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Proverbs chapter 13
(Pro 13:11)  Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. Recently the Mega millions Lottery reached a whopping $640 million at the time of the drawing.  Now the purpose of this blog isn’t to debate the lottery, but who hasn’t at one time or another sat and fantasized about winning millions and what we would do with it? I personally don’t play, not because of some conviction, I just take the approach that I won’t win anyway.  But I have thought about what I WOULD DO WITH ALL THAT MONEY!  We as Christians would in brief forget about daily trusting God and trust our money for our needs.  You may be the one that says “not me, I would be able to handle it”.  What makes you think you can defy God’s word and make it work?

Jack Whittaker won a record $314.9m Powerball jackpot in 2002. But life since then has been a long list of arrests, lawsuits, broken relationships and even death. In 2007, his then wife, Jewell admitted she wished she had ‘torn up the ticket’.  William “Bud” Post won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery in 1988. He later described the experience as a ‘nightmare’ and wishes it had never happened – who can blame him after he was sued by a former girlfriend eager to get her hands on the cash and his brother hired a hitman in the hope of inheriting the winnings. He invested in ill-fated family businesses and within a year was $1m in debt. Today he gets by on social security payments.  Janite Lee won $18 million in 1993. Her generosity in giving money to a variety of political, educational and community causes was commendable – but just eight years later she filed for bankruptcy

LET GOD BE TRUE AND EVERY MAN A LIER!

Proverbs Chapter 12

We come to the 12th chapter and fined the “virtuous woman”. This is the 2^nd time out of 3times she is mentioned in the entire Bible. The 1^st is in the book of Ruth, when the title is given to Ruth herself.  We find a gentile bride that was pulled out of the gleaning fields to be married to the Kinsman redeemer. You have to stick your head in the sand not to know she is a picture of the church.  The other time she is mentioned is a whole chapter that closes this book we are studying. For those of you that know the teaching at CHBC, you already know that there is only one interpretation to the scripture, and it is God’s. However ther is 3 basic applications (historical, prophetical, and inspirational. And when we read this verse   {Pro 12:4  A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.} We can make application to the prophetical, by looking at the church (bride of Christ) bring Glory to her husband. 

I want to take notice of the inspirational side of this verse.  We live in a world with very blurred lines. There are a lot of women running around, but very few ladies. They have lost the virtue, and quality of inner elegance.  Women are seen in movies and TV shows as very loose, without any modesty. For years women have pushed for women’s liberties, at the cost of virtue and inner beauty.  And before you go crazy and think this is a witch hunt on women and that this maybe some chauvinistic slant toward women, please understand that men are worse than pigs in today’s world, in my opinion.  We have lost our virtue in both sexes.

The verse states that when you have a wife that is virtuous, she brings pride and honor to you as her husband.  What makes women beautiful is not plastic surgery, it is not a fake body, and lot of makeup, it is elegance and virtue.  What a beautiful site to look at a couple that has stayed true to God and live according to his word for 30, 40 and even 50 years.  By that time neither has the outward looks or physical shape that was around in their youth, but they have a beauty that can’t be gained at the best plastic surgeon in all of Beverly Hills.

Virtue! It’s worth more than Gold

Proverbs Chapter 11

I didn’t even get past the 1^st verse before God spoke this morning.  Some days you dig a while, whereas others tend to just show up.

(Pro 11:1)  A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. We have all seen the balance scales, where weight is place on one side and weight on the other side to see which is heavier.  This is the school yard teeter-totter effect.  In Bible days they would place a certain weight on one side of the scale. They would predetermine the weight of that idem, hypothetically let’s say 5 pounds. Then a customer would come in to sell their barley grain, by placing it on the other side of the scales. If the 5 pound weight rose up, then they had more than 5 pounds of grain. (This is deep isn’t it?) So store owner would shave weight off his 5 pound stone to weigh less than, in order to pay less for the grain. This was known as a false balance.

