Spoken Word (Proverbs 15:23)

The Bible has so much to say about words. Words are those things in life that can be very harmful or extremely uplifting.

"A man has joy in making an apt answer, and a word spoken at the right moment, how good it is!" Proverbs 15:23, Amplified

Very few times do the Scriptures in Proverbs focus on just one aspect of the human condition. Here we find out more about the words spoken by a man and not necessarily the man himself. Two things are covered in this verse. First, there is great joy in having the right answer. At any stage of life this truth can be found to be evident. Go to any grade school where the teacher is asks the students a question. When the student answers correctly, the elation on his or her face is evident. Even in the work place when the boss posses a problem that warrants a solution and the employee has the solution that the employer is looking for.

Secondly, a word spoken in due time, or at the correct moment is very good. I know I have had a problem in the past speaking out the wrong thing at the wrong time, trying to be funny, but ending up hurting more than anything else. But there are those times, when I did shine, and there are those times when I do shine. The Bible never commands us to encourages others through deed. Actions are examples. Encouragement comes from words spoken. Comfort comes from words spoken. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, sining with grace with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Colossians 3:16, NKJV) Spoken word. "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let hi sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call the elders of the church, and let him pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." (James 5:13-14, NKJV) All things that need a physical voice. The Christian is truly powerless without the spoken word.

Godly Counsel (Proverbs 15:22)

It is important to get advice from different people. When the heart is unsure, counsel from others eases doubt.

"Where there is no counsel, purposes are frustrated, but with many counselors they are accomplished." Proverbs 15:22, Amplified

A man can never know everything that there is to know concerning certain situations. This is why the Bible encourages us to seek out counsel from church leadership and family and fiends, but that counsel needs to be godly. When ever I read this verse, I am reminded of a passage of Scripture. After Solomon died, his son Rehoboam came into power and the people stated that his father made things very difficult and they wanted to know what he was going to do. The people said, "Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you." (First Kings 12:4, NKJV) Rehoboam consulted the elders. These were the same men that gave his father advice. They said, "If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever." (First Kings 12:7, NKJV) Rehoboam rejected this counsel then asked his friends how he should address the people. "My little finger will be thicker than my father's waist! And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!" (First Kings 12:10c-11, NKJV)

It was because of the lack of following godly counsel that Rehoboam essentially gave up the kingdom. Because he chose to follow the counsel of his friends, the kingdom was split in two. The ten northern kingdoms never had a godly king, whereas the two southern kingdoms suffered under evil kings, but prospered under godly kings. All this because of the lack of godly counsel.

Circumspect Walk (Proverbs 15:21)

Anyone who is not saved enjoys the sin they commit. It is when one really gives his (or her) heart to the Lord that the sin longer is fun. It becomes more of a weight of guilt.

"Folly is pleasure to him who is without heart and sense, but a man of understanding walks uprightly - making straight his going." Proverbs 15:21, Amplified

If any of us have a pre-conversion story, I would assume that you remember the joys of your sinfulness. What I mean is when neither of us had to hold ourselves accountable to God. Sin was definitely fun. But as we come to a knowledge of the Lord, that sin is exposed for what it truly is. I like how the verse states that the man of understanding makes straight his going. The man who has come to know God has a purposeful pureness about him. I am not saying that the man of God does not sin, but he tries to make the best decisions in his walk. The fact is that we all fall short of the glory of God. Paul encourages us by saying this, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16, NKJV) To walk circumspectly means to walk in every direction at once. The true meaning of the verse is this, in order to walk righteously, keep watch around you so that you are not ambushed by sin. Know your surroundings so that you can better know your God.

Proud Father (Proverbs 15:20)

There is no other relationship like that of a father and son. Being a father myself, I now understand that every father wants his child, specifically his son, to make him a proud father.

"A wise son makes a glad father, but a self-confident and foolish man despises his mother and puts her to shame." Proverbs 15:20, Amplified

For years, my father and I were at odds. I did not feel the need to listen to my father because I did not respect my father. How could I respect an alcoholic? How could I love a man who had threatened to kick my butt? Three times my mother split up with my father because of the man that he was. Sadly, the third time was because of my prodding. Then the Lord showed me that in hating my father, I actually was not treating my mother the way that I should. I was a disrespectful child.

