Wisdom of Solomon's Proverbs

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝟏𝟐:𝟒

𝐀 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝: 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬.

What a precious proverb! A virtuous woman is a noble, gracious, diligent, and loving woman. She faithfully honors and pleases her husband. He is thankful and rejoices in God’s goodness to him through her. But an odious woman shames her husband and slowly kills him on the inside by selfishness, stubbornness, foolishness, or unfaithfulness.

The word crown here is a simple metaphor. A crown honors a person. Kings wear crowns for the honor of their office, and athletes were crowned to honor sporting achievements. A great wife honors her husband by the pleasure and esteem she brings him, and she also crowns his authority by her own submission and that which she requires of her children. A crown is a grand piece of jewelry, and a virtuous woman is a crown to her husband.

Rottenness in his bones is a simple simile, a comparison that gives itself away by using the word “as.” Bones are the support of your anatomy, and rottenness in your bones is fatal trouble for your body. Ask anyone with advanced leukemia. An odious wife causes horrible grief to a man’s mind and distress to his soul. In public he is ashamed he is married to her, and in private he is deeply wounded in his heart. It is a painful affliction. A woman can hardly understand it, for she was made for him, not he for her (I Cor 11:9).

Wife, humble yourself before this proverb and its warning. Forget what you think about yourself. Forget what your mother tells you. Even forget what your husband tells you. His praise is not the measure. That is not nearly good enough. A man who feels maritally trapped without a crown of gold may think or say a crown of thorns is good, especially in a weak moment, or when he needs something, or when his approval is expected.

Your husband has likely not told you the truth. If you ask him, he still may not. Consider well. It is hard for a husband to deeply criticize a wife, especially in matters as intimate and personal as marriage and your womanhood. Men also fear the consequences of interrupted domestic tranquility; they resent having to explain the obvious, again; and/or they may not believe it will do any good anyway. He is likely not as pleased as you think.

Stop kidding yourself that you are virtuous. Others know better. Virtue is very objective and visible. Your self-righteous and conceited opinions are deceitful. If you think the criticism too harsh, think about three things. An odious wife is one of the great curses of life (Pr 30:21-23). Internal bone disease is worth a little effort to get your attention. And saving a man’s life takes desperate measures, especially stopping such torturous murder. A bad wife is more bitter than death, according to the experienced Solomon (Eccl 7:26).

The character and conduct that make a woman virtuous are as visible to others as her appearance. A truly gracious woman is highly respected by all others at all times (Pr 11:16). But the stench of the odious woman cannot be hid, no matter what she thinks of herself (Pr 27:15-16). Most people only see the hairy and smelly pig, when told that it has a nose ring of 24k gold (Pr 11:22). Humble yourself! Let Solomon teach you something.

Your children also know. They had you psychoanalyzed when they were young from seeing you interact with your husband. They knew if their father was happy and content with a wonderful wife, or if he was slowly rotting from neglect, frustration, or resistance. You will cost yourself both sons and daughters, for they will resent you for hurting their father and being so much less than what they want to be, or to have, in a marriage.

What exactly shames a man and rots him from the inside out? A disrespectful and haughty spirit, lack of frequent s*x, a dirty or cluttered house, too much talking, a lack of creative s*x, running home to mommy and daddy too much, children neglected physically or emotionally, laziness, a negative and complaining attitude, a lack of aggressive s*x, nagging, lack of loyalty, poor manners in public, a critical spirit, a lack of reverence, an out of shape body, insubordination, a prudish approach to s*x, not enough talking, self-righteousness, a lack of smiling cheerfulness, correcting details, excessive doting on children, remembering his faults, excitement at getting away by herself, bristling at correction, that she is disliked by others, and a “I’m just fine as I am” attitude.

