Bragging On Jesus

Proverbs 28:2 When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will long continue.

“When a land transgresses” I think this might be paraphrased as: when the people of a land sin… Solomon says they will have many rulers. That does make sense in my mind because though sin makes a lot of promises, it never satisfies the people of the land. So many times I think that the leadership reflected the sinfulness of the people… and Solomon seems to make that connection because he begins talking about the sin of the people being reflected in the number of rulers and he ends the verse speaking of a man of understanding… i suspect that would be a good ruler… he brings long periods of stability so theres a connection there also.

Anyway, as for the people… since sin does not bring true satisfaction its typical that they might wind up blaming the leadership for all their discontentment instead of their sin. So in times of monarchs oftentimes there would be assassinations or overthrows of the government and new rulers would take their place.

This blaming of our leadership still happens today I believe… when really it’s a sin problem. And the thing is… when those who love wickedness blame discontentment on leadership instead of their sin, they think more wickedness will satisfy them and so we have this bent towards voting with a bent towards a candidate who promises to implement laws that fulfill our lusts like less lawfulness and more free stuff… even saying things like the economy and military strength is more important than righteousness and character. We see wickedness on all sides of the political isle… and so we progressively become more of an evil society with more and more rulers increasing in wickedness.

As for the kings of Israel and Judah… there were times when evil kings reigned long because God decreed it… Manasseh was one and he reigned 55 years. But 4 bad kings only reigned a few months while good kings like David reigned 40 years and Solomon 40, Asa 41, Joash 40, Uzziah 52… Still Solomon did say “When a land transgresses, it has many rulers”, and thats the way it played out overall. If I counted correctly, over the 439 years of kings altogether between Israel and Judah

There were 32 wicked kings and only 10 godly kings.

All this being said… Of course much has been my thoughts and trying to wrap my mind around the verse… Let me read it again:

Proverbs 28:2 When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will long continue.

Again I think we can see a correlation between ourselves and God here.

A wicked man (one without Jesus righteousness applied and working out in his life) is ruled over by sin. He goes from one thing to another in this world seeking to find satisfaction. Like Solomon says about a wicked people… this person also has many rulers. We are slaves to sin… Our free will is restricted to the things this world promises for satisfaction. But as CS Lewis indicated… we were not created for this world. So when the time comes that God opens our eyes to see Jesus as beautiful… when we see his glory… when we see him as the greatest treasure in the Universe, more so than anything the world could ever offer… Then with delight we look to him as our ruler and we become children of his kingdom with peace and satisfaction and eternal stability with him.

I’ll close with Psalm 16:11

Pray

Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Here’s a verse that throws in the face of what the wicked person portrays about himself. The wicked man is the one who roars right?. He is the bully at school that picks on the smaller kids. He is the one who pursues others in dark alleys with knives and guns. These may even have admiring followers in school or in gangs or even on the job who back them up and give a sense of credibility… these paint themselves as the king of the jungle, bold and unafraid. But Solomon teaches us that underneath their facade they are not fierce lions at all but scaredy cats.

You see, their lifestyle of wickedness carries with it a long list of bullying and taking from and taking advantage of and using others. Yes, in school and daily life including at work. They are deceivers and manipulators who have learned that by building and puffing themselves up... by being aggressive and domineering their pretense becomes a defensive tool as well as an offensive instrument for intimidation.

So why would they flee even when no one pursues? For one I think it just might be because they always have reason to be looking over their shoulder. They are paranoid and it may be with good reason. Another thing… as we looked at… they use their facade to actually avoid honest confrontation. In other words they cannot make a good case for truth. They hold to the view that no one will argue with them if they carry a big stick and so they run away from honest discourse because it scares them to death. They are scaredy cats with good reason for sure.

You know, before we see Jesus as beautiful we are the same way toward God. We cannot make a good case for our sin… still, we act bold as a lion towards God and continue to sin and we keep on avoiding coming to him in humility and honesty. In John 3 Jesus explained this to Nicodemus: John 3:19 …the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

But thankfully the true Lion of the tribe of Judah who judges the living and the dead doesn’t wait on us in our wickedness to come to him... it would never happen. Instead, He is the one who peruses us.

