PROVERBS 142006 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Proverbs 14

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2006.

Here we are in Proverbs chapter 14. Now, as we get started, I want to take you back down memory lane just for a little bit. Not quite in the same way that Will did, but if you remember, back when you were young, and by young I mean you were a child, and there was always that one game that was there, if you remember, back at Chuck E. Cheese or wherever you went, and

It was the game that was torturous to any young child because it was never quite, you know, you were never quite able to beat it. You were never quite able to do it. And it was that dumb game that was kind of usually off in the corner and had those, you know, the six different holes in it. And out would pop these gophers or these moles, whatever you would call them. And you have this big mallet, right? But you're a kid, right?

And they make this mallet so heavy. So you can't just like, you know, boom, boom, boom, boom. You know, you're like trying to balance it and you can't hold it upright. And it's, you know, making you fall to and fro and all over the place. And you're trying to hit these moles with this mallet and try to win this game. And they're popping up all over the place.

Well, I bring that up because many times you might understand this feeling as you relate that to a struggle in the Christian walk, a struggle really against our sinful nature and against our flesh. You know, just when you think you got that one issue taken care of, boom, out pops another one. And so you begin to focus on that. But then once you hit that one, then another one pops up and you begin to focus on that and you hit that one and then another.

The first one pops up again, the same thing you thought you already took care of and now you're having to deal with it again.

And that's one of the reasons why I appreciate the book of Proverbs. You know, as we go verse by verse and the subject changes each verse, it's always a different thing. It helps us to deal with the variety of struggles that we face each day. All those moles or gophers or whatever they are that pop up in the different ways in different places and the things that we struggle with. And many of the subjects are repeated. They pop up over and over again.

Because we deal with them repeatedly in our lives as well. And just like that kid with the heavy mallet trying to hit those things, Solomon in these Proverbs, he gives us these one-liners that we're able to have...

in a sense, a light hammer to deal with these things where we can quickly and easily apply God's word to our situation and effectively eliminate the problem or get us back on track with the Lord. And that's what the book of Proverbs is all about. And so let's start it off. Proverbs chapter 14, verse 1 says this.

The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands. Now, throughout the book of Proverbs, we've been talking about the wise and the foolish. We've been talking about wisdom, which I've shared with you are defined as following God's recipe for life, taking God's instruction and putting them into action, living out God's word. And so this specific verse is for you ladies.

He says, ladies, if you want to build your house, then follow God's instructions. If you follow his instructions, you follow his recipe for life. If you put his word into practice, you will be building your house. But if you are disobedient to God, then what you'll be doing is tearing down your house with your own hands. And that's important to note because God's commands, his word,

Is for our good. He doesn't just say it just so that we do what he wants us to do, but it's for your benefit and so that you will be blessed. If you are obedient, your house will become established. You'll be building your house. But if you disobey God, the results will be the ruin of your house. Do you want your house to be established? Quit fighting God and just be obedient to him. Verse two.

He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him. He who is or sorry, he who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, but he is perverse in his ways despises him. The fear of the Lord is one of the subjects that comes up very often in the book of Proverbs. We see it a few times this evening in this chapter as well.

When you think about fear, you look at a person and you cannot usually tell what they fear by looking at them. I mean, you wouldn't think that Cisco would be afraid of all of the things that he's afraid of by looking at him, would you?

You know, but when you're in a situation where they face that fear, it becomes very evident. Last night, my wife and I were, we had a dinner engagement with George and Patty, and we had to go to this place that was kind of up in the hills. And so we go and meet them, and George is driving. We're going through these windy things up and down and all over the place. And we get there, and the parking is on this kind of flat surface, and we're like,

on top of a hill. And so you're, you know, just kind of a little area where there's a horse corral and, and on the, you know, the edge of the parking lot is just, you know, descent. It's just a sudden drop. And so they, they pull us in there and they say, okay, what we're doing is we're backing up all the cars. And so, you know, we're in there and George begins to back up into the place. And that's when I learned that Patty is afraid of heights because she started freaking out and, you know, we're backing up. She's thinking we're going down the hill and,

So you can't usually tell what a person fears by looking at them. But then I started thinking about it, looking at Patty. I should have known that she was afraid of heights because she's about this high. Patty knows I love her and she'll listen to the CD and she'll laugh. The fear of the Lord. Do you fear the Lord or do you despise him? Solomon says, he who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is perverse in his ways despises.

despises him. Your attitude towards the Lord is shown by how you live. It's shown by the way that you respond as you are in situations with opportunities to do what is right or to do what is wrong. It becomes evident if you fear the Lord or not. When no one is watching, if you think you can get away with it, will you still do what is right?

