do you regard it? Do you pay attention to it? You know those times where you're reading and. I didn't want that to speak to me. I was just kind of just skimming through. Do you regard it? You know there's those times where we just skim through the word. Because we don't want to be spoken to. There's the times where we sit outside of service. Or sit in the back. No offense to any of you who are in the back. But.

Because we really don't want to be convicted. We don't want to regard what God has to say about us in our life and where we're at. Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction. But he who regards a rebuke will be honored. Now we get so defensive so quickly. When someone you love or someone who loves you corrects you, do you regard it?

You know, when someone, you know, they have the best intentions for you and they correct you, not just because they feel like it, but based on the word of God, they correct you with things that are right and true. Do you regard it? Do you receive it? Oh, we get so defensive so quickly. We quickly justify ourselves and become right in our own eyes again. But we must learn to receive correction and love rebuke, to look for it and be open to it.

And to apply it to our lives. If we don't, poverty and shame. Destruction. We need to be open to correction. Verse 19. A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul. But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil. Do you know that feeling of accomplishing something that you've really wanted to do for a long time?

You know, maybe a kitchen remodel or starting a business and successful or maybe just cleaning out the garage or, you know, just you've accomplished something that you've had your heart set on for a while. And and that feeling how sweet it is to the soul. But Solomon says, but to a fool, the only thing that is desirable is more evil.

For someone who's walking right with God, their desires, the fulfillment of them is sweet to the soul. But for someone who is not walking with God for a fool, the only thing that they desire is more evil, which is destruction and death and pain to them. You need to know this is why we cannot play with sin, toy with it or just kind of dabble in it. It leads to more and more corruption.

It leads to more and more evil. If you walk that path, your heart will become more and more corrupt. You will not be able to see the light until even the point where the thought of departing from evil is an abomination or it's disgusting to you. You think it's just kind of fun and something you can play with now. But there will be a point if you continue that you will not be able to depart. You'll be bound captive.

And the thought of departing will be disgusting to you. Verse 20. He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. We looked at a similar verse last week in Proverbs 12, 26. The righteous should choose his friends carefully for the way of the wicked leads them astray. You ever think about that? I would challenge you. This verse, Solomon says, he who walks with the wise will become wise, but

If you walk with wise, you will be wise, but a companion of fools will be destroyed. I would challenge you to spend some time and write down all the people in your life that you want to be like. The people in your life that

Walk with God and that demonstrate godly characteristics. The people in your life that have relationship with God and the joy of the Lord that are using their gifts and doing the things that God has called them to do, taking steps of faith. Write down all the people in your life that you want to be like and then stop and think about how much time that you spend with them. He who walks with wise men will be wise. Make a change.

Choose your friends wisely. Choose strategically who you spend time with. People that will build you up and encourage you. People that will help you. People that are wise, that walk with God, that you might learn to do the same. But if you keep spending time with fools, you will be destroyed and they will lead you astray. You need to set yourself apart to be different and to walk with those who are wise. Verse 21, evil pursues sinners wisely.

But to the righteous, good shall be repaid. Another choice that we have before us. Would you rather be pursued or repaid? Pursued or repaid. Galatians chapter 6 verses 7 and 8. Do not be deceived. God is not mocked for whatever a man sows that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the spirit will of the spirit reap everlasting life.

It's important that we are not deceived, Paul says. Specifically on this point. Why? Well, because it's easy to be deceived. Because we don't always see the fulfillment of the scripture in this life. We don't always see people reap what they sow. Sometimes wicked, vile people die peacefully.

But do not be deceived. God is not mocked. Justice will be done. The wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Romans 6, 23. Evil pursues sinners.

And if you're running in sin, you cannot escape. You cannot run fast enough. You will meet your maker. You will stand before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and give an account. And you will be accountable for your hearts and what you did with Jesus Christ. Evil pursues sinners. And we cannot outrun it. You will reap what you sow. If you sow to the flesh, you will reap corruption. And that goes if you've walked with God or never have before.

If you sow to the flesh, you will reap corruption. The wages of sin is death every time in every case without exception. But if you sow to the spirit, if you walk with God, if you're righteous, you will be repaid and you'll reap everlasting life. Verse 22. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. This is an interesting thought as well. A challenging thought.

Many will take this and begin to talk about the idea that it's not a literal inheritance, but a spiritual one. And I think that's important. Both are important, though. You know, you should ask yourself the question, am I living life in a way that I will leave an inheritance to my children's children? It's important for us to consider. It should determine our priorities. Do I really need this? Is this really what I should be doing with what God has given to me?

I think as believers, we need to work towards leaving an inheritance to our children and not debt. And even to our children's children, as the proverb says. But spiritually speaking, am I living my life in a way that will leave a spiritual heritage to my children's children?

