Sacrifices (Proverbs 21:27)

There is nothing good that a wicked man can do for the Lord. His heart is wicked, therefore every intent that he has within his heart is wicked.

"The sacrifice of the wicked is exceedingly disgusting and abhorrent [to the Lord]; how much more when he brings it with evil intentions?" Proverbs 21:27, Amplified

The heart of a man must be right with the Lord in order for his sacrifices to mean anything. So if we are wicked by nature, how do we get to this point of purity? The answer is within the text.

The sacrifices of the wicked are a disgusting thing to the Lord because of the state of his heart. He has not made the effort to cleanse himself or rid himself of his wickedness. He has no desire to change. But he is even more disgusting when he brings his sacrifices with evil intent. It is like bringing gifts to placate the gods but never intending to change your ways. What is the point? There is nothing in my own possessions that the Lord would ever want above my heart. My heart is the only sacrifice that I can give to the Lord. But if I bring anything else to give him in place of my heart, it will mean nothing if I have no intent to change.

If one wishes to change, he must couple strong desire with strong will. Have a desire to change and the fortitude to do so. I am not implying that there is anything I can do to earn the love of God or to earn passage into heaven. However, I have to want to change. I have to want to make an effort to change. I have to actively make better choices in my life.

It may be surprising to some, but there are a few things that God cannot do. One of those things is to change a heart that is unwilling to change.

Overthrow (Proverbs 21:12)

Have you ever looked and seen how the wicked seem to flourish? Well, not to worry. The Lord sees them too and they will be overthrown.

"The [uncompromisingly] righteous man considers well the house of the wicked, how the wicked are cast to ruin." Proverbs 21:12, Amplified

If you are following along in another version like the New King James, you may be scratching your head right now. The two versions seem to be at odds with each other. Here is how the New King James reads, "The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked, overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness."

One version speaks about a righteous God and the other about a righteous man. The answer, however, lies within the syntax. In the New King James we find that it is God who overthrows the wicked. In the Amplified we are met by a righteous man who considers the wicked and how they will be cast down. In other words, the righteous man knows and understands that the days of the wicked will always be numbered and that it is not he who needs to overthrow the wicked, but God will.

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.

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.

Life Saver (Proverbs 13:5-6)

The difference between a righteous man and a wicked man is that the righteous man feels guilt. When he has transgressed against the Lord, his heart weighs heavy in his chest.

"A [consistently] righteous man hates lying and deceit, but a wicked man is loathsome [his very breath spreads pollution] and he surely comes to shame." Proverbs 13:5, Amplified

The righteous man can lie. It is within the ability of every man to transgress the commandments of the Lord. The difference between the two is the shame that follows. I know for myself, when I sin, a great heaviness accompanies it. I begin to hate myself for allowing my heart to stray. Forgiveness is soon sought after. But the wicked man feels no shame or guilt. The difference is that within the righteous man resides the Holy Spirit. Conviction causes the Christian to seek forgiveness.

"Righteousness [rightness and justice in every area and relation] guards him who is upright in his way, but wickedness plunges into sin and overthrows the sinner." Proverbs 13:6, Amplified

If we walk in righteousness, we will be guarded. This is not to say that bad things will not happen to the righteous man. I know that I got fired from my job when I decided to do the right thing. You see, we must view everything in our lives as a greater plan created by God. The guard that covers the Christian is the faith that he possesses. When things go wrong for the sinner, he has nothing to hold on to. If all we ever know is sin, then that sin will soon overtake us. But if we come to a saving knowledge of the Lord, then we have that proverbial life saver awaiting us.

Fruit of the Righteous and Works of the Wicked (Proverbs 12:12-14)

We have one of two options in this life. We can either bear fruit of ourselves or become the hunter. To choose the former is to accept the life the Lord has for us. And to choose the latter, we become Cain, a man who offered the Lord the work of his own hand.

"The wicked desires the booty of evil men, but the root of the [uncompromisingly] righteous yields [richer fuitage]." Proverbs 12:12, Amplified

In all pirate stories we have read over the years, we find that there is often a mutiny on board because the crew covet the riches of the captain. They want more and more. I think this was well displayed for us in the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean".

Evil men work for what they get and have to stay on guard, for there are others who covet what they have. In guarding your possessions all the time, you have no time to enjoy them. The new game to play is making sure that no one else can enjoy them.