"Honor your mother and father, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God gave you." (Exodus 20:12) This is the first commandment with a promise attached to it. Over the years, the Lord helped heal the relationship between my father and I. My father died a good and righteous man. I was able to spend his last three hours with him though I am unsure if he knew I was there. In that time, I was able to say something to him. I told him that it was okay if he died because I would be there to watch over mom and my brother. I told him that I loved him. About thirty minutes later, he passed. In having my relationship with my father mended, i know I made my father glad. The mended relationship also cleaned up any shame that I may have caused my mother.

Impeding Progress (Proverbs 15:19)

Proverbs constantly compares different attributes of human nature. There are good and bad qualities in each one of us. One if these qualities is laziness.

"The way of the sluggard is overgrown with thorns [it pricks, lacerates and entangles him], but the way of the righteous is plain and raised like a highway." Proverbs 15:19, Amplified

When laziness consumes a man, his desire is to do absolutely nothing. The New King James explains this verse like this, "The way of a lazy man is a hedge of thorns..." I can usually appreciate the Amplified Version of a verse, but today I think it is being over analyzed. I feel that this verse is trying to portray that the lazy man will not even try to go about his way for risk of working too hard, never mind being lacerated, entangled or pricked. What I feel needs to be analyzed here is the hedge. Solomon did not state that the way of the lazy man is over grown, but he had a hedge (in the New King James Version). A hedge is a purposeful boundary that is kept up and cared for. It is true that in either version of the verse, truth can be found. Ironically, the lazy man will take more effort to keep from doing anything than actually doing something. It is also true that the lazy man does not take care of his way so that it does become overgrown (Amplified).

But the way of the righteous is a raised path, a highway with no obstruction. The righteous desires not to be impeded in is progress. It is true that a righteous man does fall, but he has the ability to get back up again and go about his way for he has nothing to keep him from doing so.

If you have fallen, get up and dust yourself off or risk the chance of your way becoming overgrown or even becoming so discouraged that you create that hedge between you and the Lord.

Control Yourself (Proverbs 15:18)

There are those out there who love to stir up things and cause fights and contentions. This of course, is something that Lord does not like.

"A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger appeases contention." Proverbs 15:18, Amplified

One seems to be happier in an environment that complements his distemper. A wise man once said, "Miserable being must find more miserable being, then he is happy." A hot tempered man stirs up strife around him because this is all that he knows. Being slow to anger is an attribute that a child of God has. "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God." (James 1:19-20, NKJV) The man who is slow to anger is able to see what others do not; he has the ability to pray about the situation. There is so much benefit or a man when he can control his anger.

Less is More (Proverbs 15:16-17)

Some times less is really more.

"Better is little with reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord than great and rich treasure and trouble with it." Proverbs 15:16, Amplified

How much is too much? Paul wrote to Timothy of this very idea, "Now godliness with contentment is great gain." (First Timothy 6:6, NKJV) I have to ask myself on various occasion if I am content. There are times that I want more. I realize, though, that (for me) the more I receive the less I perceive. The physical tends to cloud the eternal in my eyes. The less that I have the more I must rely on Him for what I need.

"Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a fatted ox and hatred with it." Proverbs 15:17, Amplified

This verse is just expanding on the former thought. It is so much better to eat in peace and harmony than to eat in a place of contention. The important things in this verse is not what is consumed, but how it is consumed. Again, we are focusing more on the eternal and spiritual than the temporary. love has the ability to last much longer than a good meal.

3 Foot Forks (Proverbs 15:15)

Hope can be the determining factor in how one lives their life.

"All the days of the desponding afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and foreboding], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of the circumstances]." Proverbs 15:15, Amplified

Where is your hope? There are those in this life who have no hope in the hereafter. One must have some expectancy of good to come or hopelessness will consume leaving an empty husk. Jesus is that hope for myself as well as many others.

