Sweet Sleep! Proverbs 3:21-26

Calvary Chapel of Jonesboro Inc.

Sweet Sleep! Proverbs 3:21-26

June 18, 2021 • John F. Lawrence

Proverbs 3:21-26
My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck.
Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble.
When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Do not be afraid of sudden fear, Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught.
If you have ever lost a night's sleep due to fear or worry, you know what a blessing it is to have a sense of security and peace as you go to bed. That is what God promises to those who base their lives upon His wisdom and Word. Since so many have trouble sleeping, let’s take a closer look at what God says will bring us a sleep that is sweet.
To get the full story on God’s secure, sweet sleep you need to go back as far as verse 21. The first thing we learn is that we need to keep sound wisdom and discretion with us. Solomon uses the picture of wearing such things like a necklace around your neck. What are these things? Sound wisdom is a word that means to have wisdom that is applied to your life. When applied, sound wisdom brings a continuing success in walking in God’s ways. Added to this is discretion, which means to have a purpose or plan that guides you in all that you do. It refers to having a worldview or a plan for life that is based on the wisdom of God’s Word. How do you get such things, this sound wisdom and life plan or purpose? You get them by being often in God’s Word – reading and learning from God to see things the way that He sees them. Thus the Word of God and the wisdom of God become more than just a quick answer to a
question. You get the answer then move on to life lived on your own. No, this sound wisdom is a lifestyle of following after God and His Word.
The result of this is blessings on the inside, thus the comment on our soul receiving life. When we hold fast to God’s wisdom there is life given to our soul. Our mind, will, and emotions are helped by God’s wisdom. Our mind is instructed, our will commanded, and our emotions are quieted by God’s wisdom. These are all things that would help contribute to sweet
sleep. There are also outward blessings – even blessings to our neck. The concept of the neck is interesting. When someone is “stiff-necked” the Bible is referring to him or her being disobedient and rebellious. When others are honored – they are said to receive a necklace around their neck. This was a symbol either of victory or of authority. There are also promises of safety and stability in our lives. Our walk will be safe and free from stumbling in sin. Again, having such promises help to encourage a sense of security and safety with God guiding our lives.
The next verse is our focus verse – promising sleep that is sweet. This happens to us because we are no longer “afraid.” This is an interesting word (pahad) and it means to be in dread or a bad sense of awe of something or someone. Deuteronomy 28:66 uses this word in the
following context.
“So your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you will be in dread night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. "In the morning you shall say, 'Would that it were evening!' And at evening you shall say, 'Would that it were morning!' because of the dread of your heart which you dread, and for the sight of your eyes which you will see.” Deuteronomy 28:66-67
This “dread” is because you have “no assurance of your life.” This speaks of someone who thinks that blind fate is responsible for whatever happens next. Someone sees the difficulties and disasters of this present world and as a result have no confidence – so much so that they dread when morning comes, wishing instead that it were evening – or wishing is was morning when it is evening. For the person who doesn’t understand God’s omniscience (knowing all things) and omnipotence (power over all things) and loving providence – life is terrifying. And that dread and terror makes it difficult for them to sleep at night.
Isaiah 33 also speaks of this kind of fear and dread.
“You who are far away, hear what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My
might." Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?" He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust gain And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil; He will dwell on the heights, His refuge will be the impregnable rock; His bread will be given him, His water will be sure.” Isaiah 33:13-16
God speaks to Isaiah about sinners who are terrified about being confronted by God. They will not submit to Him – and as a result they eventually see that they shall stand before Him and give an account of their lives. This makes them tremble – because they have not chosen righteousness. Yet God’s word to the righteous is that they will dwell on the heights with God as refuge and with Him as an impregnable rock for their protection. Peace with God is something that people mock, and yet it should never be underrated. Knowing peace with God gives one a peace that according to the New Testament “surpasses understanding.”
What gives us sweet sleep in life? God has revealed that it is not a pill or some secret meditation or calming that is self-taught and self-empowered. Instead it is the wisdom of God infusing the soul. It is God’s Word in meditation and contemplation, giving us God’s perspective as well as keeping us in His way. There is no source that can rival a peace one has from Him. It is a peace that cannot be taken away by earthly powers. It is the kind of peace that allows us to sleep sweetly in the arms of His love because we know He watches over
us. We sleep sweetly because we know that even death itself cannot separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. Such confidence breeds contentment. Such contentment breeds peace. Such peace results in sweet sleep.