All these things are clearly condemned and corrected in the Bible. A virtuous woman fears the Lord above all. She seeks to exceed everything the Bible teaches as the standard for great women. See the comments on Pr 31:30. She knows the parts of the Bible sent from God for her. She esteems them, and she obeys them. A few of these places are Genesis 3:16; I Corinthians 7:1-5; 11:9; Ephesians 5:22-24,33; Titus 2:3-5; I Peter 3:1-6. Nothing else matters to her but that she pleases God and pleases her husband every day.

A virtuous wife knows God inspired Proverbs 31:10-31 and the Song of Solomon for her. She does not care about any other opinion or pursuit, no matter what the source. She wants to be her husband’s cheerful and loving companion, his most faithful supporter, his most loyal confidant, his most ardent friend, his most tireless helper, the world’s greatest lover, a domestic goddess in household duties, a queen of hospitality and social graces, and the perfect mother of his children, as these two comprehensive passages detail.

Wife, there is only one way to be such a woman. Confess your sins to God and your husband; eliminate all bitterness and self-righteousness; repudiate your own ideas and habits; trust the Word of God without question; and cheerfully do everything written in the Bible for women, without any compromise. You and your husband will be far happier for it; your children will be happier; and the LORD of heaven will reward you.

Christian man, there is hope. The word of God can cure the rottenness in your bones, if you can help your wife believe and obey it. God created the woman for you, and He has written the perfect marriage manual for you to have a crown of pure gold. She needs to be in a church that preaches the whole counsel of God practically and powerfully. And you need to do what you can to lead, encourage, and direct her toward obeying the Bible. If she does not fear and love God like Abraham’s Sarah, then you are in serious trouble.

If you are married to a virtuous woman, as measured by the word of God, then you are greatly blessed, for such a woman is a divine blessing from heaven (Pr 14:1; 18:22; 19:14; I Cor 11:7,11). Give thanks to God for saving you from a slow and painful death. Take a moment to pray for your friends that married conceited, selfish, stubborn women. What can you do today to let your wife know how much you appreciate and love her?

Young man, think about rotting bones. It is what you will suffer, if you marry hastily or foolishly. See the comments on Pr 31:30. Being single is heavenly compared to marriage to the average woman in this haughty and rebellious generation (Pr 19:13; 21:9,19; 27:15-16). Virtuous women are rare, very rare. You will need to trust the Lord, hunt far and wide, examine and test her character, and trust wise men to help find and prove her.

A virtuous woman is also a crown to her Lord. She is a good Christian first and a good wife second. She has a personal relationship with Christ like no other. She keeps the adversaries of the gospel from reproaching or blaspheming the word of God (I Tim 5:14; Titus 2:5). But her love of Christ is empty hypocrisy, if she does not love her husband the way Jesus Christ taught her in His Word. Let each reader be a bride that crowns her Lord.

https://letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/index/chapter-12/proverbs-12-4/

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝟏𝟏:𝟐𝟒

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐡; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲.

No business school in the world is advanced enough to teach this powerful law of economics. Not the London Business School. Not Harvard. Not Wharton. This proverb is a financial secret from the infinitely wise God of heaven for His people. Giving away financial assets will increase your net worth, while holding back money leads to poverty.

If you want a wealth-building secret from God and King Solomon, here it is. Throwing money to noble and righteous causes will bring financial prosperity, but restraining your giving will take you down. Here is advice, not to invest money, but to give it away. That is right; you read it correctly; give your money away if you want to get ahead financially.

This proverb is not a sound bite for a desperate charity or greedy televangelist. It is an axiom of wisdom from the wisest and richest King that ever lived. He taught elsewhere to cast your bread upon the waters by giving money away, for it will come back to you sometime in the future by God’s blessings (Eccl 11:1-6; II Cor 9:8-11; Phil 4:17-19).

Solomon compared two men in this proverb. The one man scattered his money by giving it to godly causes, and he grew and prospered financially. Though he gave his money away, his financial assets kept growing. The other man hoarded and protected his assets by not giving when he should or as much as he should, and he got poorer and poorer.