And that is the evidence of if you fear the Lord or despise him. If your walk is straight, if you're upright and you do things right, then you know that you fear the Lord. But if you do not, don't be deceived and think that you fear the Lord. In fact, by your life, you show that you despise him. And that's something to take into consideration and take very seriously.

Verse three, and the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, but the lips of the wise will preserve them. Now, the rod in the book of Proverbs always speaks of punishment or correction. In fact, the New International Version translates the verse this way. A fool's talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.

Pride is evident in the speech of a foolish person. And in the end, that pride will bring punishment and correction to them. But the wise person, in contrast, however, he will be the one who follows God's recipe for life.

whose speech isn't cause for punishment, but instead their speech is their protection. Again, live life God's way because that's what's best for you. Don't boast or gossip or speak slanderously. Don't be a fool. You're just going to bring correction and punishment to yourself. But speak what is good and what builds up others, what imparts grace, as Paul tells us in Ephesians 4, verse 29.

Verse four, where no oxen are, the trough is clean, but much increase comes by strength or

of an ox. This is one of those proverbs. I just love the picture that it paints here. If you want increase, you're going to have to expect some mess because if there's no oxen, if there's no cattle in the barn, there's not going to be any mess. But if you're going to want to produce and if you're going to want to increase, well, you're going to need the cattle. You're going to need the oxen. And so you must then as well expect some mess. You know, you have to examine your priorities. If your goal is for a clean trough,

then don't have any oxen or don't have any children, whichever you want to take that as. If your goal is to increase, then don't expect a clean trough. And the point is to think through your decisions. Count the cost of what you're going to do in the life that you are living. Verse five, a faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness will utter lies. Verse

This is a straightforward proverb, pretty simple. A false witness doesn't lie, but a...

I'm sorry, a faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness will utter lies. The faithful witness does not lie. And I like how Proverbs just says it straight out like that. It's not, you know, limited to a certain subject or limited to a certain thing. When you think of a witness, automatically I think of a witness, someone giving an account of something that happened or someone giving an account or testifying in a courtroom. But

Solomon is not limiting the fact that they lie or not to their testimony regarding that specific thing, regarding what they saw, regarding their testimony in a courtroom. But just overall, a faithful witness does not lie, not just in one subject or another, but in all areas, a faithful witness does not lie. I think it's important to consider for Christians.

Since we're called to be witnesses for Christ and in all areas, we must speak the truth. Ephesians chapter four makes that very clear for us. What kind of witness for Jesus Christ are you? A faithful witness or a false witness? Verse six, a scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it. But knowledge is easy to him who understands. Now, that word scoffer refers to one who mocks and ridicules.

A scoffer is not able to obtain wisdom. They can't grasp hold of it. They cannot understand it because wisdom comes from God. We learned that back in chapter two of Proverbs, verse six, where it tells us that the Lord gives wisdom from his mouth, come knowledge and understanding, knowledge, understanding, wisdom. They all come from God. And so the scoffer is not able to obtain those. Those who mock and ridicule those who have a haughty attitude, they don't.

Should not expect wisdom. If you have a haughty attitude and you mock and ridicule, you shouldn't expect to have the wisdom of God and to know how to live rightly. But if you humble yourself and receive instruction, knowledge comes easy. If you want wisdom, God has made it so simple. It's simply by humbling ourselves and receiving instruction. It's available for all of us.

If we would just simply receive from God through his word, his recipe, his principles for life. Verse seven, go from the presence of a foolish man when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. Now, as I gave you the example at the beginning of that game where you try to whack the mole, the moles would pop up in the same place very often and

In our lives as well, we find themes and things that we have to deal with. And so Proverbs deals with those things over and over again. This is one of those things. It's a common theme in Proverbs. We looked at it last week as well in Proverbs chapter 13, verse 20, which says that he who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.