A Tested Word Only a Fool Would Add to - Proverbs 30:5-6

June 30, 2021 • John F. Lawrence

Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. 6 Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar. Proverbs 30:5-6 It should not suprise us that in the midst of the wisdom of the ages we find a statement as to the trustworthiness of the Word of God. That is wisdom indeed - that we can trust God's Word because it is tested. We learn that it is a shield for those who need refuge. It is a word we are not to add to or subtract from. And it is a Word that God will protect to the point of proving that all who add to it are liars. A TESTED Word - The first thing we are told is that every Word of God is tested. There is an interesting start. Every means the whole of something - all of it. Each and every word that makes up God's revelation of Himself is tested. Those who mock the thought that we can trust every word in God's word need to realize that such a statement is not just made by theologians - but by God's Word itself. The idea of these words being tested refers to the smelting process of silver or gold. The smelting is done by exposing these metals to heat - intense heat - and thus bringing out all the impurities in them. What is left over is pure gold or silver. God's Word has been thoroughly tested and purified so that what we have is reliable - it is the smelted pure gold - and we can trust its purity. A SHIELD - This word serves as a shield to those who take refuge in God. Here we see that God's Word is equated with God Himself. Of course this should not shock us because what a person says ought to be true of the person. What a good reminder though that God is good for every word He speaks. A wise man would note this and look to God's Word for the ultimate promises in his or her life. ADDING TO GOD'S WORD - Don't add to God's Word is the warning given here. Yet there are myriad people and groups who have tried. Before turning the cults, first we need to see that individually we can add to God's Word. If we do not know it well, we can take our own personal desires and impose them upon the Lord. We can also go for years thinking that God has said something - and only be mistaken because of personal ignorance of the Word. Regardless of the reason - any personal addition to God's Word is strictly forbidden. There are also groups who add to God's Word. The Mormons have done so by adding the Book of Mormon to it. The Jehovah's Witness group has mistranslated it, and in so doing have built an entire doctrine around denying the deity of Jesus Christ. Numerous other groups have proven foolish doing these same things only to be proven false when we examine the truth. The destruction that faces those who do such things and who adhere to such things is beyond our comprehension, for many will only become aware of their error in the judgment. PROVEN A LIAR - Those who decide to add to God's Word will have the unfortunate position of being proven liars. God promises personally to reprove those who do this. The Word used here for reprove has a legal sense to it - that the person will find a case against them - one with a judgment as well. There is also a sense in which this is a personal reproof - a rebuke. The judgment that will be rendered to those who add to God's Word is that of being a liar - a proven liar. We consider such words strong indeed. Yet God does not take lightly those who add to His Word their own thoughts and ideas. It is important to have something upon which to found our lives. There needs to be some kind of bedrock document - some truth upon which our lives can be built. The philosophies of our day disdain such truth - or at least disdain that there is a universal truth upon which all men can base their lives. Instead they hold to an individual truth which all men can hold simultaneously in their hearts - even if their truths radically contradict one another. Yet, in spite of all the volumes written and all the speeches given - their truths still stand as the lies of rebellious men who think they know better than God. God's truth has stood throughout time as THE TRUTH. It has stood, will stand, and will be the very basis upon which the ultimate judgment shall be rendered. When looked at in that light we can see the wisdom in holding fast to God's words as they have been given to us. To do otherwise would simply to be to add our name to the list of liars who will be proven wrong throughout history and who, if not in the immediate - in the ultimate - will be shown to be those who misrepresent the truth.