However the root of the righteous yields much fruit. The righteous are rooted in the Lord. He is their supplier. In the nutrients that He gives, they are able to bear fruit. Have you ever seen a tree guard its fruit? That would be a silly thing. You see there is a extreme difference here. Evil men hide and hoard. The righteous man is placed here on earth to feed others. The fruit on the tree is not meant to nourish the tree, but to feed others. All the nutrients the tree needs are found in the soil that it is rooted in.

As long as we are planted in the Word of God, then we are getting all the nutrients that we need. From this symbiotic relationship, we then bear fruit for others to partake of.

"The wicked is [dangerously] snared by the transgressions of his lips, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall come out of trouble." Proverbs 12:13, Amplified

"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) It is true, what is placed in the heart is stored and will eventually find its way out. You have heard that one bad apple spoils the whole bunch. Once we open our mind to influences outside of the Lord, we risk that spoilage.

If we fill ourselves with the Lord and Him alone, the abundance of our heart will always deliver us. "But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit." (Mark 13: 11, NKJV)

"From the fruit of his words a man shall be satisfied with good, and work of a man's hand will come back to him." Proverbs 12:14, Amplified

The man who trusts in the Lord will always be satisfied from the Lord. When we are planted in the Lord, we ooze the goodness of the Lord. As good leaves us, good is returned. I understand that the life of a Christian is littered with many stories of sorrow and tribulation. The satisfaction we receive is being able to see the Lord in everything, including the bad. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28, NKJV)

We cannot get the second half of this verse confused with verse 12 in this devotion. A wicked man seeks to satisfy himself with the work of his own hand. However, a man of God uses the works of his hands to glorify his God. Those works will come back to bless that man.

The House of the Righteous (Proverbs 12:7)

The foundation of the righteous is none other that Jesus, the firm Rock.

"The wicked are overthrown and are not, but the house of the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall stand." Proverbs 12:7, Amplified

I had an interesting thought enter my mind as I read this verse this morning. The righteous and the wicked both have the same trials to go through. They both live on the same earth. Both have the same end, death. So what causes the righteous to stand in the face of trials? I cannot help but to revisit the Gospel of Matthew 6. Jesus is telling his disciples about the wise and foolish builders. The wise (or righteous) builder dug down and built upon the rock. That rock is Jesus Christ.

A prayer, a decision, a lifestyle separate the righteous and the wicked. A decision, a lifestyle, a prayer is the foundation of the righteous. A lifestyle, a prayer, a decision is what the wicked is lacking.

Alternatives (Proverbs 12:6)

The mouth always speaks what is stored in the heart. The heart is teeming with thoughts and desires, so much so that it spills into the reality of our lives. If we wish to conceal what is in the heart, we can only do so for so long before that dam gives way and we flood the conversation with the contents of our heart.

"The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the righteous will deliver them and the innocent ones [thus endangered]." Proverbs 12:6, Amplified

The wicked wish to lie in wait for the of the innocent. This takes planning and patience. It also involves an ambush of sorts. The heart of the wicked will always give them away, there is not enough camouflage in the world to conceal it. The terrorists in the Middle East claim to have a religion of peace, but the contents of the heart have given them away. America was taken off guard and shed a lot of blood on September 11.

But we have the antithesis for this. The mouth of the righteous will delver the innocent. The righteous heart can give warning to the innocent as to the intent of the wicked. We know of the wiles of the devil, for we have the word of God to guide us. It is our duty, as brothers in Christ, to spread that Gospel truth. How can the innocent be saved if we do not speak? In a criminal court, one can be held partially responsible if they knew of a murder and did nothing to save the victim. How much more responsible should we be if we do not save the soul of the innocent? The innocent that if taken down by the wicked will be infected and himself become wicked. People need an alternative. We need to be that alternative. We need to speak that alternative.

Thoughts of the Righteous and the Wicked (Proverbs 12:5)

In the mind of the righteous, thoughts of good and not of evil reside. But in the mind of the wicked, the reverse can be found.

"The thoughts and purposes of the [consistently] righteous are honest and reliable, but the counsels and designs of the wicked are treacherous." Proverbs 12:5

When reading this verse, I do not feel that there is much to offer in way of interpretation. For when you read this verse, it is pretty self evident.

The thoughts that go through the mind of the righteous are good, honest and reliable. It takes an honest man to run a big business, it takes a good man to run this country and it takes a reliable man to lead a family. If any of those things do not exist in any of these men, then what they are placed in charge of will soon fall apart. Honesty and reliability are things that the men and women of this country used to look for in a candidate for president, or a spouse. Our ideals, as a nation, are changing. This nation is slowly falling apart because the thoughts and intents of the hearts of those we have elected to run this nation are treacherous.