You and I are called to be set apart. And so Solomon says, go from the presence of a foolish man. You're not to hang out there in their presence and to spend time in their presence alone.

Proverbs chapter 12, verse 26 tells us to choose our friends carefully. Be careful who you choose to be your friend. Be careful who you choose to spend your time with. Don't spend your time with those who will lead you astray, but instead spend your time with those who will build you up. Don't spend time, Solomon says, in the presence of the foolish and the wicked.

In the presence of those who do not walk with God. Now we are called to be a light and we are called to share and to love and to minister.

But that is the giving out and the reaching out. But when we are receiving, those who we receive from in our lives, we need to choose very carefully. Don't be around those who do not walk with God in the sense that you receive from them instruction, encouragement, advice. You need to be around those who walk with God, who will share with you the word of God, who will give you truth from God's word about how you should live and how you should walk.

Verse 8. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit. You ever have one of your parents ask you, you know, why'd you do that? And your answer was, I don't know. I don't know why I did that. And for...

For us, many times that's the case. Solomon says you need to understand your way. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand your way. But the folly of fools is deceit. The wise thing for you and I to do is to consider what we are doing and why we do it. And this is one of the ways that obedience to God really does set us free. You know, sometimes we think of obedience to God and we think it's burden and laws and rules and regulations and what a drag.

But really, obedience to God sets us free because disobedience to God keeps us bound in deception. The folly of fools is deceit. We are easily deceived and there's no way of changing that on our own. We will always be deceived. Jeremiah chapter 17 verse 9. I quote it very often, but it's so important. It says that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?

Notice the words, the heart is deceitful above all things.

That means the primary characteristic of your heart and my heart is that it's deceitful. Not that it's loving or caring or good or no, it's deceitful. And we need to know and understand that our hearts primarily, first and foremost, are deceitful above all things more than anything else. And so to trust in our heart, our feelings, our emotions is foolish and we won't understand our way.

We need to give consideration based upon the word of God to what we do, why we do it, when we do it, how we do it. We need to let God govern our lives. Verse nine, fools mock at sin, but among the upright, there is favor. What is your attitude towards sin?

Some translations say that fools mock at making amends for sin or correcting sin or making restitution for sin. What is your attitude towards sinful activity or correcting it or making amends for it? If you boast about sin or if you laugh at it or if you treat it lightly or think nothing of it, Solomon says you're a fool. Fools mock at sin.

But among the upright, those who are on the up and up and do what's right, they find favor. If you want to be blessed, again, if you want to have an abundant life, then live life God's way. Hate sin and walk in right relationship with God and you will find favor. You will be blessed. Verse 10. There are many things in a... Oh, no. That's my notes. That's not the verse. Verse 10. Verse 10.

I guess I needed a little humility there. The heart knows its own bitterness and a stranger does not share its joy. The heart knows its own bitterness. There are many things in your life and in my life that we cannot understand from each other's perspective. There's emotions that are too deep or too high to be expressed. Joy is too great and sorrows and bitterness too great.

Many times we try to comfort someone that is going through a rough time, you know, saying, I understand what you are going through, but we need to be careful with that. Many times when we say that, you know, we might be trying to imagine what that situation would feel like, or maybe we have a good idea if we have gone through something similar. But the heart knows its own bitterness and its own joy. It's very difficult to really understand what another person is going through.

We can kind of relate based on similar circumstances or putting ourselves in their situation. But you know, the great thing is, even though you and I cannot really experience each other's emotions, God does know. Even though...

The heart knows its own bitterness, but God knows it as well. And he has experienced it. Hebrews chapter 2, verses 17 and 18. The author of Hebrews tells us, In all things he, talking about Jesus, had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered, being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted."

The first part of that says that he had to be made in all things like his brethren. At all points, he was tested and yet was perfect. But he experienced and he knows the emotions and the feelings, the bitterness and the joy that you are going through. And so no matter what you're going through, even if you feel all alone, know that God knows what you're going through and he cares. He has experienced it and cares.