Fools scorn God’s wisdom. The world’s best MBA’s laugh at such preposterous ideas. How can you give away funds and increase assets? Their minds are limited to the math taught by their earthly teachers. Remember, these ignorant MBA’s also think the universe is the result of a big bang of cosmic gases and their mothers were baboons. They cannot even imagine that there is a whole set of higher economic laws they know nothing about!

They think 10 – 1 = 9, when 10 – 1 = 900! Learn God’s math! Isaac, from a family that gave a tenth to God, had an annual return of 10,000% on his portfolio (Gen 26:12). He gave a tithe of all income to God, and he invested the remaining 90%, which returned a hundredfold. When did these educated fools with thick economic textbooks ever get an annual return like that? They work obsessively to match the S&P500, which can be obtained by throwing darts at the financial page of a newspaper or buying an index fund.

Abraham, Isaac’s father, gave away a tenth of everything to God’s priest after a great victory (Gen 14:20). He was very rich, in spite of moving six hundred miles from home, without a strategic plan, to a strange land, where he did not know anyone or anything (Gen 13:2,6). But he increased by the blessing of God for honoring God with a tithe.

Jacob, Isaac’s son, moved to a new country with only a staff in his hand, but in 20 years he was so rich he could only travel in two companies (Gen 32:10). And this occurred in spite of discrimination against him by his employer (Gen 31:7,41). What was his secret for financial success? Give away 10% of all income (Gen 28:22). Give God the glory!

Fools think they have to look out for number one, meaning themselves, and only give to God a little of what is left. If nothing is left, then God gets nothing. Wise men also look out for number one, meaning God Himself. They give to God first, and live on whatever is left. The blessed God of heaven sees the different spirit and rewards them accordingly.

Fools reason, “I cannot afford to give. I have to protect my financial situation. I have bills coming up that I need to save for. When I am in a better financial situation, then I will give.” The God of heaven operates far above these ignorant and wicked ideas of financial safety. These men will surely be poor. They will never improve financially by violating this proverb. Just a little survey will show such men are often the poorest you know.

You cannot afford not to give! Your situation will go from bad to worse, if you continue to rob your Creator (Mal 3:8-11; Gal 6:7). It is better to live on 90% of income in the will of God than to miserly steal His 10% and live in rebellion. If you steal His 10%, He has the right and power to take His 10% and your 90%. You cannot afford not to give!

You can afford to give. If your salary were cut 10%, you would keep living with just a few changes. Some governments will split your giving with you by allowing you a tax deduction for it. It only costs the average American 6% to give 10%. You steal and lie, when you say you cannot afford to give. Humble yourself; choose wisdom, and increase.

A tithe is not the limit, for New Testament blessings surely deserve more than the beggarly 10% of the Old. Your spiritual and material blessings are greater than Israel ever dreamed. God has given you 100% of what you are and have, and heaven is waiting. Is 10% all you can muster? Consider 10% a light duty. [The O.T. tithes actually totaled 23 1/3%, but those tithes included things now covered by our tax and welfare systems.]

Fools also reason, “Other men give because they have more to give. Their giving did not bring financial success; they give because they are financially successful.” These fools lie to themselves to protect their selfish and stingy souls. They reject the infallible word of God to honor their greedy ignorance. They will never be a success. They are going down.

Israel thought it was financially wise to build their own houses first, but God blew against their efforts and put holes in the bags where they kept their wages (Hag 1:1-11). He guaranteed them great success, if they would put His cause first and mark their calendars (Hag 2:13-19). Do you have holes in your bags, reader? You cannot mock God; He will take you down to poverty. Does God truly bless giving? Indeed He does (Pr 3:9-10)

How can the Lord increase a man who gives his money away? He can raise his income, lower his expenses, change tax laws, arrange gifts, grant favors, defer liabilities, extend the life of assets, preserve health and strength, open doors of opportunity, multiply efforts, provide bargains, give wisdom, attract customers, and many other things. Glory!