The Roots of Righteousness (Proverbs 12:3)

To be firmly planted means to have a deep rooting in something. As we grow closer to the Lord our roots grow deeper and deeper into Him so that we will not be easily removed.

"A man shall not be established by wickedness, but the root of the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall never be moved." Proverbs 12:3, Amplified

When I read this verse I am taken back to the Gospel of Matthew and am reminded of the story of the two builders. One builder built his house on the sand. "The rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." (Matthew 7:27, NKJV) Wickedness mimics that sand. Wickedness is never going to be a sure foundation. Wickedness does not look out for the best interest of its host.

In the story of the two builders we find that they both have the same sand, but the righteous one digs down to the rock. It rakes work to be established. Righteousness is not a walk in the park. Even more so that being established on a rock, the righteous flourish and thrive. Their rots grow deeper and deeper into what they believe in. As those roots get deeper, they get stronger. As those roots get stronger they get deeper. The deeper the roots get the closer to water they will become.

Litmus Test for the Heart (Proverbs 11:16-21)

In this next culmination of verses, Solomon stresses again the importance of righteousness. Righteousness will always lead to life, but wickedness will always lead to death.

"A gracious and good woman wins honor [for her husband], and violent men win riches; [but a woman who hates righteousness is a throne of dishonor for him]." Proverbs 11:16, Amplified

This is the first time in the book of Proverbs that Solomon references women. I like the fact that the first reference is in regard to a wife. It is so important that the relationship between a husband and wife be in good standing. I am reminded of the movie "The Taming of the Shrew" with Elizabeth Taylor. This man took this obstinate woman who did not bring any honor to her father and turned her into a loving wife who brought honor to her husband.

A violent and wicked man will always have his eyes on another prize: riches. Riches are the main concern of the wicked in this life, but the righteous man has other concerns. The righteous man can be content and poor if he were to have a gracious and good wife. But the wicked man will never be at peace with his own soul, though he obtain all the riches of this life.

"The merciful, kind and generous man benefits himself [for his deeds return to bless him], but he who is cruel and callous [to the wants of others] brings on himself retribution." Proverbs 11:17, Amplified

There are those in this life who live blessed lives simply because they bless others. To here the cry of the poor and destitute and reach out one's hand in compassion is a truly blessed life. This is the man whose concern is less for himself. There is an epidemic of "Meism" running about the world where people think that the center of the universe is themselves.

But the man who turns a deaf ear and a blind eye to the cry and condition of the less fortunate will have a life that is less blessed.

"A wicked man earns deceitful wages, but he who sows righteousness [moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation] shall have a sure reward - permanent and satisfying." Proverbs 11:18, Amplified

"For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." (Galatians 6:8, NKJV) This is a spiritual truth in any nation culture or tongue. The man who is concerned more about riches is not concerned with how he obtains wealth, only that he get that wealth. Whether by honest and hard work or by dishonest means, his eyes are fixed on one prize. This is the same man that we found in verse sixteen earlier in this chapter of Proverbs. For the man who sows to the Spirit will receive everlasting life.Is there anything more satisfying and permanent for us than everlasting life?

Remember that the actions of a man reflect the nature and condition of his heart.

"He who is steadfast in righteousness - uprightness and right standing with God - shall attain life, and he who pursues evil does it till his own death." Proverbs 11:19, Amplified

This is what we just covered in the previous verse. If we are right with God we shall attain life for ever in the hereafter. But there are those who are not content with that. They must pursue evil till the day they die. The condition of the heart of a man who is not in right standing with God is atrophied. His own deeds will bring about his own demise.

They who are willfully contrary in heart are extremely disgusting and shamefully vile in the eyes of the Lord, but such as are blameless and wholehearted in their ways are His delight!" Proverbs 11:20, Amplified

I always enjoyed the word "wholehearted". It reminds me of humanity as it tries to fill itself with more and more evil. The man who does not know God will never truly be wholehearted; his heart will constantly be in pieces, always broken. But when the Lord gets a hold of us, then He takes the pieces and fills in the gaps and makes us truly wholehearted.

But to know what is right in the eyes of the Lord and be contrary to that is a bad place for us to be. Those who are in this place are vile to the Lord. "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." (Revelation 3:15-16, NKJV) This is a message from the Lord to His own church, the lukewarm church. This is the man who is vile to the Lord, the man who is willfully contrary to the Lord. Is that this what we are producing in the Lord, a need to vomit us out?