It was for the point in verse 18 that he is able to help those who are tempted, help those who are going through it. Jesus makes himself available to you. He says, cast your cares upon me because I care for you. And so no matter what you're going through and no matter if anybody else can relate or not, he can. And he asks you to come close to him and he draws close to you that you would be able to do so. Verse 11 says,

Take a moment just to enjoy and appreciate the contrast here. I love the contrasts that are in Proverbs. He talks about the house of the wicked and the tent of the upright. Now, if you think about a house versus a tent, houses are permanent. They have a foundation. They're built to last. And

And we could go on and on. They're permanent structures, but tents are the opposite. They're temporary. They have no foundation, maybe stakes in the ground at the most, but that's about it. They're just meant to serve for a time. You know, hopefully, if you're lucky, just a day or two before you get back into the house. But tents are temporary. They're not meant to last or to be a very long time.

Solomon says, the house of the wicked will be overthrown. So here's the wicked and they have these permanent structures

And though they build permanent houses to do their best to establish themselves, Solomon says they will be overthrown. You cannot outwit or outrun God. You cannot beat the system. The wages of sin is death and destruction. Try to establish yourself in sin. You will still be overthrown. But the righteous, here's the righteous, though many times the righteous don't have the structure, the stability, the foundation, right?

physically speaking in this world we're talking about, they just have tents. They don't have much else. God will bless them and they will flourish. Their temporary structures will be blessed and will flourish far beyond the permanent structures of the wicked. And you get to choose which one you want to be, the righteous or the wicked.

To be overthrown or to be blessed and to flourish. It's your choice by the way that you walk and your relationship with God. Verse 12. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. As we saw earlier, we cannot trust our hearts. And so there's things...

That seem right to us. There's these ways that seem right to us, but the reality is that they end in death. We think we know it's right. We think we have it all figured out, but we do not. And we cannot. Only God knows. In Isaiah chapter 55...

Isaiah tells us to seek the Lord while he may be found. Why must we seek the Lord? Well, in verses 8 and 9, God says, here's why you should seek me. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are my ways your ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God says, here's why you should seek me. Because if you rely upon your understanding and your heart, you're going to find that it leads to death. But if you will seek me and allow me to give you my ways, you'll find they're higher than the heavens are above the earth. You can't understand my ways. You can't grasp my ways on your own. You can only receive them from me.

And that's why, again, we must come to God and receive His Word and allow Him to speak to us. Because the ways that seem right to us will lead to death. Verse 13, Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, and the end of mirth may be grief. Have you ever experienced this? Laughing on the outside, but really there's sorrow and crying within. It's important lessons to be learned here. Don't assume that someone is okay with

Just because they're laughing. You know, if there's something going on, there can still be great sorrow within. And so if God has put someone on your heart, but then you see them laughing, don't just assume that it was for nothing that God put them on your heart. There may still be the crying and the sorrow within. Also, for someone who's not walking with God, you can know for a fact beyond a shadow of a doubt.

If you're a Christian, think back and remember to the emptiness that was there in a life without God. That is how everyone feels. That emptiness, that sorrow, that void is how every person feels without God in their lives. And they might be laughing and they might laugh it off and they might make lots of jokes and seem like they're great. But inside, no, beyond a shadow of a doubt, we are empty, hopeless, without God.

And what we really desire is relationship with God. And so even in laughter, the heart may sorrow, the end of mirth may be grief. And know that God is there to meet those needs and minister to that sorrow underneath that we're afraid to show. Verse 14, "...the backslider and heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above."

A backslider, I like how H.A. Ironside defined a backslider. He said it's one who has given up ground once taken for God. It's one who's given up ground whose God has delivered them or given them victory or done some powerful and mighty work. And then the person has relinquished that and given that back over to the enemy and is no longer walking alone.