How far does this rule go? God dares you to try to outgive Him. He told Israel He would open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing they could not receive, if they would simply bring their tithes and offerings to Him (Mal 3:7-12). Give God the glory! He can supply you a full measure, press it down, shake it together, and pour it over the top (Luke 6:38). He dares you, reader. The God of heaven dares you to try to outgive Him. Amen!

There are two conditions for God’s rich blessings on giving – you must give generously, and you must give cheerfully (Pr 11:25; II Cor 9:6-7). If you are stingy, God will be stingy to you. If you are generous and liberal, He will be the same in dealings with you (Is 32:8). If you are not cheerful and excited about giving, it is all a waste – for God loves cheerful givers. Giving is an act of worship, and you should do it with joy (Deut 28:47).

If you are a child of God living in America, you have the greatest combination of blessings ever known by any persons in human history. And it is certainly not because Americans are better people. It is God’s pure mercy. How can you not be the most liberal giver of all time? You are in great debt to your Creator and Saviour for more than others.

R.G. LeTourneau (1888-1969), a Christian businessman with little education, was one of America’s greatest inventors with 300 patents in earthmoving and other heavy equipment. His factories produced 70% of the heavy earthmoving machines used by the Allies during World War II. His rule for success? He gave 90% of all income back to the Lord. His favorite verse? Matthew 6:33! His philosophy and experience about giving? “I shovel out the money, and God shovels it back to me – but God has a bigger shovel."

If you meet a poor person in true need and give to him, the Lord of heaven will repay you (Pr 19:17; Deut 15:10-11; Ps 41:1-2). But if you keep your money and assets to protect your financial situation, the Lord of heaven will curse you with many curses (Pr 28:27). The contrast here is rather severe, but are you wise enough to believe it and obey it?

Giving to preachers, who teach you the word of God, is not just a religious tradition or convenient suggestion; it is the ordinance of God (I Cor 9:1-14; Gal 6:6; I Tim 5:17). It ought to be a high pleasure to reward your servant and to please God. Since he is God’s ambassador, your treatment of him is a direct reflection of your love of God. If he is a true preacher of God’s word, you get more than you give both spiritually and financially.

If you have family members in need, you have denied the Christian religion, if you do not support them financially (I Tim 5:4,8). If you are a grandparent or parent with children, you should be giving them an inheritance (Prov 13:22; II Cor 12:14). Are you holding back for yourself like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day (Mark 7:9-13)? You are going down!

You should give to God first, because that is God’s rule by Solomon (Pr 3:9-10). Nothing should cause you to delay it or dilute it. However, you must also keep the other financial duties taught in the Bible. If you give to God and the noble causes He approves, but you violate His other financial rules, most of which are taught in this book of the Bible, then you sin several ways, for you visibly presume against the very One you pretend to honor.

Have you wished you could walk on water with Peter? Here is your opportunity. Peter had to step over the gunwale of his boat and down on the water by faith, and you get to scatter your money by faith. Go for it! Do not look at the waves. The promise of this proverb and the other verses included here are just as the Lord saying to Peter, “Come.”

Do you believe the Bible? Then do what the Bible says. Give away part of what you have. Do it. Show God and men your faith. Test the proverb. See if you increase. Let God be true, but every man a liar. The proverb is true. This rule of success is from heaven, and it has never failed. If this proverb is not really true, then the others are not true either.

The many benefits of a golden parachute from God keep coming. Generous and cheerful giving provides a good foundation for your soul in the Day of Judgment (I Tim 6:17-19; Mat 10:42; 25:40; Phil 4:14-19; Heb 6:10). This is an incredible further benefit for giving that most Christians do not understand. What more do you need, reader, to learn to give?

Giving shows God’s grace in your heart and draws you closer to Him. But no matter how much you improve in giving, Jesus Christ is still the unmatchable Giver. He left the wealth of heaven to make the supreme sacrifice of His life to deliver you from eternal poverty and to guarantee you eternal riches (John 3:16; Rom 6:23; II Cor 8:9; 9:15).

https://letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/index/chapter-11/proverbs-11-24/

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝟏𝟎:𝟏𝟔

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐢𝐧.