The Sudden Problems of a Stiff Neck - Proverbs 29:1

June 29, 2021 • John F. Lawrence

A man who hardens his neck after much reproof will suddenly be broken beyond remedy. Proverbs 29:1 Stiff-necked . . . now there is a term you don't hear too much any longer. Yet, it would be wise for us to avoid being stiff-necked - especially when it comes to how we receive correction and reproof from others - and from God. The "hardened-neck" is the one that is stiff, and it also has the idea of being severe or fierce. Thus the hardening is very decided. When a man hardens his neck - he is doing so with quite the attitude. Zhodiates brings out that this means someone who is harsh with anger - cruel - stiff-necked. This is a difficult person - stubborn and hardened and filled with resentment toward the one offering the reproof. The reproof is not just criticism. It is also not just a one time statement. The proverb says "after much reproof." There are those who are offering the needed rebuke and correction., but not in the form of a lengthy lecture. This is reproof given because of multiple offenses. The one needing the reproof is repeating the same mistake again and again. But - from the previous word - it is clear that the one receiving it is not interested in hearing it. Suddenly, speaks of something that happens all at once - there is an aspect to this that is shocking. The promise of the proverb is not for a slow decline - but for a sudden moment of retribution from the Lord. The one who receives this "sudden" consequences is broken. Broken is "shabar" means to break in pieces - and also has the idea of being abolished, crushed, demolished, destroyed, smashed, shattered, or torn down. This is a devastating breaking from God. What is worse is this breaking is described as bein beyond remedy - literally "no healing or cure" - This is something that is not recoverable. When I consider this, it makes me fear pride and arrogance. It also makes me want to turn from areas where I am receiving much instruction - and much rebuke - and turn to the Lord with a humility and brokenness that is self-imposed. Actually, it makes me want to turn in any area where I'm receiving correction - why wait until it becomes "much" reproof - respond now. Oh to have the brokenness that comes from the Lord as a gift - the broken and contrite heart that He gives as a loving gift to His children - rather than the brokenness that comes as a horrific retribution when we resist Him and those who are sent of Him to correct and train us in righteousness. Learn to receive correction and reproof as good friends - friends who only want us to avoid the breaking that comes with arrogance and self-centered thinking that rejects comments not meant to hurt - but meant to protect us from a stiff neck and its consequences.

Delivered . . . From Yourself? - Proverbs 28:26

June 28, 2021 • John F. Lawrence

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered. Proverbs 28:26 "Just trust your heart," is a phrase that we hear often in our world. Yet this counsel runs absolutely counter to what God tells us in Proverbs - and honestly - everywhere else in Scripture. How could there be such a wide discrepancy between the common wisdom of the world and that which God gives us in the Word? To trust in your own heart is to be confident in it. The word means to feel safe and secure - to feel that you can rely on it in every situation. God calls the man or woman who lives this way a fool. But there is a reason God says this - a good reason. The world in all its philosophies usually does not want to take into account the fall of man into sin and rebellion against God. They say that those stories of a garden and a tree of good and evil are just that - stories. So they write off the rebellion of man - and choose instead to trust their own rebellious hearts. But the one who does not take into account the fall of man is a fool. He does not realize the corruption of his own heart. It is like trusting a watch that has been set incorrectly. No matter how accurate you think it is - it is fundamentally flawed. So is the man who trusts himself and does not see his sin. The one who walks wisely is promised deliverance. We've seen these words before in Proverbs. Walk speaks of our lifestyle - the way we walk about the world. The walk of this man is according to wisdom - which is "chokmah" and means a wisdom - but one used with skill - meaning a practical wisdom that is lived out in a myriad of decisions every day. The one who walks this way will be delivered. Delivered? From what are we to be delivered? What are we escaping? When we walk wisely according to God's ways - we will be delivered from our sinful ways and tendencies. We are delivered . . . from ourselves and from a fallen world that walks contrary to God's wisdom. Believe it or not, that is the primary trap set for us every day - to turn to ourselves rather than to turn to God. Only the wisdom of God's Word will deliver us from such a fate. It seems absolutely natural and right to live like this. The truth is that was the reason for the Fall in the garden - and the fall of everyone who trusts themselves rather than God since. When we choose these normal patterns of the flesh - trusting ourselves rather than living in a conscious dependence upon God we are choosing danger and foolishness. That is a fate which we all need to be delivered from every day.