Those ways. Those areas of your heart where God has set you free and where he's delivered you. It's like what I asked on Sunday. Are there areas that God has delivered you from but that you found yourself involved in again? It's called backsliding. Relinquishing that to the enemy. And you need to get back right with the Lord. If we backslide, Solomon says, we'll be filled with our own ways. Now,

Looking back at Isaiah 55, knowing that His ways are as high above ours as the heavens are above the earth. We need to know that if we're filled with our own ways, it's full of dead men's bones, destruction, death, and decay. We need to be filled from above. The backslider in heart will be filled in his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above. If we try to live life on our own,

Having those areas surrendered back to the enemy and not given over to God, we will be filled with our own ways which are not fulfilling, which cannot satisfy. But if we stay surrendered to the Lord, we will be filled and satisfied by him and we'll have abundant life. Verse 15. The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well.

His steps. This is another theme that continues to pop up throughout the book of Proverbs. We saw it in verse 8 already this evening. But it's important. Do you consider well your steps? Do you pay attention carefully?

To how you walk. Do you choose to walk that way on purpose? The way that you respond to the situations at work or in your family or on the freeway. Do you consider well your steps? Why you do that? Why you drive that way or respond with that tone? Do you consider well your actions that you take and the steps that you make?

The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps. Do you think about the long term? What direction your life is headed in? Do you consider well each decision and where it will lead you to? Solomon says, don't believe every word, but instead examine it by the word of God. Consider it well. Following the example of the Bereans in Acts chapter 17, verse 11.

tells us that the Bereans were more noble than the Thessalonians. Paul was there preaching the gospel. The Apostle Paul. We read his books in the New Testament. We're studying through them. It's incredible. He's a phenomenal man of God. And yet these guys, the Bereans, were commended. They were more noble because they heard from Paul and then they examined for themselves in the scriptures to see whether or not it was from God and it was the truth. We need to follow that example. Consider, well, don't just believe every word.

But take what is given to you from this pulpit, from your friends or family or whoever gives you instruction or whoever gives you counsel and take it, examine it by the word of God and allow God to speak to you and verify that it is the truth. Verse 16, a wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident. A wise man fears and departs.

Notice the word departs. To depart from something, you have to be there. The wise man fears and departs from evil. Every single one of us, believers or not, whether you're walking with God or not, every one of us will face sin. We will deal with sin. As Christians, we stumble and we fall into sin. And we will struggle with sin until our very last breath. But the way that we deal with sin is

is so important. It's extremely important. The way that we respond shows our heart and whether or not we fear the Lord, whether or not we are concerned about what he thinks. A wise person fears the Lord and departs from that sin and does not continue in that sin. But a fool says, I can handle it or it's not that big of a deal. I've got it under control. I can stop whenever I want.

God will forgive me. That's what the fool says. But the wise person says, I'm departing. I'm leaving. I'm not going back to that. We need to learn that to deal severely with sin in our lives.

In Matthew chapter five, Jesus taught us this very strongly. He said, look, if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you, for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you, for it is more profitable that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

That is the fear of the Lord. Not that we are to physically harm ourselves, but that we are to have that attitude towards sin in our life. And whatever it is that's in our life that causes us to sin, we need to cut it out, deal with it severely. Get it out of your life. Fear and depart from evil. But a fool rages and is self-confident. If you're confident in yourself, you can handle it. You've got it under control. It's not a big deal. You're a fool.

Get it out of your life. Fear God and honor him first and foremost. Verse 17. A quick tempered man acts foolishly and a man of wicked intentions is hated. This proverb is not showing a contrast, but instead two things that are both bad. First, if you're quick tempered.

Solomon says, know that you are going to act foolishly. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly. Now, we would like to think, as Will was explaining to us earlier, that there's really nothing we can do about it if we're quick-tempered. It's just how we are. It's how we've grown up. You know, I'm Irish. I've got my father's temper, whatever. Anything, as long as it's not our fault. But the Bible does not go by that standard. Instead, it commands us to be patient, to be long-suffering, and still kind.