You know, the wicked man keeps looking over his shoulder even when no one is after him... because he has done so many people wrong.

But Jesus peruses is even as he knows we abide in wickedness... Jesus pursues us not to destroy us or pay us for our sins but to save us from the end of wickedness and show us he is the treasure greater than any wicked sin we might search out. He wants us to find fullness of joy in him.

Romans 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

If Jesus has sought you out and shown you he is the greatest treasure worth following after for the rest of your life. Thank him joyfully and share this good news of great joy with others.

You can even let me know at [email protected]

I would love to hear from you!

Proverbs 13:18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored. 19 A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.

I was just thinking… you know, poverty may come to a person for a number of different reasons… Sickness may be the catalyst that brings it on. ... but not necessarily with disgrace attached to it like todays passage mentions. Poverty may overtake someone because they were taken advantage of by another; right? Sometimes people are born into a poor country with few opportunities or they are born blind or deaf which keeps them lacking… So I suppose there are lots of reasons poverty overtakes someone.

Still, I think a case could be made that at least some of these other reasons for poverty are somehow linked with ignoring good instructions around them. Covid-10 might come from ignoring social distancing guidelines… Going broke in business comes quite often to those who ignore good business rules… Even laziness that leads to poverty comes when we ignore instruction that tells us to work.

So today Solomon is telling us this rock solid truth about a genre of Poverty and disgrace which comes upon people for ignoring good instruction and reproof…

Good instruction would include things like: don’t gamble your paycheck on the horses… don’t be a slave to alcohol, food, work, play or shopping. Solomon says those who ignore instruction brings disgrace and poverty while heeding reproof brings honor.

The problem seems to lie in the fact that man’s heart is bent to go our own way instead of listening to God… We are bent to sin.

We come out of the womb and right away we begin learning how to get our way. If I cry Mom will hold me… We keep learning more life hacks for our own advantage as we gain awareness of right and wrong and then into adulthood always being drawn to ignore Gods instruction.

Verse 19: 'to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.'

That’s how bent we are at our core.

And then amid all these things Solomon has spoken of today there is this one little phrase that though true seems so out of place.

“A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul” then… it seems to me must indicate that this relates to the person who will receive instruction and does heed reproof… that is… the wise person… the one Solomon says is honored.

Now Solomon may have been talking about truths he saw in the physical world; and to have our desires met is sweet for sure! Things like… for example paying off a debt. So to accomplish all kinds of good goals in life brings a sweetness to our soul right?

But at our core… or soul, is a hunger that cant be filled by anything in the world. It’s a desire that longs to be fulfilled and when it is… truly, like Solomon says it is sweet to our soul… it is sweeter than anything else.

I mean heeding the instruction God has given us in his word leads to sharing in the glory of God for eternity. That is an honor we don’t deserve by any means but one that will be filled with unsearchable riches and a full inheritance from God…. even to be forgiven and accepted by God… and to… Wow!… to see him in his glory. Thats going to be a desire fulfilled and sweet to our soul… While those who ignore Gods word… his gift of Jesus… his good news of great joy… for them repentance from evil is abomination to their soul while those who accept Gods grace through Jesus receive sweet delight and joy… even peace to our soul for not only now but eternity.

Pray

Proverbs 16:21 The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. 22 Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly.

Solomon tells us about two good traits that a wise person might learn or gain in life.

The passage begins with these 4 words: “The wise of heart”. Everything we do in life flows from our heart in some sort or fashion.

“The wise of heart is called discerning” Discernment is using good tools that help us make good decisions and form trustworthy opinions and beliefs. ... For example we use our 5 senses to make many decisions in life right? These are good tools God has given us. With our eyes we see a fire on the stove and with our hand we feel heat resonating from it so we use discernment and decide not to put our hand into the flames… On the other hand, bad discernment would be… That blue flame is pretty! I wonder what it feels like… ...

Good discernment is needed in every area of our life. Every day from the moment we wake up and walk out the door we begin discerning things… Like what are we going to eat… a doughnut or an old fashion breakfast. And our discernment goes deeper… We have to decide what kind of habit or routine or commitment we will make as we eat breakfast on a daily basis.

These are physical examples but discernment is most important when it comes to spiritual matters discerning between good and evil.