My mother told me an allegory that went like this: "There was a man who had died. He lived a pretty moderate life so the angel who met him at the gates of the afterlife told him that he could make a decision as to where he would spend eternity. The man nodded his head and followed the angel. They came to a long hallway with a large pane of glass on either side. On the other side of the glass in each room was a long table full of food. It was the most exquisite set up he had ever seen. In the first room, there were people who were starving for they had three foot forks tied to their fingers. These people were starving because they could not directly reach their own mouths, so they would try to drop the food into their mouths, but most found its way to the floor. The man was petrified at the thought of spending his eternity like this. So he turned to see what awaited him in the next room. In this room there was a similar table with a similar spread. These people in this room had the same three foot forks tied to their fingers, yet they were not starving. These people were feeding each other across the table. They were caring more for one anther than themselves."

What we must realize is that everyone in this world is given a set of circumstances. It is the hope, or lack thereof, that determines how we conduct ourselves. Will anxiousness consume you until you starve, or will you take the time to feed those around you and know that you till will be fed?

The Search (Proverbs 15:13)

Just as the condition of our heart determines the outcome of our day, it also determines our object of our desire. The heart determines what our mind dwells upon and thinks about.

"The mind of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, inquires after and craves it, but the mouths of [self-confident] fools feed on folly." Proverbs 15:13, Amplified

The understanding that Solomon is speaking about here is the state of our being. Not everybody understands the sin nature of man. Some just understand the base animal nature in man to serve the impulses of the flesh. As we come to an understanding of the salvation of God, then our desires must turn from feeding the flesh to building up the spirit. This search becomes the end all of our being.

But he who has not yet given himself over the salvation of God, or has not heard about this same salvation only concerns himself with foolishness. But the language of the verse seems to imply that this person has chosen the flesh over the spirit, because he has placed all confidence on himself.

Heart Condition (PRoverbs 15:13)

Our lives center around the heart. Its condition determines the outcome of our day.

"A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken." Proverbs 15:13, Amplified

Reading this verse and thinking about my life over the past couple of days, I have to say that I agree whole heartedly. My circumstances have become a little over whelming. An to top it off, Monday afternoon my computer crashes. I allowed for my circumstances to affect the condition of my heart and friends as well as coworkers noticed the change. But there is one consistency in my life and that is the Lord Jesus. He never changes no matter what is happening in my life. He cannot change because he is that strong tower and a fortress of defense. If the Lord changed, then we could never rely on Him.

Realize one thing today: Circumstances change from day to day but the Lord remains the same. No matter what storm is brewing on your horizon repeat this to yourself, "God is on the throne and prayer changes things." AS long as the Lord sits upon the throne, hope thrives.

Rebuke and Wisdom (Proverbs 15:12)

The bitter and the scornful never like the idea of being corrected or rebuked for the heart is so set against others.

"The scorner has no love for the one who rebukes him, neither will he go to the wise [for counsel]." Proverbs 15:12, Amplified

To be scornful is to have either contempt or disdain. Anyone who does not have the Lord in their lives can come to that place of contempt. Think of it like a glass of water. By an open stove, the glass has the ambient temperature of the room and the extra boost of heat from the range. But if that water is moved farther and farther away eventually making itself into the freezer, the colder and harder that glass of water will get.

When the heart is this cold and hard it is difficult to express love to anyone, especially one who has rebuke and correction for you. But that heart will not reach out either. It is similar to the heart of Pharaoh when dealing with Moses concerning the release of the Israelites. Pharaoh hardened his heart nine times, after the tenth plague the the Bible says that the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart. The idea of the Lord "hardening" the heart of man is actually showing us that the Lord established Pharaoh's heart. Our heart must be founded on something.

The heart of man can be a cold and bitter place, but filled with the love and wisdom of the Lord it can be a place for others to seek for truth and refuge. In order to be that refuge for others and to have the ability to lead others to the truth, we must first have the ability for a heart inspection. This may take some rebuke and correction, but rebuke is never going to be easy. No one enjoys being wrong. Correction is a tool invented by the Lord that allows us to better ourselves. There was a master sculptor who had created a beautiful representation of a lion. When asked how he was able to do such a thing he simply responded like this, "I chip away anything that does not look like a lion." Rebuke and correction chip away the parts f the heart that do not resemble the Lord.