First Corinthians chapter 13, the love that you and I are commanded to have. It's not easily angered. It's long suffering. James 119. James says, so then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath. It's a command. You and I are to be obedient to it, which means we can be obedient to it. We're not bound to that nature, to that past, that history, that upbringing. God wants to deal with those things.

outbursts of wrath in your life. He also talks about wicked intentions. And if you're always trying to manipulate things, if you have wicked intentions, Solomon says, know that you'll be hated. It's not going to work out for good. Even if, you know, the end doesn't justify the means, a person of wicked intentions will be hated. Verse 18, the simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

The simple, they're talked about all throughout the book of Proverbs. It's a type of person who believes everything, who doesn't give thought to their ways, who does not foresee evil, just continues on, does not think for themselves and evaluate it based on the word of God. And if that's how you live, the simple will inherit folly. Just more foolishness and more foolishness farther and farther away from God. But the prudent, those who consider well their ways, those who have understanding, those who foresee evil and depart from it,

They will have the crown of knowledge. They will be crowned with knowledge and wisdom and understanding. Verse 19, The evil will bow before the good and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

Now, this is a good promise to hold on to because this is one of those things that we do not necessarily see fulfilled in our lifetime. The evil do not always bow before the good in this life. It's not like the movies where good always wins in the end. Sometimes the evil, the wicked live prosperous and successful lives.

And so we can hold on to this promise that the evil will bow before the good. Now, in Psalm 73, you can check that out on your own time. There is a man who wrote this psalm that was struggling with the same thing, with the wicked that were prospering in this life. And he says, he comes to the conclusion, he remembers their end as he goes into the sanctuary of the Lord. We look for justice in eternity, not in this life. Verses 20 and 21.

The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, but the rich has many friends. He who despises his neighbor's sins, but he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he. In this world system that we live in, we are caught up in materialism.

This is the attitude. The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, but the rich has many friends. It's like the story, if you remember, of the prodigal son that Jesus talks about in Luke chapter 15 and how the son asked for the inheritance from his father and he receives this large sum of money. He goes out and just has a great time in the world, has many friends. But then after some time, his inheritance is spent. He's out of money.

All of his so-called friends depart. He's all by himself. He finds himself serving the pigs, desiring even to eat from them because nobody would help them. There was no real friends. They were just there for the money. The rich has many friends. You know, we can praise God that even when the rest of the world hates us, our Father is there with open arms, just like the story of the prodigal son.

And we can always go to him. He's there with open arms to receive us, to love us. He cares for us dearly. James gives us some strong warnings about showing preference to the rich and having this attitude, showing a difference between the poor and the rich. James says in chapter two, he says, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with partiality.

For if one should come into your assembly, a man with gold rings and fine apparel, and there should also come a poor man in filthy clothes. And you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, hey, you sit here in this good place in this front row. This is all the rich people right here. No, I'm just kidding.

But you sit here in this place and you pay attention to them and the poor man, you say, hey, sit here, sit in the back, sit at my footstool where it's a place of shame and not importance. James says, if you show partiality like that, you've become judges with evil thoughts. If you and I judge people based on the wealth or the riches or their status or anything like that, it's partiality, James says. It's evil, it's wrong, and it's sin.

Rich or poor, we are to love people the same because that is how God loves them. It's not based on what we see. Verse 22. Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good. If you plan and plot evil, Solomon says, you will go astray. You need to know that if you plan and plot evil, if you're involved in sin, it doesn't just...

Kind of keep you in neutral and you're just sitting there and there's a sin going on. But what sin does and evil does in our hearts is it corrupts us more and more. And the more we're involved in sin, the more it corrupts us and the more it leads us astray. And so we always think, you know, well, I can just deal with it and then I'll repent and then I'll come back. But the problem is you do not know. You're not guaranteed that your heart will be in a state where you're ready to repent when the time comes that you need to.

You don't know where your heart will be because corruption adds to corruption and becomes more and more corrupt. Do you not know that those who devise evil go astray? But if you want mercy and truth in your life, devise good, figure out ways to do good, to bless others, to minister to others, then mercy and truth will be a part of your life. Verse 23, In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty.

All labor is profitable, Solomon says. It's all profit. It affects something. There's some gain involved. Whenever you're exerting energy, working hard, there's profit. You're accomplishing something. But idle chatter is the opposite. Idle chatter is mere talk. Talk that doesn't mean anything, that doesn't do anything. It's just talking without actually carrying anything out.

And mere talk accomplishes nothing and leads to poverty. Just ask your boss. Profitable labor or idle chatter. Verse 24. The crown of the wise is their riches, but the foolishness of fools is folly. The crown of the wise, the product or the glory of the wise is their riches. Now, we're not talking about riches in this life necessarily, but eternal riches necessarily.