And as we touched on, the heart is connected to all we do… and going deeper to the root of the heart… it is connected to the world of the spirit…

1st Corinthians 2:12 says: Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

So the wise heart overflows out and into all that we do… Like the wind the invisible Holy Spirit moves things in the physical world like our hands and our feet and He changes peoples hearts.

So good and bad discernment alike… starts in the heart.

Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, … and so these would be people without discerning hearts.

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2nd Timothy 3:1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

So in todays two verses Solomon tells us how the wise of heart are discerning so they make good judgments about what is right and wrong and they make a good case about truth with their words so they are sharers of the truth.

If we are wise we have good tools that help us discern… In the previous devotion we learned that the wise person ponders the word of God so that is a foundational tool. Also the Holy Spirit guides us. Just as our 5 senses work together to verify whether what we might smell and feel and taste is an accurate representation of what we see.. The Holy Spirit verifies what we read and feel. The Historical accounts in Gods word and the Prophets… written over a large span of time by different authors, in different languages and from different cultures and locations… they also verify one another so we can trust their words about what is good and what is evil. Even when our conscious is distorted by the world these things can bring us back in sync with Gods standards.

Verse 22 seems to be a short summary of the wise in heart in comparison to the foolish in heart:

A wise heart gains good godly sense with discernment, sweetness of speech and persuasiveness. But then he bluntly sums up what a fool absorbs… that is all the instruction he has gained and Solomon simply calls it folly.

Let me read it again and then I’ll pray:

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. 20 Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

Alright… well, pride goes before destruction… Maybe you’re like me and have heard this quoted many times. Solomon talks about a proud person in both verses 18 and 19.

First verse 18 speaks of pride going before destruction but also how a haughty spirit goes before a fall. To be haughty is defined as being arrogantly superior and disdainful in your ways and I’m pretty sure that sums up what it means to be prideful. Also haughty is listed as a synonym for pride. So… from verse 18 it seems pride is like… a precursor to both disasters through life but also destruction…

And then in verse 19 Solomon speaks of this person who is apparently also proud but also a companion with others who are proud… and they divide the spoil together. I take that to mean at least all the spoil gained by injustice done in taking advantage of others that Solomon has already spoken of in this chapter.

I mean, even today if we look around in life and see haughty, disdainful, arrogant people seeming to succeed and gain riches and lands and great positions of power… these are people obsessed with a kind of greed that obscures the ability to love others… And we can see them dividing the spoil with others who are proud. So where is their fall and where is their destruction in verse 19?

Well, I think there is a hint of the coming destruction waiting for them in the phrase (quote) “It is better” “It is better to be of a lowly spirit”.

So it is better to be humble and meek than to be rich and proud. And Solomon even adds an extra multiplying factor to highlight how much better it is. He basically says it’s better to be humble even when you live with the poor than rich and companions of the proud. That does not mean that all people of lowly heart are poor… but it does show dramatically how much better Solomon indicates that it is to be humble than prideful.

Still, this does not expound on why it is better to be humble than rich and prideful dividing the spoil.

So we turn to verse 20 which says:

Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

So in these few verses Solomon does not give us all the details of how the prideful and haughty who we see all around us dividing the spoil will come to an end… But he has said it is better to be humble and now he says how it is better if these who are humble meditate on Gods word and trust in the Lord… they will be blessed and discover good.

It takes humility to say we have failed… and in actuality the prideful have already experienced some of their falling. By not finding their hope in the Messiah all they have to keep them from a bad end on Judgment day is their own righteousness to hope in and that will lead them to destruction.

In that sense its the same today as it was in Solomons day. They were to believe and be joyful in the coming of the Messiah and we believe and find our delight in Jesus who came, lived a righteous life, was paid the wages of my sin with his death on the Cross and rose again giving us power and victory over sins hold in life and death.

Thank You Father for this amazing gift of grace for all who look in delight to Your Son Jesus Christ.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 16:16 How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. 17 The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life.

The Real Rock Is The Greatest Treasure

Today Solomon begins comparing wisdom with gold and understanding with silver. He is not using these as metaphors but as actual comparisons. It’s kind of like comparing fake cookies with real cookies.