"Assuredly - I pledge it - the wicked shall not go unpunished, but the multitude of the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall be delivered." Proverbs 11:21, Amplified

solomon ends this list of verses with a promise. The wicked will be punished and the righteous will be delivered. It is time for a heart check. In these last few verses, we have a great litmus test. Check your heart brothers and sisters.

Life of the Righteous and Wicked (Proverbs 11:7-11)

In the next few verses, Solomon gives to us different examples of the lives of the righteous and the wicked.

"When the wicked dies, his hope [for the future] perishes, and the expectation of the godless comes to nothing." Proverbs 11:7, Amplified

The wicked and godless man have nothing going for them on the other side of this life. They may have all their money invested, their portfolios in line, their wills updated; but death brings all that to nought. We all have an eternal future; we either live eternally with God or have a life of eternal separation in Hell. Any hope of expectation that a wicked man has will be cut off from him at his last breath.

"The [uncompromisingly] righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked gets it instead." Proverbs 11:8, Amplified

Trouble comes upon us all, it is just the way that life works. Everyone must go through trials and tribulations. However, the righteous man will be delivered from his troubles. Don't interpret this verse just as it reads. I do not believe that Solomon was trying to convey that the Lord gives our troubles to the wicked. The picture being painted here is that the righteous are delivered but the wicked are not. It is the end that trouble brings that the righteous man is delivered from. For the wicked man, that end will never be taken from him, lest he change his ways.

"With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge and superior discernment shall the righteous be delivered." Proverbs 11:9, Amplified

Gossip and rumors have destroyed many men. "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell." (James 3:6, NKJV) Though the world be set on fire by the tongue of the wicked, there will be deliverance for the righteous man. If the tongue of the wicked man be turned toward the righteous, it is the knowledge that we have in Jesus Christ that shall be our salvation. Without Him, we would never be delivered.

"When it goes well with the [uncompromisingly] righteous the city rejoices, but when the wicked perish there are shouts of joy." Proverbs 11:10, Amplified

King David, in the Psalms, always noted that the wicked seemed to thrive in this world, but the righteous always seemed to get the short end on the stick. What Solomon is saying here is when the righteous man does well or prospers, people are genuinely happy for that man. Though we are a sinful and selfish people, we still enjoy watching other people prosper. There is always happiness when the righteous man prospers. But when the wicked man comes to his end, there will be shouts of joy in the streets. When the wicked dies so does his oppression. I remember watching the news as Sadam Hussein was captured. The people were elated, the toppled his image and pulled down his statue. Though we are a sinful and selfish people, we still enjoy when a wicked man perishes.

"By the blessing of the influence of the upright with God's favor [because of them] the city is exalted; but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked." Proverbs 11:11, Amplified

This spiritual truth can be verified through the reading of the books of history in the Old Testament. The Lord made the nation of Judah prosper when it had a righteous king at the helm, but He came against it when a wicked king was in rule. Just look at our nation of America. The same spiritual principals can be applied. Our politicians were once God fearing men. This nation was once built upon the Bible. But as a nation we are slowly leaving those convictions behind. Mark my words, if we do not go back to our roots, then we will be lead away captive by our own undoing.

Righteousness & Integrity (Proverbs 11:3-6)

Righteous men and women have the Lord to fall back on. He is their fail-safe. But the wicked man has nothing to fall back on, no safety net. In the end there is only death for the wicked man.

"The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the willful contrariness and the crookedness of the treacherous shall destroy them." Proverbs 11:3, Amplified

It has been said that integrity is what a Christian's actions are even when he knows he is not being watched. The Lord's eyes are upon us all the time, however, those around us and the rest of humanity are not always watching. What a Christian does behind closed doors in the privacy of his own home, describes his integrity.

The antithesis of this is wickedness. There are those who are blatantly evil in every action that is taken. These actions could be private or public, either way it is a willful disobedience to the Lord. There is no glory awaiting the willful and contrary man at the end of his life.

"Riches provide no security in any day of wrath and judgement, but righteousness - uprightness, and right standing with God - delivers from death." Proverbs 11:4, Amplified

Riches provide so much for a man here on earth. They can even buy a temporary happiness. Bribes might even relinquish the judgement of man. But what about when it is time for the Lord to judge the earth? Will riches win out against the holiness of the Lord? No. "Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath..." (Zephaniah 1:18a, NKJV) Riches, in any form, are still of this fallen world and have no part with God. The Lord is not bound by the bounty of this earth. Man's vision is so hindered by his financial status that he tends to forget that the Lord says, "For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills." (Psalm 50:10, NKJV)

But the righteousness of the righteous shall deliver them. For their righteousness of Jesus Christ. When our righteousness is truly not our righteousness but someone else's, then we are truly righteous. What I am saying is that nothing in and of ourselves is truly righteous. Man is a sinful being from the day that he is born. It is not till we come to a saving knowledge of the grace of Jesus that we become righteous and saved from death.