The product of wisdom is riches. Those who live life according to God's principles will be given the crown of righteousness, the Bible tells us. There's riches and treasures stored up for us in heaven as we live life the way that God has called us to. But the best that fools can produce, the best that foolishness produces is folly. More foolishness.

And again, corruption becomes more and more corrupt. Foolishness leads to more and more foolishness. And so we must depart from it, turn from foolishness and be obedient to God. Walk with God and allow him to speak to your life through his word. Verse 25, a true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies. Again, we see the subject of a witness, a

In 2 Corinthians 5, verses 18-21, Paul tells us that God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. He's given to us the ministry of telling people and teaching people that God wants a relationship with them and that he died on the cross for them and paid the price for their sins so that they could come to him and receive grace and mercy so that you could come and find forgiveness and relationship with God.

We're called to be witnesses. A true witness delivers souls, Solomon says. Does that describe you? There's a saying that says, always witness. Use words if necessary. The way that you live your life is to be a witness to who God is and what he has done. But a deceitful witness speaks lies. Again, the subject of lies and the importance of us to speak the truth and to be honest and to do what's right.

I read this story, a quick story. It's a road rage incident that happened. I don't think it actually happened, but it's just a funny story. An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the traffic light turned yellow just in front of him. The man did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hit the roof, then the horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection. You ever had that happen? I've seen plenty of those people in my area of view, Mary. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit the car with her hands in the air. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

After a couple hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the Choose Life license plate holder, the What Would Jesus Do bumper sticker, the Follow Me to Sunday School bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. And naturally, I assumed that you had stolen the car. Be a good witness for Jesus. Use words if necessary. Verse 26 and 27.

In the fear of the Lord, there is strong confidence and his children will have a place of refuge.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to turn one away from the snares of death. Again, we see the subject of the fear of the Lord. You know, the fear of the Lord is the most valuable thing that you can have on this earth. The fear of the Lord, it's the beginning of wisdom. It turns us away from evil. It's our strong confidence and it gives us life and keeps us from death. You need to fear the Lord. You need to honor him and revere him.

You need to be more concerned about him and what he thinks than anyone else, including yourself. You need to be loyal to him above everyone else. You need to stand firm in obedience to Jesus Christ. Fear the Lord and you will be blessed. You will have strong confidence. You don't have to live life all freaked out. As a child of God, he will be a refuge for you. He will give you abundant life and keep you from death.

Fear God and keep his commandments. That is wisdom. Verse 28. In a multitude of people is a king's honor, but in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince. A multitude of people speaks of a good king who is well protected and provided for his subjects, but a prince has no people speaks of a prince who has not been a good leader, who has not done well for his subjects. The title is

There's nothing if there's no following. Verse 29. He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly. Solomon comes back again to whack the anger mole. Here it comes up again. We must learn to be slow to wrath and to not respond impulsively.

In Galatians chapter 5 verses 19 through 21, Paul talks about all of the works of the flesh, of our sinful nature, and he says they're evident. He starts out saying, you know, they're adultery and fornication, uncleanness and lewdness. He goes on, but one of the list is outbursts of wrath. And then he goes on with murder and drunkenness and revelries. And he ends by saying those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Outbursts of wrath, it's not acceptable to God.

We need to be slow to anger. He gives us everything that we need to do so. He wants us to deal with it. He wants to set us free from it. By walking in the spirit, you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5 verse 30. A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.

Envy will destroy you. Envy and bitterness, they go hand in hand and they literally will eat your life away. It causes your bones to rot, Solomon says, which is not a good picture. So the key is to have a sound heart or a healthy heart, to be content with who God has made you to be and what he has given to you. Be content to love him and serve him, to worship him, and you will have life. Verse 31 says,

He who oppresses the poor reproaches his maker, but he who honors him has mercy on the needy. He who oppresses the poor reproaches his maker. I would encourage you, when you have some time, to look up Matthew chapter 25, verses 31 through 46. Jesus talks about the separation of the people, and he says in verse 40, talking about those who...

ministered to the poor and the needy. He says, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these, my brethren, you did it to me. You did it to me. If you did it to them, you did it to me. Here Solomon says, he who oppresses the poor reproaches his maker. The next time you're tempted to hurt someone, remember that God made them and loves them. And you are doing that to him. And that you did it to the least of these, his brethren, his creation, his beloved.