A few days ago my mother, my two sisters and a friend got together for rock painting. They are quite silly especially when they’re all together. On this day they painted pictures and saying on common rocks and one of my sisters and her friend were going to place them in rural out of the way places in the mountains of Colorado where they are on vacation today. One here, one there… etc. They talked about making a website where people could register the rock they found and the date. My friend Laura found a rock that looked like someone took a bite out of it and she painted it to look like a cookie.

Thats similar to what Solomon is saying. How much better is a real cookie than a rock cookie! A chocolate chip cookie loaded with pecans is to be chosen rather than a painted rock cookie.

Verse 17 in todays passage says: The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life.

Look… wisdom is better than gold!… understanding is better than silver! Dont be obsessed with seeking out the promises that the wicked world makes for satisfaction. It will cause you to ignore wisdom and understanding… you will begin using and taking advantage of others to gain your treasure. You will travel the path of evil to satisfy your lusts and die with clenched fists of whatever treasure you gained if any.

In Mathew 13:44 Jesus does use treasure as a metaphor. He said: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

I have a new hobby… I’m a few months into it. It’s metal detecting. A couple brothers and I go out on Saturdays to hunt for treasure… mostly silver and gold. Oh, I don’t see myself making enough to even pay for my detector… at least for a good while… But its fun to search and the best part is to fellowship with other brothers in Christ. Thats where the real treasure lies. It’s the kingdom of heaven that Jesus spoke of… it’s traveling on a journey with a real family of believers… a journey through a broken world where we look out for one another on the way to a new homeland where a full inheritance awaits us. And the thing is… We have been given a earnest down payment of that inheritance while we’re just a passing through this place. And as the song says: “our treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue and I just can’t feel at home in this world anymore!”.

Father, thank you for giving us eyes to see Jesus as the greatest treasure in the Universe. Turn our eyes away from seeking worthless things… obsessed with silver, gold, … seeking wicked treasures on the internet like porn… taking advantage of other to satisfy our lusts… Lord you opened our eyes to the beauty and good news of your Son Jesus and in joy we unclench our fists and receive him who with his death on the Cross was paid the wages of our sin and now all who delight in him are given his righteousness making peace with God… And as he was raised up from the hold sin had in death we are given that same power over sins hold in life as we walk with him and he will one day raise us up no longer subject to the entropy connected to sin. Father thank you for this gift of grace and faith through your Son for your glory.

Proverbs 16:13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right. 14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it. 15 In the light of a king’s face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.

Solomon has been talking a lot lately about the connection between our heart and our actions and has been honing in on our words. Today he tells us what a king loves and what a king hates.

He says a king loves righteous lips… but he reserves wrath for others, right?

… that is apparently those with a wicked heart and words who do not delight in his ways and ignore his words.

This is a truth Solomon has known personally. It likely does not apply to every king on earth. Some leaders back then and still today want people close to them who hide truths from the people and so are allies with him in deceit.

So in the context of what Solomon is saying about how a king loves him who speaks what is right. He says how a wise person keeps himself in a good relationship with the king. That is, I think… by his speech, his actions… his heart.

When your king loves righteousness… and he is a king who loves his people, stands for justice… he wants good things for the nation. And then he invites you into his presence and looks on you with favor… verse 15 says there is life in the light of his face. Its as though his countenance strengthens and gives you encouragement and life. Solomon says his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.

Have you noticed how everyone seems happier when a spring rain comes and green grass sprouts and trees bud... you notice birds singing which you didn’t before? Everything has a life giving glow to our eyes… and it gives us joy.

That's the way a good leader should relate to their employees who do what is good and right… Their countenance and words should bring life giving encouragement.

You know there’s a parable Jesus gave about the kingdom of God where a man who was going on a journey entrusted his servants with his property according to their ability. The one given 5 talents made 5 more and in Matthew 25:21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

These are the words that I think everyone desires to hear from their Creator. I’m reminded of a Star Trek The Next Generation episode where the Android Data wanted to meet his maker Dr. Noonien Soong in who’s image he was made. Data wanted to know if he was fulfilling the purpose he was created for. Essentially, he wanted Dr. Soong to say “Well done”. I think most of us want to hear that, but we want to accomplish it in our own way and not in the way or with the character and instruction of the true King. Men seek riches for personal satisfaction and then give money in hopes to somehow earn hearing these words. Some rationalize their wicked heart with all its lusts and desires telling themselves God made me this way… They say doing things the way they want is not evil while not admitting we are all broken because of sin and need the righteousness of Jesus applied to and working out of our hearts.