Nothing is Hidden (Proverbs 15:11)

There is nothing that is hidden from the Lord.

"Sheol [the place of the dead] and Abaddon [the abyss, the final place of the accuser Satan] both are before the Lord; how much more then the hearts of the children of men?" Proverbs 15:11, Amplified

If the Lord has Hell and Destruction open before Him, then the hearts of men cannot be hidden from Him either. What I feel that Solomon is trying to portray here is that man cannot physically see Hell, but the Lord can. The Lord can see both the physical and the spiritual. Solomon is not the only one who said these kind of things either. "Sheol is naked before Him, and Destruction has no covering." (Job 26:6, NKJV) [Just so that it is known, Abaddon and Destruction are one in the same.] The writer of Hebrews gives a great elaboration in this spiritual truth. "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:12-13, NKJV)

Every thought, every action is seen by the Lord. Though we think to commit sin in private or in the darkness, the Lord sees everything and always.

Harsh Discipline (Proverbs 15:10)

Discipline is a subject dealt with in high frequency in the Proverbs. Today is one of those days.

"There is severe discipline for him who forsakes God's way, and he who hates reproof will die [physically, morally and spiritually]." Proverbs 15:10, Amplified

This is speaking of the Christian as well as the human population in general. In the first part of the verse, there is he who forsakes God's way. The one who forsakes is the one that knows and was practicing God's way. The Lord loves His children so much that there is a harsh discipline waiting for them when they stray.

But the one who hates reproof is the one who does not understand the ways of the Lord. He thinks that the Bible is just a book full of "no" and "don't" statements. He hates being corrected and being told that he is wrong. That man has never seen the path of the Lord, but all men will die. All men have an end; but the final destination does not have to be Hell. For the Christian when death comes life follows swiftly but for the man of the flesh death only brings eternal damnation. The Christian has a moral code that he holds himself to but the non-Christian deteriorates in his morality. Spiritually the Christian gets stronger the closer he walks with the Lord but the man who walks on his own has nothing to replenish his strength.

Obedience and the Pursuit of Righteousness (Proverbs 15:8-9)

There is no question about how the Lord feels about anything. He never puts Himself in a place where we have to guess at what He wants. The Lord has made it very clear what His desires are and what He expects; He has drawn that proverbial line in the sand with His own finger.

"The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, hateful and exceedingly offensive to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight!" Proverbs 15:8, Amplified

Sacrifice means nothing to the Lord if the heart is not turned toward Him. Liturgy means nothing. No amount of religious rites can turn the wrath of God away from anyone. The the children of Israel He said, "Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings." (Amos 5:22, NKJV) Why? Because of the state of the heart of the entire nation. I hate to say it, but America is on that same path. But there is a clue for us to understand what the Lord wants. "So Samuel said: 'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams." (I Samuel 15:22, NKJV) The Lord would rather have an obedient heart than a multitude of sacrifices.

"The way of the wicked is an abomination, extremely disgusting and shamefully vile to the Lord, but He loves him who pursues righteousness [spiritual and moral rectitude in every area and relation]." Proverbs 15:9, Amplified

The reason that the Lord cannot accept the sacrifices of the wicked is because of the path that they are on. In this verse, t he Lord tells us that the way of the wicked is something that He cannot stand. Self gratification of the flesh is what the Lord cannot stand for. To deny the flesh is to follow the Lord. I am not saying that I have achieved this, but it is a goal that I am striving for. Until then I am assured that as I reach for that goal, the Lord looks favorably on me and anyone else who has made that their goal.

Sifting Knowledge (Proverbs 15:7)

It is our job as believers to give out the knowledge that we have. To know a building is on fire an not warn any of the residents is just as bad as starting the fire yourself.

"The lips of the wise disperse knowledge [sifting it as chaff from the grain]; not so the mind of the self-confident and foolish." Proverbs 15:7, Amplified

The Amplified version adds the imagery of the chaff that the New King James does not posses. When reading the verse from the New King James, it seems that the Bible suggests that the wise disperse the knowledge that they have of God and the devil, heaven and hell. But the Amplified takes it a step further to suggest that the wise go as far as to separate the useless knowledge to give people the meat that they need. Chaff is a part of the grain, but it holds no value for the eater. To take that away from the recipient takes away information that need not be sifted through. Think of it like teaching someone how to bake a cake. If you add information about where all the product came from, it detracts from the original purpose of making a cake. The foolish do not do so. They love to convolute things whether they be the truth or not.

