PROVERBS
12:1-14 – The Word of God shows us the way we are not to go as well as the way we are
to go. We are told that ‘the root of the righteous stands firm’ (12).
We are warned: ‘he who follows worthless pursuits has no sense’ (11). Do
you have any sense? Here’s the most sensible thing you could ever do:
Let ‘Christ dwell in your heart through faith’. Be ‘rooted and grounded
in love… the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge’. Does it make any
sense to live a life of emptiness – ‘worthless pursuits’ – when you can
be filled with all the fullness of God’? What sense is there in living a
life that amounts to nothing – ‘worthless pursuits’ – when you can have
‘His power at work within you’? There are two ways: the way of giving
‘glory to God’ and the way of ‘no sense’ (Ephesians 3:17-21). Only one
‘Way’ makes sense – Christ (John 14:6).
12:15-28 – What harm can be done by ‘reckless words’ (18).
We need to take care how we speak. As those who belong to Christ, we
have a special responsibility. We are to ‘witness’ for Him. We are to
give our ‘testimony’, declaring what He has done for us. We are to speak
of the ‘one thing’ that is more important than anything else – what the
Lord has done for us: ‘I used to be blind, but now I can see’ (John
9:25). This is what the Lord has done for us – ‘He has called us out of
darkness into His marvellous light’ (1 Peter 2:9). There is a better way
than the way of ‘lying lips’ (22). When the ‘lying tongue’ has no more
to say for itself, there will be one confession of faith which will
remain forevermore: ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’. This confession brings
‘glory’ to ‘God the Father’. Let it be your confession of faith: ‘Jesus
Christ is Lord’ (19; Philippians 2:11).
13:1-11 – ‘The light of the righteous rejoices’ (9). Jesus
is our Light. He is ‘the Light of the world’. In Him we rejoice. Through
Him, ‘we have now received reconciliation’. We are no longer walking in
darkness. We are walking in the light with Him, giving thanks to God
that ‘the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin’ (John 8:12;
Romans 5:11; 1 John 1:7). What a wonderful thing God has done for us in
Christ. He has ‘called us out of darkness into His marvellous light’.
Let us ‘declare His praises’, rejoicing in His great love, His rich
mercy and His saving grace (1 Peter 2:9; Ephesians 2:4-5). Keep on
rejoicing! There is light at the end of the tunnel – even when you have
‘to suffer grief in all kinds of trials’. Don`t lose sight of ‘the goal
of your faith’ – ‘the salvation of your souls’ (1 Peter 1:6-9).
13:12-25 – What do you do with the Word of God? How do you
respond to the Word of God? What a difference there is between those who
respect God’s Word and those who despise His Word. We have here a word
of warning – ‘He who despises the Word brings destruction on himself’ and a word of promise
– ‘he who respects the commandment will be rewarded’ (13). Those who
keep on ignoring God’s Word are putting themselves in great danger – ‘He
who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck will suddenly be broken
beyond healing’ (29:1). Those who take God’s Word seriously will find
‘great reward’ – God’s Word ‘revives the soul’, ‘makes wise the simple’,
‘rejoices the heart’ and ‘enlightens the eyes’. May your heart often
meditate on His Word. May your mouth often speak His Word (Psalm
19:11,7-8,14).
14:1-19 – ‘A perverse man will be filled with the fruit of
his ways, and a good man with the fruit of his deeds’ (14). Jesus speaks
to us about ‘good fruit’ and ‘bad fruit’. He warns us not to be
deceived by those who have no real love for Him: ‘You will know them by
their fruits’ (Matthew 7:15-20). How does good fruit grow in the ‘tree’
of our lives? – ‘Blessed is the man… whose delight is in the law of the
Lord… He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its
fruit in its season’ (Psalm 1:1-3). There is good fruit to be enjoyed
when we take delight in the Word of the Lord. There is bad fruit to be
thrown away. Let’s throw away the bad fruit – ‘…strife, jealousy, anger,
selfishness…’ – and enjoy the good fruit – ‘love, joy, peace…’. Let
‘the fruit of the Spirit’grow in you – ‘be filled with the Spirit’
(Galatians 5:19-24; Ephesians 5:18).
14:20-35 – ‘Righteousness lifts up a nation, but sin is a
disgrace in any society’ (34). Our nation can flourish again – by the
preaching of God’s Word and the praising of God’s Name. Times of
blessing can come again – if we will listen to God’s Word and
sing His praise. Times of blessing will not come if we refuse to listen
to the Lord, if we will not worship Him. We are living in difficult
times – ‘dark powers are poised to flood our streets with hate and
fear’. We must learn to see things as God sees them – ‘You stand
appalled to see Your laws of love so scorned and lives so broken. Pray
for mercy – ‘Have mercy, Lord’. Pray for revival – ‘Revive Your Church
again’. Pray that Christ’s ‘glorious Cross shall tower triumphant in
this land’. Pray that ‘righteousness’ will flow ‘like a never-failing
stream’ (Mission Praise, 509).
15:1-33 – ‘The path of life leads upward for the wise’ (24).
The wisdom which leads upward is centred on Christ. He is the Way to
the ‘Father’s House’ (John 14:2-3,6). ‘Better is a little with the fear
of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it’ (17). Jesus teaches
us the way to live wisely: ‘lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven’
(Matthew 6:20) – ‘I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather
be His than have riches untold…’ (Mission Praise, 319).
‘The lips of the wise spread knowledge’ (7). Christ is our Wisdom (1
Corinthians 1:30). We must not keep Him to ourselves. Share Him with
others. Let people know that Jesus is your Saviour. Let them know that
He is your Lord. Don’t just ‘believe in your heart’. ‘Confess with your
lips that Jesus is Lord’ (Romans 10:9). Your words will help others to
find Him.
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