In closing remember that verse 15 in todays text says: In the light of a king’s face there is life, …

When I hear that my mind goes to 2nd Corinthians 4:6 which says that God (quote) “has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”.

We may not have seen the face of Jesus physically like his disciples did… but Spiritually God shows us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in his face… Its in Jesus that we find true life. And its only because of his righteousness applied to and working out of our life that he will smile and say …‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (Matthew 25:21)

Proverbs In 365 Devotions

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Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice. 9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. 10 An oracle is on the lips of a king; his mouth does not sin in judgment. 11 A just balance and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.

When Injustice Receives Justice

R Aylor

Verse 8 is interesting to me… It starts out: Better is a little with righteousness than… and then I would expect it to say something like… great riches with wickedness… but instead Solomon says: Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.

And so he highlights one of the attributes of wickedness which he seems to want us to focus in on… that is injustice.

Injustice takes advantage of and uses others… many times its those who cannot stand up or defend themselves. Its those who don’t have a legal course of action to pursue through the courts… The laws are stacked against them.

Those who are treated unjustly many times throughout history have endured great and horrific troubles… But here Solomon is saying… these people who treat others unjustly for their own gain are worse off than those who practice righteousness and have little…

I wonder why that might be…

Lets continue with verse 9 of the text…

9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

In chapter 15 how the heart is linked to the actions we take in the body… But here Solomon says the heart plans but it is the Lord who establishes his steps. Can both be right? Yes! A wicked unjust mans heart plans and as we just read he can receive great revenues with his injustice…

But lets think about this mans heart that motivated his injustice to take advantage of others? What was the root of his hearts desire? He wanted happiness and satisfaction from his gain. Did the Lord establish desires for fulfillment? No. But the Lord did establish his steps didn’t he?… He made sure his wicked steps did not bring him satisfaction. The man planed for his own exaltation but the Lord established his steps for his own glory to prove that his wickedness would not bring him true joy.

We finish up today's devotion with verse 10 and 11:

10 An oracle is on the lips of a king; his mouth does not sin in judgment. 11 A just balance and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.

Of course God had made Solomon king and he had the last word from the standpoint of the people. They had to abide by his judgments.

This points us to the King of every king… the one who always judges family with righteousness and justice… and that is Jesus. He created all the weights in the bag… he makes the rules…

Psalm 115:3 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

So think back to the man who practices injustice in today's text. Although he was unjust to others he will be judged justly by God. This is not something for him to look forward to. I think we can learn this from today's passage: Even if we have very little, it truly is better to have the righteousness of Christ working in our life... being full of joy and loving others and sharing the good news of his forgiveness and peace… That is much better than great revenues with injustice… not only in the present, but in eternity.

Proverbs in 365 Devotions

For a transcript and more go to braggingonjesus.com

Proverbs 16:5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished. 6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil. 7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Ok, lets touch on each proverbs here and see how they compliment one another.

Proverbs 16:5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.

Alright well, this verse reminds me of the last four words in chapter 15: “humility comes before honor”. As we talked about in that devotion, humility is needed to gain wisdom… If we are going to have an ear for this kind of reproof from the Lord which is given with great love and if we will acknowledge when we are in the wrong it’s going to take humility on our part for sure.

Solomon speaks of the arrogant in heart as being an abomination to the Lord. You may remember that throughout chapter 15 we learned about the connection between the heart and all of our actions… they are synced together. Our heart always finds a way to betray itself in our body. That goes for the wicked person who’s heart has not been transformed (Solomon says they will not go unpunished).

6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.

Of course there is only one who has and who could have atoned for our sin. It would take a sinless person to do that… they would have to willingly take the wages of our sin… That is Jesus, and his atonement is applied to all who believe in him. Verse 6 speaks of steadfast love and faithfulness as a way to atone for our sin… Again, only Jesus has a perfect unfailing love; only he is 100% faithful… the world lies, we fail… everyone fall short of the glory of God… And the sinless righteousness of Jesus is given to all who delight in him.