"The righteousness of the blameless shall rectify and make plain his way and keep it straight, but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness." Proverbs 11:5, Amplified

The path of the righteous is pretty simple and straight. The most important commandment the Lord said was to, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30, NKJV)

It is only when we begin to practice the sin of lawlessness that we enter onto a path that is difficult. Now do not get me wrong, I am not trying to take away from the Sermon on the Mount where the Lord spoke about the narrow gate. In truth, being a Christian is one of the hardest lifestyles that I have ever lived, everyday is a choice to live for Him and not myself. The plainness of the the path of the righteous is is this: follow God, do His will. There is no having to come up with a story to cover lie after lie after lie when you are following your Lord.

It has been said that a tangled web is woven when we begin the practice of deception. When living a life of sin we begin to deceive ourselves into thinking that we are deceiving God. This is the complication of a life of sin.

"The righteousness of the upright - their rectitude in every area and relation - shall deliver them; but the treacherous shall be taken in their own iniquity and greedy desire." Proverbs 11:6, Amplified

Do not misunderstand Solomon. As I stated earlier, there is nothing righteous within man that makes him righteous. It is that plain path and righteous decisions that we will make on that path that will be our deliverance. For every decision brings us closer and closer to our Lord. Every decision should have Jesus in the forefront.

In the end, we all fall into the same fate, death. Christians nor sinners can escape the inevitability of death. Our deliverance comes from the second death, Hell. The treacherous and the wicked will have no deliverance from death when this world is gone. They heap upon themselves more and more sin because their lust is insatiable. We have a choice to either live like kings today or to live like king sin the after life.

Two Separate Paths (Proverbs 10:27-29)

All through out the Proverbs, we find that Solomon focuses on one point more than another. It is the walk of the individual. We can either have an upward walk toward Christ or a downward walk toward death and destruction. The decision is ours to make.

"The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord prolongs one's days, but the years of the wicked will be cut short." Proverbs 10:27, Amplified

When we focus our hearts on the Lord our years are lengthened. This is a promise from the Lord, for it would not be in His word if it were not true. I did cover this earlier, however. These length of days may not necessarily be a physical life. Length of days can very well point to the afterlife. If we are to give our hearts and lives over to Christ and accept the work of the cross, then we will live life eternally.

If we are to deny His work on the cross, then our lives will be cut short. It does seem that the wicked do live more prosperously in this life than the righteous do. I encourage you to keep your eyes on the eternal. Which ever road we choose, eternity awaits. That eternity can either be one of life or death and separation from God.

"The hope of the [uncompromisingly] righteous - the upright, in right standing with God - shall be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked [those who are out of harmony with God] shall come to nothing." Proverbs 10:28, Amplified

We, as Christians, have a hope that the world does not have. Our hope is that eternal life, heaven. This hope is verified by a right walk with the Lord, though. Hope is not just a feeling in the heart, but an action of life.

It is in the nature of the human to expect much from nothing. We are selfish by nature. The expectation of the wicked will be cut off because they have invested nothing of themselves in anything else.

"The way of the Lord is strength and a stronghold to the upright, but it is destruction to the workers of iniquity." Proverbs 10:29, Amplified

The way of the Lord keeps the children of God safe. It is what we invest ourselves in and what we run to in times of trouble. Within the word of God lies all the answers for whatever it is that we may face in this life.

However, this "way" is the direct antithesis of the wicked path. What we run to to keep us safe will be the destruction of the wicked. The same goes for the way of the wicked man, it will inevitably destroy the righteous man.

Choose today what path you will walk.

Payment (Proverbs 10:16)

Anything that anyone does in this life has a price tag attached to it. It either leads to life or death. For instance we can see that the drinking of alcoholic beverages will eventually lead to death as well as smoking and other things of the like. But living a more godly lifestyle extends the life of man, because he is not wreaking havoc on his body.