We weigh things in life by different degrees and standards.  If our kids get in trouble we say things like “well they are good kids, they just made a mistake”.  But if we see another kid do the same thing we have tendency to say things like “that kid is no good, I knew they were nothing but trouble.”  Have you ever made a comment like “if that was my kid, I would…” Yet when we are in the same situation we never judge on the same scale.

This is not just in our kids, but at work, friendships, our church, and politics. We grade on a curve, based on our personal interest to the situation. GOD FORBID!

Proverbs Chapter 10

You can tell by the 1^st words of this chapter that we have moved to a new section of the book.  In this chapter we start see that the truth is revealed by contrast.  In other words Solomon will show the truth by giving you the results to the good side and then show the results to the bad side.    

(Pro 10:19-21)  In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.  The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.  The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.  You ever wonder why God gave you 1 mouth and 2 ears? With that math formula, we should talk half as much as we listen. James tells us “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”  yet we are society filled with moving mouths.  Next time you get your cell phone bill in the mail, check and see how much your running your mouth.  My grandfather was an engineer, who scolded me many times for asking questions during one of his projects on the farm. He would say “you can learn a lot more by shutting your mouth and watching how something is done.” As an adult that owns a company that does small engineering work, he words ring in my ears daily.  That doesn’t just apply in the building side, but the sales also.  If a salesman will shut up every now and then and allow the customer to speak, they will tell you exactly what they are wanting. Learn to ask the right questions then let them answer. 

My uncle, who raised me, always prepared me to be able to handle myself in a conflict that would arise in life.  He didn’t encourage fight by no means, but wouldn’t tolerate me running from one either. He said “always watch the quiet one”, “the guy running his mouth has no confidence and is try to intimidate with his words” 

Whether it’s business, a fight, or engineering, the quiet confidence is always an intimidation factor to me.  Plus the fact that most of my personal troubles in my life come from my mouth.   We talk too much!

Proverbs Chapter 9 Sorry for the delay in the posting, my schedule is jamming right now. I need a few minutes to process the information God reveals. (Pro 9:7-9) He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. As I look at these scripture, I am amazed that the wisdom and warning is not directed to the scorner or the wicked man. The warning is directed to the teacher. God is telling the one who has the knowledge and wisdom how to pass those items on to the next generation. The word scorner is referring to those who scoff at directions and instructions. Boy do we live in a world filled with that. He warns that if you try to reprove or corrected a scorner, in the end you will be the one looking dumb. The whole essence of theses scriptures is that in order to pass on the instructions to someone, you must have something to work with when you start. If you spend time trying to instruct a scorner and in the end they don’t listen then essentially you have wasted your time. We need to treat our time like an investment. We only have so much time on this earth, so don’t waste it on someone that won’t receive instructions. Time is truly the only nonrenewable resource. We need to be good investors, and know when to invest and when to walk away. Notice the warning to those that rebuke the wicked? I believe and preaching the Bible and not backing up on the truth of God, but to try to publicly rebuke the wicked sometimes, ends up with worst results. (i.e. Westboro Baptist) The Bible talks about speaking the truth in love, and some having compassion make a difference.

Proverbs Chapter 8

Today we will deal with one small verse with big impact.  (Pro 8:17)  I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. The part that rings out to is the part that God emphasis to seek him early.  Statics show us that 8 out of every 10 people saved are saved before the age of 18,  and 9 out of every 10 are saved before the age of 30. But only 1 in every 1000 are saved after the age of 30.  Yes I know that a person can be saved at any age, and that God does work in the lives of young and old, but look around at the results.  Most people get set in their ways and don’t want to change.  There must be importance placed on the youth and their spiritualty.  Many times parents say things like “he just sewing his wild oats” well don’t forget that you reap what you sew.  A lot of parents cling to scripture  like the “Prodigal Son”, well,  let me remind you that most Prodigals never make it back.

I was saved at the age of 20, and shortly after called to preach.  At the time I worked with a high school buddy of mine, who I tried to witness to multiple times.  After 2 years of urging him about relationship with Christ, inviting him to church, and showing him scripture, he turn to me and said “Corey, I am probably going to get saved one day when I settle down, get married, and have kids, but right now I am having too much fun.”  Nearly twenty years have passed and he is still without God.