What will you accomplish today? The world has righteous men and wicked men. They both rise each day to labor at school, at employment, and at other things. The righteous man’s efforts lead to godliness and life. The wicked man’s efforts lead to sin and death.

There is no neutral ground between these two men. You are either righteous or wicked. Your efforts are either leading you to life or death. What about you, dear reader? If you are living wickedly, even the most innocent or neutral activity is sin to God (Pr 21:4).

Solomon’s proverbs often have parallel contrasting statements. By comparing the two statements, you can find the proverb’s full intent. This proverb has three comparisons. Labour is compared to fruit, the righteous to the wicked, and life to sin. Comparing labour and fruit indicates a consideration of both the effort and the effect of the two lifestyles. Comparing life and sin shows both the nature and effect of the two lifestyles.

Therefore, you can conclude that Solomon blessed and commended the lifestyle of the righteous, where their efforts and the effects of those efforts tend toward godliness and life. And he condemned and warned against the choices and activities of the wicked, because their efforts and the effects of those efforts tend toward sin, trouble, and death. The proverb is a warning that your lifestyle determines how your efforts will affect you.

This axiom of wisdom – righteousness brings life and wickedness death – is not always visible. Sometimes the wicked look like they live well (Ps 37:35; 50:16-21; 73:3-14). Sometimes the righteous seem to be the only ones suffering (Ps 34:19; Acts 14:22). But the wicked will be brought down to destruction and hell, and the righteous will be lifted up above them – sometimes in this life – always in the next (Ps 37:36; 50:22; 73:15-20).

Another axiom says you cannot escape the consequences of your actions. “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal 6:7). But your deceitful heart will lie to you against God (Pr 12:15; 26:12,16; Jer 17:9). The devil will throw fiery darts of lies into your mind (Eph 6:16; Gen 3:4). And the world’s lies agree with them both (I Jn 2:15-17).

Success before God and men depends on laboring by the rules of wisdom and truth. If you cheat or compromise the rules, you will suffer by being justly chastened or judged for wickedness. Sin does not pay; it destroys and kills. Prosperity is easy, if you keep the rules (Pr 3:13-18; 8:12-21; 13:15; Ps 1:1-6; 19:11; 106:3; 112:2; Jas 1:25; I Pet 3:10-12).

Life in the next world also depends on working by rules of wisdom and truth, otherwise you cannot expect eternal life (Matt 7:21; Jn 6:27; Gal 6:8; I Tim 6:17-19; Heb 5:9). The proof of your election and guarantee of heaven is by doing the things God has specified for His children, and you should be very diligent about them (I Thes 1:2-4; II Pet 1:5-11).

https://letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/index/chapter-10/proverbs-10-16/

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝟗:𝟔

𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠.

Precious advice! Reject foolish friends and influences! Life, a blessed and peaceful life pleasing God and men, depends on it. Get away from fools. Go in the way – choose the lifestyle – of understanding. Live a godly and wise life. Let no one hinder or tempt you in other directions. Your survival, and your family’s, is at stake. Foolish friends will take you down. Solomon warned about this danger often (Pr 4:15; 5:8; 13:20; 19:27; 25:5).

Lady Wisdom’s first piece of advice, after offering a fabulous home and feast for simple men, is to forsake fools and choose the way of wisdom (Pr 9:1-5). The single best thing you can do for yourself is to cut off fools and their influence. Bad company will drag you down and destroy your life, no matter how strong you think you are. If you want to live, really live, get away from fools, and choose a godly life of wisdom and understanding.

It is a simple concept – foolish influences corrupt good manners (I Cor 15:33). Yet Paul had to warn, “Be not deceived.” Your heart, agreeing with Satan to destroy you, will justify foolish influences. He whispers, “They will not affect you,” or, “You should not be unfriendly,” or, “Everyone is doing it, and they’re okay,” or worst of all, “You might influence them for good.” You may be trying to justify foolish influences at this moment.