Treasures and Income (Proverbs 15:6)

All of humanity is working to earn something. There is a goal, or a prize, waiting at everyone's finish line. What is waiting for you?

"In the house of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is great [priceless] treasure, but with the income of the wicked is trouble and vexation." Proverbs 15:6, Amplified

Notice the language for each one's earnings, if you can call it that. The righteous have a treasure and the wicked have income. Treasure is something that is not necessarily worked for. Yes, there is worked involved in finding that treasure, but the contents thereof are something that the current owner to not place there. However, the wicked work hard for what they get, their income is awaiting them everyday. The thing with a paycheck is that you do not necessarily know what you are going to get. If you are on a salary then this does not apply, but with an hourly job, the opening of a paycheck only reminds the recipient that he or she needs to work harder the next time. But the recipient of the treasure did nothing to add to the value of it's contents, therefore no matter what the contents, it will be a blessing.

The Process of Cultivating Fruit (Proverbs 15:5)

I do not feel that anyone likes correction. We all like to think that we are doing it right. But correction is a part of life. If we did not need correction, we would be perfect. Until then, we must take whatever correction comes our way, because it is only there to stir us toward perfection.

"A fool despises his father's instruction and correction, but he who regards reproof acquires prudence." Proverbs 15:5, Amplified

It is the job of a father to instruct and correct a child. Not only is it a job, but it is an enjoyment for most fathers. I know as a father, I want to instruct my children in how to do things the right way. I also want to correct them before they take a path that I have been on and know where it leads. A father can be a bit like a rudder on a ship, steering his child in a different direction. This concept did not develop from man, rather it is a mirror image to how the Lord treats His children. "If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection tot eh Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterwards it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:7-11, NKJV)

Instruction and correction are tools designed by God to create perfect fruit. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells a parable about a barren fig tree. "He spoke to them this parable: 'A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, "Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?" But he answered and said to him, "Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down."'" (Luke 13:6-9, NKJV) It is interesting to note, that if someone planted a tree, for three years he was not to harvest it. On the fourth year, the fruit actually belonged to the Lord. But what I wanted to focus on was the answer of the vineyard keeper. He said for his master to wait one more year so that he could "dig" around it. He wanted to correct the barrenness of the tree. If you go out as far as the branches go and shove a spade into the ground, you will actually cut the tips of the root system. If this is done around the entire circumference of the tree it "scares" the tree into bearing fruit the next year.

Six Degrees of Separation (Proverbs 15:4)

I know that I have said this before, but it is worth saying again. We have the power to build up or to pull down, to construct or destroy. I am not speaking about the use of hands, rather with the tongue.

"A gentle tongue [with its healing power] is a tree of life, but willful contrariness in it breaks down the spirit." Proverbs 15:4, Amplified

The gentle tongue is like a tree of life, deeply rooted. The tree which has a deep root system is not easily swayed in harsh weather and it is truly satisfied with water that the roots have found deep in the ground. If we are to root ourselves in anything substantial, it must be the Lord for anything else is to shallow and quickly passes. The only way for a tongue to be healing is to be rooted in something that has the ability to heal. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that he could give her living water so that she would never thirst again. This is why we desperately need to be rooted in the Lord to be able to cure the hunger and quench the thirst of a dying world

Willful contrariness is already rooted in the heart of the sinner. It does not need to be taught, for it is instilled in human nature. The heart that has not been touched by the Lord is a hard one and cares only for itself. for this reason, it is ready to break down any spirit in order to advance. There is no need to break a spirit other than to gain dominance or superiority over that being. A wild horse is broken. It's spirit is tamed and becomes domesticated after the breaking.