"The earnings of the righteous - the upright in right standing with god - lead to life; but the profit of the wicked leads further to sin." Proverbs 10:16, Amplified

The righteous man heaps upon himself a payment of life. Do not misunderstand me please. We all know that there are Christians who have died from cancer or in different tragedies. My father gave his life to the Lord and lived a righteous life, but he still died from liver failure on Christmas Day. I, as a Christian, have the opportunity to blame God for this, or to understand that my father received his final paycheck. The Bible does not lie. Life, as we know it, does not need to be solely on this plane of existence. Life extends for beyond this world into the eternal with out Lord. My father is living that life, that abundant and eternal life that was promised to him when he accepted the Lord.

However, the wicked ear a different wage. In fact the Bible here calls it a profit. It is interesting that the word profit is used. We generally associate profit with the positive. A business is considered successful if it can bring about a profit. In essence, however, the idea of profit is "receiving more than what was put in". It would be like finding a hidden treasure at a garage sale buying it for a small price, investing yourself into that item n=by refurbishing it, then turning around and selling it for a higher price. (Again this is profit in a positive aspect.) But a man can invest himself in sin so that he is able to sin more. The profit of sin is a lie. "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the world, and loses his own soul?" (Matthew 16:26, NKJV) It is a rhetorical question that the Lord presented to His disciples. The answer is obvious, nothing. The profit is nothing.

Don not be fooled. As we go about living our lives we are storing up for ourselves wages. There will be a final payment due at the time of our death. We are given a choice as to how we will be payed. It is like going to a currency exchange and you give your life to the teller. he smiles at you and gives you the exchange rate for your righteousness. But if the wicked goes to the same teller, he would find that his life was worth nothing, it had no value. Value is defined by cost. My life is valuable because it cost the life of Jesus. What is your life worth?

Wells and Bullhorns (Proverbs 10:11)

It is interesting the conversations that you can have with either the righteous or the wicked. I understand that everyone's voice is different, everyone's opinion differs from the other. However, you can distinctly hear the heart in the midst of the conversation and discern whether the person is a righteous man or a wicked man.

"The mouth of an [uncompromisingly] righteous man is a well of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence." Proverbs 10:11, Amplified

The language of this verse is so beautiful and the imagery is so descriptive. Solomon is describing the mouth of a righteous man like a well. A well is a deep pit where a person would find themselves at when they were thirsty or needed water. They would lower their pail deep into the well to draw out the refreshment. This is what I wan to really focus on. A person had to go to the well and lower the pail and draw out. The righteous man is the same way. When one needs that righteous advice or conversation one must want to draw out that righteous speech. What I am trying to convey here is that the righteous man's righteousness is only as good as other's want it to be. Take for instance the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus had His own righteousness to impart to her but she had to be willing to draw it out. With her being a Samaritan it was her right to ignore this Jewish man asking for a drink. She enjoyed the righteousness so much that she also had to get the others from the city to have them partake.

The waters of the righteous well can be nothing else other than the Holy Spirit. It is our duty then to make these waters available to everyone and to not pollute the waters. The less pure the water is the less refreshing it will be.

In the second part of the verse, we come across some more imagery that is familiar. Verse six of this same chapter is read the same way. Remember, however, that the New King James does not refer to this violence as a concealing but as a covering. It is a filter to the violent and wicked man. No matter what he say or how he says it, his words will always be tainted with violence. Think of it like a person with a bullhorn. The tone of the device in unmistakable. it does not matter what country you are in or what gender is using the bullhorn, the tone is always the same. Just as the righteous man's righteousness is drawn out of his heart, so the violent man's violence comes. The difference between the two is that the righteousness must be drawn but the violence will come whether desired or not. This violence and wickedness will spill out on all peoples everywhere; every syllable is tainted.

More Said with Fewer Words (Proverbs 10:6)

In chapter ten of the book of Proverbs is where we begin to see the one verse proverb. This in no way weakens the proverbs, in my estimation it actually strengthens the proverbs. A lot can be said in a few words.

"Blessings are upon the head of the [uncompromisingly] righteous - the upright, in right standing with God; but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence." Proverbs 10:6, Amplified

It is no secret that when good is done a reward is received. This is a practice in any secular institution as well as with Christians. I am going through the same thing with my son right now. We are having such a hard time potty training him, but when he has those victorious days, and even nights, we praise him and give him "treasures" for the accomplishment. Now the Lord rewards us in a similar fashion; of course it is not through a treasure box for not messing our pants. The rewards that we receive from the Lord for a righteous life are the benefits of a righteous life. Let me explain a little further. Lets just say that you have been pursuing a particular job for a while and you have lifted it up to the Lord in prayer because you want it to be within His will. But let us say that for the sake of argument that you do not receive the job. That is a blessing from the Lord. You have no way of knowing if that was the right job for you or what would have happened to your walk if you had received that job. However, in that denial, what if a better opportunity arises that you would not have seen if you had gotten that particular job. That is a blessing from the Lord. Every event in the Christian life, who is actually walking righteously, is a blessing from the Lord.