Consider Lot. He did not fear S***m’s influence. The better job was worth the risk. He and his family would be okay. After all, he was Abraham’s nephew. He chose a house near S***m; then he moved into the city; then he joined the city council; then he let three daughters marry local men. He did not forsake the foolish at all. They destroyed him, his wife, and all five daughters. What a disgraceful and wicked waste of seven lives!

Consider Rehoboam. He was Solomon’s son and the object of many proverbs. But he rejected his father’s wise counselors and chose college buddies for advice. Did it affect his life? In just one generation, he lost his father’s great nation and its glorious prosperity, as ten of Israel’s tribes rejected him and formed a new nation. What a disgusting waste!

Consider Jehoshaphat. A descendant of David and a great king of Judah, he chose to be a friend to Ahab, the pagan and profane king of Israel. He let his son marry Ahab’s daughter. This union with a compromising and wicked man cost him blessings and peace in his reign, for the Lord was angry with him for the relationship. Then God tore three of his descendants out of the royal genealogy of Jesus Christ for the ungodly alliance.

Here is the issue for you! What is your S***m? Who are your counselors? Who is your Ahab? Have you rejected fools in your children’s schooling, in your employment or profession, in your church, in your family, and in your family’s friends? Any friend or influence not equal to or greater in holiness and wisdom than you will eventually drag you down to their level. Guaranteed! Do not lie to yourself about this certain fact.

How do you choose friends? David chose them this way: “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts” (Ps 119:63). And, “A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person” (Ps 101:4). He was very selective in his friends. Are you? Of course, you will have fewer friends this way, but that saves time and bother. Who needs extra friends, especially when they are destroying you?

All your friends are Christians? Really? How selective! Fully one-third of the earth is Christian. Does that make them all lovers of truth and wisdom? Religious people falsely accused Jesus and crucified Him. Your standards are way, way too low. Real Christians live holy lives of self-denial, do not like earthly things, believe exactly what Paul taught, and are spiritually minded (Titus 2:11-14; Phil 3:18-19; Rom 16:17-18; 8:5-9).

What about television? Do you read wisdom in the morning, blasting foolishness, and then watch it in the evening? David said, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me” (Ps 101:3). A television is morally neutral – when it is off! It is a damnable device of hell – when it is on! There are very few minutes of programming on any channel that Lady Wisdom would endorse.

The very best television programming is godless, void of wisdom, and glorifying a false philosophy of humanism, hopelessness, and carnality. The evil message spewing from its images and sounds destroys souls – especially vulnerable children mesmerized by its total captivation of their eyes and ears. The most “wholesome” programming never promotes faith, godliness, marriage, prayer, doctrine, spirituality, truth, fathers, the Bible, etc.

The influence of the foolish can be subtle. Foolish friends apparently getting away with sin dull your hatred for it; their lack of spiritual conversation represses yours; and their cheerful encouragement for you to join them creates a strong temptation. Television presentations of a godless and carnal lifestyle numb your sensitivity to spiritual thinking and holy living. The powerful audio-video glorification of sin greatly excites your lusts.

What about your church? Most churches today use folly to keep the children, soothe the unregenerate, and increase attendance and cash flow. Is every word from the pulpit, and every activity of the church, defendable by Scripture alone? If it is not, then you are choosing folly even in your religion. Evil communications corrupt good manners there as well as anywhere (I Cor 15:33). Measured by an effeminate manual from denominational headquarters, your church may pass as wise. But if by the Word of God, it well may not!

Parent, would you let your child spend the night with a serial child molester or murderer? You resent even the question! But Lady Wisdom right here warns you that foolish influences will destroy their lives. Do you see the danger? Their souls are far more important than their bodies. How can you let them choose their own friends, listen to their own music, select their own spouse, or have a television in their own room?