The world teaches that we should step on anyone we can in order to get ahead. Jesus tells us to take the lower place so that we might be honored by the host. A physician does not go into his office to just have the power to heal. Imagine a doctor sitting in his office and a sick patient comes in needing mending. What if the doctor tells him no because deep inside he is afraid that the man will become better than him? This would be absurd. Or what if the doctor tells the patient the reason he is sick is because of his own doing? Patients go to doctors because they know they can receive healing. Wouldn't it be wonderful if people would come to us because they knew we had the ability to lead them to the One who could heal them? Or because we are gentle and offer words of comfort and are able to take them to the Scriptures and tell them about the love of Jesus.

It has been said that there is six degrees of separation. In other words, we know six people who connect us to the entire world, because they know six people and so on. In just touching those six people, we may have the opportunity to touch the entire world.

Omniscience (Proverbs 15:5)

The Lord sees all and knows all. He is everywhere at all times.

"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch upon the evil and the good." Proverbs 15:3, Amplified

There is nothing that can surprise the Lord. He is omniscient. According to the Dictionary of Theological Terms, omniscience, or the knowledge of God, is defined as such: "It is infinite knowledge: He knows in His own infinite being; He knows all things possible, whether they ever become actual or not; and He comprehends all these things in one simultaneous act of knowing. This knowledge is known in theology as 'the knowledge of simple intelligence' or, necessary knowledge', because God's knowledge is simply an act of divine intellect, not a product of the divine will. God is omniscient by necessity of His nature." [Dictionary of Theological Terms, Cairns, 251]

When Jesus was in the wilderness, the fact that the devil came to temp Him was no surprise. He knew it before it was going to happen. God created the world with the plan of salvation in mind. Before the foundation of the world was laid, Jesus had already been crucified. The Lord loves us so much, that He still created the world knowing that we would turn our backs on Him and kill Him. Unlike man who will not set out on a task he knows is gong to fail. Whatever it is we are doing, whether we are saved or not the Lord sees. "For His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps." (Job 34:21, NKJV) "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:13, NKJV)

If there is nothing that can surprise the Lord in His own life, then there is nothing in our lives that surprises Him. Hezekiah, a good king of Israel, took a letter from an attacking nation and laid it before the Lord. Though God knew that the nation of Israel was under siege, he still wanted the people to bring Him their concerns. Thought the Lord knows our circumstances, He still wants us to come before Him and lay them at His feet. Just because we are saved does not mean that we benefit from the omniscience of God.

The Storehouse of the Heart (Proverbs 15:1-2)

In the book of James, we can read about the tongue. It is the smallest member of the body, yet it conceals so much power. But the fact of the matter is that the heart if the real culprit. Jesus Himself said that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

"A soft answer turns away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger." Proverbs 15:1, Amplified

Friction begets more friction. If you take two sticks and rub them together long enough, then you will get fire. Add water into the mix and it becomes impossible. This is what a soft answer becomes. Smokey the Bear tells us that only we can prevent forest fires, and the Holy Spirit is telling us the same things here. It is completely within our power to prevent that spark of anger, so long as what is in our hearts is pure. Jesus said, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45, NKJV)

"The tongue of the wise utters knowledge rightly, but the mouth of [self-confident] fools pours out folly." Proverbs 15:2, Amplified

It is possible to have knowledge and to use that knowledge inappropriately. The one who uses it as such becomes the fool pouring out his own folly. Knowledge saves, knowledge prepares. Knowledge should never be used for ones own advantage. Again, we are forced to look at what Jesus said about the abundance of the heart. If one's heart is good, then the use of knowledge will be used correctly and help those around the individual. But if the heart be evil, then knowledge is turned to folly.

Knowledge and the human heart can be either like the mustard seed or the leaven. In the case of the mustard seed, there is an abnormal growth for the seed should produce a shrub and not a tree. With the leaven, there is a very natural poisoning process which takes place. A lump of dough will begin to ferment even if a little bit of the yeast is placed at one end. Whether or not these two instances describe the church or the individual human heart makes no difference. The point is the evaluate the heart. What treasures lurk within the storehouse of your heart?

Servants of the King (Proverbs 14:35)

It is so important to be in the favor of the king, at least back in the Middle Ages when he had the ability to kill whomever he chose at a moments notice. Christ is our King. We must also find ourselves in His favor, not because He will kill us, but because it is our desire to.