The wicked, however, is another story. Their mouth conceals violence. What does this mean? it is interesting to see that blessings are on the head of the righteous because the head directs the body. But the head of the wicked is not so blessed. Within the mouth of the wicked rests violence. The New King James Version of the Bible actually translates the verse like this, "But violence covers the mouth of the wicked." (Proverbs 10:6b, NKJV) When I think of a covering, I think of a sealing effect. A cover is designed to either keep something in or out. Taking the two translation into account we may be able to come up with a unique interpretation. This violence is both concealed within and covers the mouth of the wicked. I would think of it like a reverse filter. It is something that is not always seen by the user, but the effects are readily distinguishable. Drinking a bottle of Evian tastes a lot different that drinking Sparklettes because the filtration that both waters undergo is different. This violence is not seen by anyone at the onset of introduction but when the wicked opens his mouth his wickedness is made known to all.

This concealment should never be mistaken for camouflage for the wickedness in man will always be found out. Too many times in the New Testament do we see the separation of the righteous from the wicked such as in the kingdom parables found in Matthew 13. These parables distinguish the blessings of the righteous as well as the doom of the wicked. The Sower speaks of four different soils wherein only one in four is blessed. As for the Wheat and the Tares, the Lord of the harvest waits until harvest time to separate the wheat from the tares. We have a compare and contrast with the mustard seed and the little bit of yeast. And finally the dragnet speaks of separation of good fish from bad fish. Concealment can only last for so long.

Do You Remember Flannel Graphs? (Proverbs 10:2-5)

One thing that I love about the Proverbs is that Solomon gives us the opportunity to see the difference between being righteous and being wicked. Now I am not saying that as adults we do not understand this concept, but I feel that sometimes we may forget in the heat of the moment. But the Holy Spirit is always there and ready to have us remember how the Lord blesses the righteous for being righteous. It is kind of like a flannel graph. You have heard the story and you know the story, but when the teacher puts the figures up onto the flannel board, then you finally remember. It sticks because it is finally laid out for you in a way that a child can understand. The Proverbs are a kind of flannel graph for the adult then.

"Treasures of the wicked profit nothing, but righteousness [moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation] delivers from death." Proverbs 10:2, Amplified

We will be given four different dichotomies in the next four verses. For the first we will see the protection of the Lord. The treasures of the wicked, in the original language, can actually be translated as an "armory". This armory that the wicked garner for themselves will actually save them from nothing. I imagine it a bit like the armory on a movie set. You can walk in and find all these beautiful guns, big or small, but they are filled with blanks. The treasures of the wicked offer up empty promises and false protection.

However, just being righteous will deliver one from death. There is no armory for the righteous. All that we need for protection should already be worn by the righteous Christian. "Finally brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand the wiles of the devil. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on your breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench the the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." (Ephesians 6:10-11 & 14-17, NKJV) This is all we need to survive in the world today, just be righteous and the rest will follow.

"The Lord will not allow the [uncompromisingly] righteous to famish, but He thwarts the desire of the wicked." Proverbs 10:3, Amplified

The second example that we have is the provision of the Lord. If we are righteous we will not go without. This is a spiritual truth for the Christian to stand upon. My life verse is the perfect example for this truth. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for me with your whole heart." (Jeremiah 29:11-13, NKJV) The Lord will always be there for us, no matter what is going on in our lives.

As for the wicked, their plans will be thwarted by the Lord. There has never been, nor will ever be, a promise that this will be instantaneous. David, when he wrote the Psalms, was constantly calling the Lord's attention to the prosperity of the wicked. The Lord knows what is going on, He understands that things are a little up side down in this world at the moment. But think of it like this: our Father is dealing with His children first. "And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons: 'My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.' If you will endure chastening, God deals with you as sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which you have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons." (Hebrews 12:5-7, NKJV) The rest of the world is like a bastard child and has no inheritance in the Lord. All His focus is on the righteous for the simple reason that we belong to Him.