The danger is clear! The fork in the road is right before you! To the left is the wide-open gate that leads to hell. Everyone else is entering that gate with laughter and a great community spirit – and they call for you to travel with them. To the right is a very restrictive and confining gate that leads to life. Hardly anyone at all is entering that gate, and they seem unusually sober and grave about it. Run for it, reader! And run through it!

Your heart is desperately wicked and lies to you more than you know (Jer 17:9). Without God’s grace and diligent care, you will default to folly and sin. But exposing yourself to folly in any form is certain disaster. It will take you down! Instead, “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Rom 13:14). Pure religion before God is to keep yourself unspotted from the world (Jas 1:27).

https://letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/index/chapter-9/proverbs-9-6/

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝟖:𝟏𝟏

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐮𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐭.

Why did you get up today? What is your greatest ambition for life? Whatever you are pursuing, it is inferior to wisdom, for all the things you can desire cannot be compared to wisdom. Why waste your life chasing worthless things? There are great riches in wisdom. Make wisdom your highest ambition and most important goal (Pr 4:7; 16:16; 23:23)!

What is wisdom? It is the power of right judgment – the ability to know what action pleases God and men in any situation. It is saying and doing the right thing every time. It is recognizing truth and error, no matter the efforts made to confuse or disguise them. It should be the pursuit of all men, but it is sought and obtained by only a few. Most men are obsessed with foolish distractions that will destroy them in this life and the next.

All the things men desire and spend their lives chasing could be listed and condemned, but exposing the three most popular will easily condemn the rest. These three common ambitions of men are education, financial success, and physical health; God thinks all three are foolish and vain (Jer 9:23-24). You have been warned. Do not waste your life.

From early on, many children are programmed to think education is life’s most important goal. Getting good grades, going to college, and getting an advanced degree from a prestigious university are viewed as grand and glorious achievements. But God mocks them (I Cor 1:19-21; 3:18-20; I Tim 6:20-21)! These educated fools acquire no wisdom – the fear of God and truth of the Bible. Divorces, depression, discontentment, drugs, and family dysfunction expose their folly. An illiterate farmer that fears God is far better.

Others plan to be professionally successful and acquire wealth. They want to be rich. They dream and slave to live in a fine home in an exclusive area. They want to drive the best automobiles, eat at the best restaurants, send their children to the best schools, and vacation in the most luxurious resorts. But money creates as many problems as it solves (Eccl 5:10-17); its pursuit ruins the souls of men (I Tim 6:6-10; Luke 12:13-21); it corrupts character (Pr 17:23; 18:23; 19:6); and you can take none of it with you at death.

An even more foolish pursuit is health, physical fitness, and bodily appearance – which are all losing battles until you die and wake up naked before God (I Tim 4:7-9). There is no discharge in this war (Eccl 8:8). In spite of all its efforts, vitamins, organic foods, health clubs, personal trainers, and alternative medicine, mankind has not added a single year to human life expectancy in the last 3000 years (Ps 90:10). Instead of seeking to live longer, they should have used the days and years they did have to live better (Ps 90:12).

Reader, what is your ambition? What goal do you have for your life? If it is one of these three pursuits that Scripture and nature expose as vanity, you are wasting your life and the air on this planet. If it is something less than these three lofty goals, you have made a terrible mistake. Solomon, possessing the greatest combination of wealth, wisdom, and power ever – experimented with more things than you can even imagine. What was his conclusion? Fear God and keep his commandments – true wisdom (Eccl 12:13-14)!

Godliness with contentment is great gain (I Tim 6:6). Godliness is pleasing God by your thoughts, words, and speech – the essence of true wisdom that Solomon exalted in this proverb. Contentment is happiness and satisfaction with yourself and your circumstances, no matter what they are. Together they are the key to a wonderful life. If you neglect or reject either, it would be better for you not to have been born. Wisdom is better than rubies, and there is nothing else in life even worth comparing to it. Seek wisdom today.

https://letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/index/chapter-8/proverbs-8-11/