"The king's favor is toward a wise and discreet servant, but his wrath is against him who does shamefully." Proverbs 14:35, Amplified

Jesus told a parable about a wise and a foolish servant. Actually, He told a few. There is one, however, that caught my attention. "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom the master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My maser is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 24:45-51, NKJV)

There are many different examples in the Bible of men who had this same out look on life. Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers, yet he always rose up in whatever house he was found to be. H was always that faithful servant.

The reason I chose this particular parable is that it lines up with the Christian walk. Our Master is coming at a day and hour that we do not know. We have the opportunity to either be that faithful servant and be in the midst of serving when He comes back. Or we can be carousing with the people of the flesh, not doing the things of God when He comes back. We need to realize that the Lord can come back at any time. He can come back while we are viewing pornography on the computer, telling dirty jokes, in the midst of an affair, or He can come back as we are serving in the church, ministering to needy brothers and sisters, or reading the Bible. The choice is ours.

The Rise and Fall of Nations Center Around 3 Letters: G O D (Proverbs 14:43)

A nation is defined by it's people, not its leader. However, a successful nation is brought about by a successful leader. In the books of First an Second Samuel, we have defined for us the perfect dichotomy of an unsuccessful king and a successful king. King Saul and King David are two integral parts in the birth of Israel, but one followed the Lord and the other did not. It is no secret which legacy belongs to which king. When a nation's ruler is righteous for the Lord, then the nation will succeed.

"Uprightness and right standing with God [moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation] these elevate a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." Proverbs 14:43, Amplified

An upright nation is elevated. A nation in right standing with God is exalted. In reading the book of Judges, the nation of Israel goes on a roller coaster ride of freedom and servitude. The nation of Israel was meant to be a Theocracy, different from all the other nations of the world. However, whenever the nation turned itself away from the Lord, He brought another nation to punish them. The nation would then cry out to the Lord, turn from their wicked ways back to the Lord and the Lord would raise a leader to save them from their oppressors. But when that leader died, the same cycle would play out over and over again.

We can say something similar about America. Our leaders are moving slowly away from the things of the Lord to the things of the flesh. just look at the turmoil of California. Two times gay marriage has been on the ballot for the residents to vote on. Two times the voice of conservatives have been heard and gay marriage has not become a legal in California. However, it has been overturned by the Supreme Court once, and is about to go before the court yet again.

This nation was founded upon great moral values and the Christian faith. California is just one example of how this nation is turning away from the Lord. Fifty years ago, the issue would have never been placed on the ballot. But as long as our leaders keep on this path, our nation will slowly deteriorate from the inside out. It is already happening. The signs of the times are here. The Lord is quickly coming back. Our nation is not in the end times prophecies for one of two reasons. Either there will be a nation wide revival and most of the population will be raptured. Or we no longer are the Super Power of the world because the nation falls apart. Every great nation of the world fell apart simply because God was not at the center. One nation rises up to take over another weaker nation. Who will rise up to overtake America, or will we be consumed by our own sin?

Be ready Christian. Make your stance. Stand your ground. The fall of a once great nation will come and may even be happening right before our very eyes.

Sleeping Giants (Proverbs 14:33)

Inside of every man there is going to be found either wisdom of folly.

"Wisdom rests [silently] in the mind and heart of him who has understanding, but that which is in the inward part of [self-confident] fools is made known." Proverbs 14:33, Amplified

To have understanding means that you have taken the time to become intimate with with something. As we become intimate with the Lord, we begin to understand Him and His ways more and more. In that understanding, wisdom is bred. But the only way to receive that wisdom and understanding is to become intimate with the Lord.

The foolish man, however, only becomes intimate with those things that will bring him pleasure. "For the foolish person will speak foolishness, and his heart will work iniquity; to practice ungodliness, to utter error against the Lord, to keep the hungry unsatisfied, and will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail." (Isaiah 32:6, NKJV) No one is the focal point of the fool's vision, except for himself.

Become intimate with the Lord today. Begin the understanding of your Savior. Attain wisdom from Him who breathed life into you.