"He becomes poor who works with a slack and idle hand, but the hand of the diligent he makes rich." Proverbs 10:4, Amplified

The third example that we have is the prosperity of the Lord. The wicked are lazy and wish to do nothing more than sin. This verse reminds me of the movie Wall-E, where all the people of earth have become so disengaged in life that technology has taken over or them. They are so oblivious to what is going on around. Nothing good came out of that experience, nor will anything good come out of our experience in being lazy and idle. "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." (II Thessalonians 3:10, NKJV)

But the righteous man takes every opportunity to work. It has been said that idle hands are the devils playground. From experience I can attest that this is a true statement for myself. Keeping busy is the key for success. And being diligent for the sake of riches should never be the focus. Rather being diligent is a byproduct of righteousness. If one is not righteous then he will not be diligent.

"He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame." Proverbs 10:5, Amplified

Finally we have the produce of the Lord. There is a tie for harvesting and the wise son gathers that harvest in its time. We please our Father when we tend to the harvest and bring it into His storehouses. The righteous are ready and willing to gather that harvest. "Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.'" (Matthew 9:37-38, NKJV)

The wicked do not wish to have anything to do with the harvest. For the harvest is work, it is sweat, it is tears. As children, we had three months of summer vacation, but as adults we need to get the idea of vacation out of our heads.

Our rest is coming. Now is not the time to sleep.

The End is Already Written (Proverbs 6:12-15)

There are certain people in this world that are continually devising evil things. Their thought processes tend to sway toward evil. They continually make choices that are contrary to God. It seems as though these people eat, drink and breathe evil and wickedness. Though they seem to prosper, their end is near.

"A worthless person, a wicked man is he who goes about with a perverse [contrary, wayward] mouth." Proverbs 6:12, Amplified

To call a man worthless is quite a harsh thing to say. What would make a man worthless? Something that is worthless is something that has no value. But even this idea of value can be viewed two different ways. First is the monetary value placed upon the item. A car for instance; lets say that a person goes out and buys a brand new Corvette. They drive this Corvette all over then decide to park it. Let us say for the sake of argument that this person parks his car next to my Mazda. My Mazda was given to me for one dollar. It is not the prettiest car in the world but she does get me where I need to go. Any person walking by our two vehicles can look and place a value on both cars. They would automatically assume that the Corvette was the more valuable of the two vehicles and they would be right.

Secondly, there is a value placed on things simply because they are important to the person. My comic book collection is not the most intricate or most expensive, but to me, it has tremendous value. I have spent a lot of time and effort to acquire these comic books and have constantly tracked their value. To me they are valuable because they are a passion of mine. I love my comic books.

Now the worthless man would fall into both categories. He was neither bought with the blood of Jesus nor is there any intimacy between him and the Lord. The Lord has not spent any real time with the worthless man for Him to have placed any value on him. The man's own wickedness has kept that value from being placed on himself.

"He winks with his eyes, he speaks by shuffling or tapping with his feet, he makes signs [to mislead and deceive] and teaches with his fingers." Proverbs 6:13, Amplified

Even the very body language of the worthless and wicked man. The wicked man does not even need to speak to lead someone astray. Winking with the eye has always been linked to deception. Shuffling or tapping of the feet speaks of a person way of life; where they go and what they do. The making of the signs is something not mentioned in the original text, the wicked man also teaches with his finger. He points and directs people astray, not with words but with gestures.

"Willful and contrary in his heart, he devises trouble, vexation and evil continually; he lets loose discord and sows it." Proverbs 6:14, Amplified

Again, this is a reiteration of verse twelve. Evil is a constant part of his lifestyle. But we have something new added. He sows discord. Discord is a form of confusion; it is taking two like minds and turning one against the other. Just think of it like that one friend who has driven a wedge between you and another friend vying for your attention.

"Therefore upon him shall the crushing weight of calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken and that without remedy." Proverbs 6:15, Amplified

Though the wicked man seems to be prospering, know that his end is already written. A man who devises evil continually will soon be consumed by it. This is a truism that even nonbelievers know and understand. His end is soon. I think of a couple individuals in the Bible when ever I read this verse and others like it. Ahithophel was King David's chief advisor, he was also the grandfather of Bathsheba. (II Samuel 11:3, II Samuel 23:34) When Absolom took the kingdom from David, Ahithophel also followed Absolom. Ahithophel advised Absolom on how to overcome his father. However, David had friends on the inside still and soon Ahithophel's advice was not being heeded anymore. Ahithophel killed himself, an end without remedy. Another person that comes to mind is Judas. After betraying Jesus, Judas hung himself for what he had done. An end without remedy.