Solomon speaks of turning away from evil. This is called repentance. In Mark 1:15 Jesus himself said: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

The atonement for our sins was provided by Jesus with his death on the Cross and as he defeated the hold sin had over all people… its penalty, its wages due, its sentence. he gives all who believe this same power over sins hold in death for victory over sins power in life. This is the Gospel Jesus commands us to find our delight in and share with others.

(read vs 7)

What pleases the Lord?

Letting God have mercy on us so our heart is changed. In this way it is Gods love and his faithfulness and his goodness… all these things in this verse applied to us and also at work in us and thats how we please the Lord. Its his work in us so he gets the glory.

...he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

This verse may seem a little difficult… But it is likely something Solomon witnessed and even experienced in his life so there is a hidden truth in it.

Speaking of Solomon 1st Kings 4:24 says: …And he had peace on all sides around him.

On the other side of that, things come to mind like how Jesus enemies killed him… and so many of the disciples were martyrs and early Christians tortured and killed by Nero and even today Christian persecution is harsh and widespread.

It seems to direct my thoughts to two powerful enemies.

Before we come to Christ, death was our enemy right? I mean people dont want to think about it and dread it… That’s one enemy; but before we came to Christ we had another enemy and that is the Lord.

Romans 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

As believers we are no longer Gods enemies… and no longer do we fear death…

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Proverbs 15:31 The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. 32 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. 33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

What Type Of Ears Do You Have?

You know there’s different kinds of ears right? In the fantasy world there are elf and dwarf and human ears and what… fairy and troll ears...

In the real world our ears may be very similar physically but they can be dissimilar in other ways.

Some people have an ear for music… they can sit down at a piano for the first time and pick out a beautiful melody. I would say that the amazing guitarist Jimi Hendrex had an ear for music… it has been said that the guitar was like an extension of who he was. it was as though he could hear it in his mind, and then it just happened… He had a heart and an ear for music and somehow this passion was connected to the tips of his fingers.

In chapter 15 Solomon has been showing us something similar on a spiritual level. How things that comes out of a person are an extension of the spiritual condition of our heart. In previous devotions we talked about how the mouth is an extension of the heart but today Solomon mentions another body part that is motivated by the heart… the ear; and I think it is actually a precursor to the mouth… it comes first… The action of the ear may just be the first sign of a person who has been given a heart for God.

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You know, we’re all drawn to various kinds of information throughout that life. Some turn their heads when they hear someone mention fishing or hunting, lifting weights, or a author you love to read… Whatever it is, your heart has tagged these things as important to you and whenever your ear picks up a hint of those things it zones in on them and you turn and listen and spark up in conversation with that person to share experiences and learn more about this thing you love.

As a Believer, these new things we now love, these things about the awesomeness of God… they are tagged and our ears are on the look out for more and more of the treasures that can be found in Jesus… Those with ears like this will dwell among the wise. Solomon mentions this as one who “listens to life-giving reproof”… What does that mean? It is not saying God is always mad at us or an evil dictator over us…. But God is always directing us in his way for our joy… and when we have an ear for what he is telling us, it is going to be for our good and his glory.

Solomon says those who don't have an ear for him actually despise their own selves.

As Believers, our heart is not only synced to our ears but to our legs and our feet and hands… Our heart no longer longs to fellowship with people who want to exalt themselves instead of God… We now love to hang with those who are wise in the Lord… Those who love the Lord. Solomon indicates that it is the humble who receive instruction… It is the humble who admit their sinfulness and call to the Lord with a heart of faith in him and his word. These are the wise people with a beautiful approachable engaging gift of humility. And if we have an ear like todays passages speaks of, we will want to be around these kind of people.

We are so thankful that God gave us Spiritual ears to hear how Jesus is the best news we could ever know. How he willingly took our place fulfilling our sentence by penalty of the death we deserve when he died on the Cross.

Romans 6:23 says: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And 2nd Corinthians 5:21 says: For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Then on the third day he rose from the dead and conquered the wages of sin… with victory over the hold it had… the spiritual death or separation from God and the physical death because God will give us a new body like he has with his resurrection.