When I look at our church, I am worried at the demographic that is missing. There is something about those in the twenties that seem to grasp the salvation thing , like no other.

Proverbs Chapter 7

Chapter 7 is loaded down with some prophetic application to the false religious system that damns people’s souls to hell.  Throughout mu year as Pastor, I have taught about the symbolism made in the Word of God about woman and religious systems. We see it in the fact God refers to the Nation of Israel as an adulterous women. We see in the New Testament the Church is seen as the Bride of Christ.  And in Revelation, there is the great whore who is known as Jezebel. But God has talked about that Great Whore in multiple places in the scripture, often referring to her as the “strange woman”.

Here in this chapter God clears off a good space to lay out the scene of what she is like.  He tells us she flattereth with her words, she is subtil of heart, and she has “her much fair speech she caused him to yield”.  This is the way religious systems work.  They speak with flattering words and fair speeches that as the Bible says “are smoother than oil” There may be those that say, “Corey way would you call out those systems, and judge them?”  And I would answer with  (Rom 16:17-18)  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.  Our job is to warn those that are simple and unlearned.  (Pro 7:7)  And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, …(Pro 7:22)  He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;  Like an dumb unlearned animal, people walk right up and lose their life to a system of lies and half-truths, because it seems to be right.  Don’t forget what (Pro 16:25)  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

The way to prevent those going to the spiritual slaughter house, is to go to fill them with the WORDS OF GOD! Look at (Pro 7:1-3)  My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.  Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.  Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

I always speak about a relationship with Christ, not a religion. But for argument sake, someone may want to ask, way I attend the type of church I attend.  And my answer would go back to (Pro 7:24) Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.  I know I have eternal life, because of what the scriptures say, not what a certain church, or denomination, or Church leader has to say.

Proverbs Chapter 6

We have come to Chapter 6 today in our reading of the “the book of Wisdom”.  And God doesn’t pull any punches here in the scriptures. We could focus on finical wisdom (vs. 4-11), the evilness in us (vs. 12-15) or the six things God hates (BTW count them) (vs. 16-19). But I think we will focus on verses 24-35.

God is dealing with Adultery in very plain terms. We in America have a real problem with adultery, and fornication.  Given the secretive nature of infidelity, exact figures about cheating and extra-marital affairs are nearly impossible to establish. It is estimated that roughly 30 to 60% of all married individuals (in the United States) will engage in infidelity at some point during their marriage (see, Buss and Shackelford for review of this research).  And these numbers are probably on the conservative side, when you consider that close to half of all marriages end in divorce.  Infidelity is becoming more common among people under 30.  Many experts believe this increase in cheating is due to greater opportunity (time spent away from a spouse) and young people developing the habit of having multiple sexual partners before they get married (see, young and restless – Wall Street Journal).  We live in a society that views sex as a function that 2 people do like, dancing, or eating dinner together. Meaning there isn’t any real deep connection, or event.  Just something you do.

My concern isn’t that the world is have unbridled sex. That’s what lost people do. That act on the natural or the flesh.  What is concerning is that these things happen in the Church.  How many people reading this had premarital sex as a Christian?  How many parents will turn a blind eye to their children having premarital sex? Or better yet take a daughter to the doctor to make sure see is prepared pharmaceutically? God sees adultery and fornication on the same level as Homosexuality, by calling it all an abomination.  We are quick to point out the homosexuals and want laws in place to stop it, but we take a different approach to our own sin.

As we read in (Pro 6:32-33)  But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.  A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.  God lets us know that that the reproach of adultery will not go away. A good example is to read about David. I love reading about David before2 Samuel 11, but after that even though he repents of the evil, he is never the same king as before.  This carries on with Pastors throughout the generations that had the touch of God on them, but fell in to adultery and wasted their ministry. Even though many repent, they are never the same.

How many times have you looked over at a coworker, a church member, neighbor, or friend and had a thought about them.  You say “it’s just harmless fantasy, I would never act upon it”.  Remember what verse 27 says  “Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?”