Is that how you're living your life? It's essential and most important that you teach your children how to have a relationship with God, that you teach them who he is and what he's done for us, that you teach them how to walk with him and rely upon him and trust in him. For those of you with grandchildren, you must teach them all about the Lord and how to love him and walk with him.

That's what baby dedication is all about. Every once in a while you'll see that. Someone will come up on a Sunday morning, will pray for them. They're coming before the Lord and saying, I want to dedicate this child, but really what I'm saying is I want to dedicate myself as a parent to raise my child to know God and to love God and to walk with God. And as parents and grandparents, you need to live in such a way that you leave a rich inheritance behind.

for your children and your children's children, that you leave for them an example of your life lived in wholehearted devotion to God. Verse 23, Much food is in the fallow ground of the poor, and for lack of justice there is waste. I liked what Ironside had to say on this. He says, The man of small opportunities often makes the most of what he has, while the one of large privileges becomes slothful and neglectful.

And there's a whole conversation that I would love to have with you on this, but we must keep moving forward. Verse 24. He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly. Again, this is an area where the world has many opinions, but this is what God has to say. Discipline is essential and necessary for children. If you do not discipline your children, Solomon says, God says, you hate them.

Now, many will say the opposite, but who are you going to believe? God, who created us and knows exactly what we need, or man? God is not asking parents to do anything that he does not do, by the way. Hebrews chapter 12, verses 3 through 11. Read it and consider it carefully. Verse 6 of Hebrews 12 says, Discipline your children. It's important. Parents, grandparents, they need discipline.

If you need help knowing how, how much, ask. Man, there's so many seasoned believers in here. Just look around at the color of their hair and you'll find them really easily. You'll find great insight. There's a book that I recommend. It's What the Bible Says About Child Training by J. Richard Fugate. And you can read through that as well if you need help in disciplining your children. But concluding the evening, let's look at verse 25.

The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul, but the stomach of the wicked shall be in want. Notice again what this verse is talking about. The soul. How's your soul this evening? How are you doing within? When you're just by yourself and without the distractions, when the lights are off, how are you? What's going on inside? Are you empty? Are you thirsty? Are you in need? The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul,

but the stomach of the wicked shall be in want. You see, the soul of the righteous will be satisfied. But even the physical body, which is so much easier to satisfy, the physical body of the wicked will be lacking. If you want to be blessed, if you want to be fulfilled, live life God's way.

Believe in Jesus. Receive him. Walk with him. Obey him. Take his word and put it in practice in your life. And you will have abundant life. You will be satisfied. He will give you rest. But if you do not walk with God, if you refuse him, if you refuse his word, if you refuse his correction, you will never be satisfied. Your life will be hard and it will be miserable. God gives us exactly what we need. So walk with him.

Is there an area in your life that he has spoken about this evening in the book of Proverbs? Maybe something that's just been on your heart. Something he's been speaking to you through different ways. Let God correct you in that. Surrender that to him. Be obedient to what he is saying. Be obedient to his word and what he has to say. Let God have his way in your life. Maybe you need to commit your life to him and receive what he did for you on the cross.

Do it. There's no greater decision that you could make. There's nothing better that you could decide than to walk with God and have relationship with him, than to receive the finished work that he did on the cross for our sins, to receive his forgiveness and grace. And as believers, there's nothing greater that we can do than to take his word and the things that he's speaking to us and put it in practice and allow him to have complete control of our life. We need to walk with God.

and have relationship with him and we'll be blessed and satisfied and have everything we need but if we reject him and if we refuse him this night we'll find ourselves lacking we'll find that life is hard we'll find ourselves hungry it's your choice it's your choice will you draw closer to god this evening or will you step yet farther away let's pray heavenly father lord help us

to draw close to you, not to walk away, Lord, but to step closer towards you, Jesus. Lord, I pray for those that you are speaking to their hearts about areas of their life, Lord, areas where you want them to be obedient to your word. God, help us to put those things in practice, God. Help us, Lord, not to be right in our own eyes, but to receive the correction that you offer tonight. Help us to walk with you, God. Lord, I pray for those who

Do not know you or those who have known you but have walked away. I pray, Lord, that they would turn back to you this evening, knowing that the way of the unfaithful is hard, knowing that we find rest in you. Lord, let them turn their hearts back to you this evening and put their faith and trust in you. We ask, Lord, that you would do a mighty work in us through your word. Direct us, lead us, and guide us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. The worship team is going to come up and close us in the last song.

There's going to be people up here. If you would like prayer, if you would like to commit your life to the Lord this evening, or maybe something else is on your heart, maybe you need prayer for healing. They'd love to pray with you and encourage you. But let's worship the Lord and afterwards you can come up for prayer.

Let God speak to your heart. If there's something still yet that He wants to do, be open to it. Draw close to Him. Step close to Him in this song. And He will draw close to you and work wonders in your heart. Let's worship the Lord together. We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.