You've done it unto him. Husbands and wives, think about that in the way that you treat one another. Verse 32, the wicked is banished in his wickedness, but the righteous has a refuge in his death. Again, the eternal perspective, considering the end of our lives, the wicked will be banished. The Bible does not warn for no reason. There really is a hell. There really is an eternal judgment waiting for those who do not have relationship with God.

The wicked is banished in his wickedness. Depart from wickedness. Turn from evil and do good. The righteous has refuge in his death. For the righteous, eternal life is waiting. It's a refuge even in death. Jesus says, if you believe in me, you will never die. You have eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ. Eternal hope, eternal rest in him. Verse 33. Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding. But what is in the heart of fools is made known.

We talked about this last week, too. Fools just speak their mind and their heart without thinking. But wisdom is to be slow to speak, to let wisdom rest in your heart. And don't be so quick to blurt out what's on your mind and what you're thinking. But take time and meditate and speak when God prompts you to speak. Verse 34, righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

Righteousness exalts a nation and that is why this nation has been exalted and has been so blessed. Our founding fathers made us stand for the things of God and God has exalted us and blessed us. But we must take into consideration sin is a reproach to any people. As we go farther and farther from the things of God, as we go more and more in sin and it's already there, reproach is brought to that people. We need to be praying.

We need to repent. 2 Chronicles 7.14. Check it out. Spend time before God. Verse 35. The last verse of chapter 14. The king's favor is toward a wise servant, but his wrath is against him who causes shame. So be wise. Follow the principles of God and walk with him. Live life according to his principles. It talks about the king and we would...

Apply that in a physical place, the government that is established. But you know, spiritually as well, God's favor is toward a wise servant, but his wrath is against him who causes shame. We need to make sure where we stand with the Lord, to walk in his principles and have right relationship with him. It's not about works, but it's about coming to him and receiving what he has done for us and allowing him to make the changes that he wants to make in our hearts.

You know, we covered a wide array of topics this evening, a wide variety of things that God has been dealing with. These moles that are popping out in our lives all over the place. But I read something interesting this week in the book of Ezekiel, chapter two, verse two. I want to just share this with you and close with it. In Ezekiel, chapter two, verse two, Ezekiel is there before the Lord.

And God begins to speak to him. And then in verse two, it says, then the spirit entered me when he spoke to me and set me on my feet. And I heard him who spoke to me and just ministered to my heart. It happens again in chapter three, verse 24, where he says, the spirit entered me and he set me on my feet and he spoke to me. And as we talk about all of these things in the book of Proverbs,

There's a need for us to understand. It's not that we can take these principles of God and then just automatically do them. But we need the Spirit of God. And when God speaks to us about these areas, when we allow His Spirit to minister to us, then He sets us on our feet. He sets us and He establishes us and He gives us everything that we need to do it, to stand.

And to do what he's called us to do. And then we can hear him. God spoke, but it wasn't until the Spirit entered that Ezekiel was able to hear him. And God has been speaking this evening through his word. But I want to take just a moment and ask you, are you filled with the Spirit? Are you in a place where you can hear God speaking, where he can set you on your feet in these areas that he wants to work?

The worship team is going to come up and close us in one last song. And I want to encourage you to meditate on these things that we've been talking about. And maybe there's an area where God is speaking to you. And I would ask that you would spend time. Ask God to fill you with the spirit that you might stand, that you might hear what he is speaking to you and that you might be obedient to all that he puts upon your heart. After the song, there'll be guys up here. And if you need prayer, maybe about that thing that's on your heart or anything else.

Maybe if you need to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, don't leave this place without a relationship with Him. Again, the Bible does not warn us needlessly. It really does matter if we have a walk with God and how we live. Let's worship the Lord and ask His Spirit, invite His Spirit to be a part of our hearts that we might stand and hear from Him. And then afterwards, you'll be dismissed.

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.