There are no harmless fantasies, that don’t focus on the spouse God gave you.  According to the scripture, “he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.”

Proverbs Chapter 5

I am back in Proverbs today with an eagerness to get more silver and hidden treasure.  There is a newness of studying the Bible when you are not trying to get through a certain amount of chapter, or trying to prepare for a sermon. Just simply sitting down with God as blank sheet of paper and seeing what he will write in your mind.

I noticed at the end of the chapter on little verse that brings much imagery in my mind.   (Pro 5:21-22)  For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.  His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.  We read that God says that our sin will eventually wrap us up, tie us down, and won’t let go.  My mind go back to movies like Indiana Jones, or Jumanji.  Where these vines wrap around their feet and drag them away.  That is SIN.  Before you realize that they are wrapped around you it is too late.  This set of scripture takes me back to a man named Sampson.  If you look at him, he is a picture of the last days Christian. He has unbelievable power, but use it for self, which ultimately he ends up tried up with the cords of his own sins.

We live in Georgia, where we have an abundance of what is known as kudzu.   Kudzu was brought in from Asia for using in the southern United States specifically to feed goats on land that had limited resources.  It is now common along roadsides and other undisturbed areas throughout most of the southeastern United States. It has been spreading at the rate of 150,000 acres annually. This kudzu will spread out around a nice solid Oak tree and slowly and silently climb up and choke the life out of it, till it comes till it ultimate death.  Just like sin in the life of a Christian. The key is to get to it early and cut it down before the damage is made. Many times even if you do cut that kudzu down off the oak tree and remove any site of the vines, the damage is already done. THIS JUST LIKE SIN.

If you have ever went to pull a vine plant away from a good plant, you know how strong that little plant can be.  What little sin is creeping up on you that will ultimately choke out your life?

Proverbs  Chapter 4

I’ve woken up this morning with the challenge to dig in till find the treasure that is promised me.  I prepared one the finest cups of coffee, sit down at the table and approached this chapter as though I have never read it before.  I realize that this chapter alone is inexhaustible, let alone the Bible as a whole.  Very refreshing to know the well that we draw from will never go dry.

As you come to the end of the chapter God lays out some things concerning our heart. And before we get to that, let me remind you that Jeremiah tells us that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” It’s always laughable when a pastor says things like, “let me tell you what is on my heart” or “if I know my heart”. Well you don’t know your heart, according to Jeremiah.  And while we are at it I would prefer you give the WORD OF GOD not what’s on your heart.

But the verses of today say…   (Pro 4:23-27)  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.  Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.  Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.  Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.  Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.  I like the word that the text uses “issues”. We use that a lot today when referring to our problems.  We say things like “I am having some issues at work” or “that guy has some issues in his life”. Here in the text God tells us that the issues (problems) that we have are generated in our heart.  He warns us to keep guard or a watch over our heart, and not to do it half heartily (no pun intended), but to be thorough.

That thoroughness starts with guarding our mouth according to the context.  How many of our issues (problems) start with the fact we say things that we shouldn’t.  The Bible makes a connection with our mouth and our heart. According to the scripture “what is in the heart will come out of the mouth”. The book of James tells us  “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain”. In other words you got issues.

The guarding of our heart continues  by focusing on our eyes.  According to Matthew  “The light of the body is the eye” Therefore we need to be careful to protect our vision, because it will change your thoughts.  (Lam 3:51)  Mine eye affecteth mine heart …  (Job 31:1)  I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?. Notices that that the eyes of Job effected his heart.

The next idem to guard is our feet. This is a reference to where you go and travel to. You can tell a lot about a person by the way they walk.  (Eph 4:17)  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,. Notice that the walk is connected to the mind (heart).  A lot of those issues are from the gossip and busy bodies that like to keep the issues going. (2Th 3:11)  For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

I don’t know what issues you and I will have today.  But as I look back at yesterday, I know that I had some issues that came from not guarding my mouth, came by not guarding my eyes, and I didn’t walk in wisdom of those that are without.