A Matter of the Heart (Proverbs 24:8-9)

Have you ever planned out how you are going to sin? What I mean is, have you planned for a set of circumstances that would allow you to be able to fulfill your flesh. I remember as a young man, I would always plan for things to happen that would allow for me to stay up late to watch the Cinemax channel because of the risque programming they had after midnight. Did you realize that even planning to do it is just as sinful as committing the sin?

"He who plans to do evil will be called a mischief-maker." Proverbs 24:8, Amplified

Planning to do sinful and evil things effect our earthly relationships as well as our heavenly relationship. Here on earth, the planner will eventually be identified as a mischief-maker. The New King James actually refers to this man as a "schemer". The difference between one who plans ahead and a schemer is that the schemer plans ahead to receive evil gain. I am a planner, but early on in my marriage I was also a schemer. I was not the man that I needed to be for my wife, kids or my Father. That is how my wife identified me, not because she wanted to, but because that was the only option I gave her.

"The plans of the foolish and the thought of foolishness are sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men." Proverbs 24:9, Amplified

Plans and thoughts of foolishness are sin. Most people define sin as an action, but that is not true. The transgression begins in the heart. Sin does not need to manifest itself physically for it to bring a barrier between the sinner and the Lord. "The fool has said in his heart there is no God." (Psalm 14:1a, NKJV)) "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:28, NKJV) Murder begins in the heart as well (Matthew 5:21-26). Sin has never been an action issue, it has always been a heart issue. The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart.

The Fool 3 (Proverbs 24:7)

Foolishness traps the mind in a child-like state that inevitably impedes the individual from growing and maturing.

"Wisdom is too high for a fool; he opens not his mouth in the gate [where the city rulers sit in judgement]." Proverbs 24:7, Amplified

A fool cannot understand wisdom therefore he has nothing to say. He has nothing to say because he does not understand those wise things, or even the things of God. The fool has filled his mind with childish things.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against being silly and having a good time. But there is a time to have fun and be silly, whereas there is a time for buckling down and seeking out wisdom.

Who is the Fool (Proverbs 23:9)

For some, wisdom is not a thing that is desirable and we should be sure to keep our mouths shut because we will be despised.

"Speak not in the ears of a [self-confident] fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words." Proverbs 23:9, Amplified

Who is the fool? "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" (Psalm 14:1, NKJV) "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 he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail." (Isaiah 32:6, NKJV) The fool cares nothing about being corrected for his heart and mind have become so twisted by his own desires and selfishness.

Does this mean that we should not try to correct and witness to these people. No. The Gospel was sent to everyone. The Gospel is for everybody. We need to be wise as serpents, however, and understand to whom we are speaking.

Learning (Proverbs 21:11)

Some people need an outside stimulus to help them learn, others just need to be taught and they will learn.

"When the scoffer is punished, the fool gets a lesson in being wise; but men of wisdom and good sense learn by being instructed." Proverbs 21:11, Amplified

The difference between foolish and wise men is a desire to learn. For the fool, he learns simply because he does not want the same fate to befall him that the scoffer did. In other words, he learns because he does not want to be caught, so he devises new ways to go about his foolishness.

As for the wise man, he learns because he has a desire to. There is something within that wants to succeed. Yes the fool wants to succeed in his foolishness, but the wise man wants to succeed to better himself, his family and others around him. The wise man needs no example to encourage him to learn.

Wives and Sons (Proverbs 19:13)

Though family is important, it can also be the undoing of a person.

"A self-confident and foolish son is the [multiplied] calamity of his father, and the contentions of a wife are as continual dropping [of water through a chink in the roof]." Proverbs 19:13, Amplified

A foolish son is the undoing of his father. The father is supposed to take the role of teacher in the relationship. But when the son becomes self confident and foolish, does that reflect on the father? Yes. Every father wants to brag on their child when he is a success. However, when that child acts foolishly, there is nothing more to brag about, for everyone is focused on the bad within the child ad not the good that might possibly be left over.

As for a wife, if she is contentious, she is a continual dripping. I remember when we had some pretty severe rain this last winter, there was a leak in my roof. Some interesting things went on inside myself when that leak appeared. First I became stressed at the fact there was a leak in my roof. Next was the uncomfortablity of having to navigate my around the leak and the puddle it left. Finally there was the irritation of the leak when the whole house went silent. As we tried to relax there was the steady sound of dripping that seemed to be more of a sonic boom than anything. I do not know if having a contentious wife would make me feel this way, but if it did, I would understand why the Bible speaks of her so. All I know is that I would not want one.

Purpose Driven Communication (Proverbs 17:27-28)

Words are very powerful tools. However, a lack of words can be even more powerful.

"He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding has a cool spirit." Proverbs 17:27, Amplified

This man of knowledge spares his words unlike the fool who releases a verbal assault on all who have ears. Now a man of Knowledge and understanding has the know how and the words to explain how, so why would he spare his words? He is a direct opposite to "Where there are many words sin is not lacking." (Proverbs 10:19, NKJV) The man of knowledge and understanding can (and does) use his words to impart knowledge upon others, however, he knows when to keep his words to himself.

"Even a fool when he holds his peace is considered wise; when he closes his lips he is esteemed a man of understanding." Proverbs 17:28, Amplified

Even the foolish man can seem to be wise is he too holds his tongue. It is amazing how much we seem to think that words will take us places but the Bible encourages differently. So this now raises the question of the spreading of the Gospel. Jesus used many words to spread the Gospel as well as Peter and Paul. In their defense, they had focus in their speech and a purpose for their conversation. What these two verses are focusing in on this morning is idle chatter and verbal vomit. The Bible encourages us to have a purpose driven conversation, not communication riddled with course jesting and foolishness. I will be the first to tell you that I fall dreadfully short of these expectations. My conversation needs more focus and purpose at times.

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.

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.

The Company We Keep (Proverbs 13:20)

It is Christmas morning. Almost one year has passed us by again. What does the Lord want us to know this morning?

"He who walks [as a companion] with wise men shall be wise, but he who associates with [self-confident] fools will [be a fool himself and] shall smart for it." Proverbs 13:20, Amplified

It is the company that we keep which defines who we are. Some say that we are a product of our environment. I believe this to be true to a point. Inevitably, we are who we are because of choices that we make. Those choices can definitely be inspired or influenced by the company that we keep.

If the company that we keep is with wise men, then the choices we make will be wiser. This is not just because we want to please the crowd around us, rather it is because of the conversation and make up of the crowd. In High School, everyone became a part of a clique. Whether you liked it or not, we were immediately stereotyped and placed into our peg or we were one of the fortunate ones who almost understood who we were and hung out with the crowd of our own choosing. That crowd influenced our way of life for the next four years. We dressed as they dressed and spoke as they spoke and did as they did because that was the crowd we were with. To surround ourselves with wise a God-fearing persons greatly influences the outcome of our day. As we get older, the stereotypes remain, but we become more self-aware and are able to better define our own beings and associate with the persons of our own choosing.

However, if that crowd be of the foolish persuasion, then we ourselves become fools and act foolishly. "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, to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail." (Isaiah 32:6, NKJV) We do have to choice of who we surround ourselves with. It can either be God fearing men and women or foolish men and women. Never forget, however, that we do have the choice. One of the greatest things that the Lord installed inside of man at his inception was free-will. We have the choice.

Merry Christmas