Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.
Proverbs 23:23
Truth? What is truth? That is a question that Pilate posed to Jesus at His trial. Today, truth is in the mind of the one currently thinking. We live in a word deeply affected by post-modern philosophy. This philosophy says that truth is whatever you want it to be. Each man's truth is his own - and not to be frowned upon by anyone else's views. This is the corollary to the current doctrine of truth, the doctrine of tolerance. The effect of these two working together negates for the most part what the Bible says is truth. Yet the Bible says that it is truth. The Bible is God's revelation of Himself - and as the Author Himself is True - so anything He does to reveal Himself is truth by the very nature that He has said it. This places the the Christian worldview at odds with the current views of post-modern truth and tolerance. In the end though, everyone functions on the basis of truth. This is especially the truth when we die and face God in judgment. We might be able to deceive ourselves that whatever we want to believe is truth - but in the end, all men will stand before God and give an account of themselves to Him. In that day there will only be one so-called version of the truth - God's.
Proverbs tells us to buy truth and do not sell it. This world, since it is fallen, is not big on truth. Romans 1 says that mankind rejects God and chooses instead to make gods of their own - deceiving themselves in the process. The god of this world, Satan, is a liar and the father of lies. Therefore the world system in which we presently live is far more based on lies than on truth. Therefore whenever we encounter truth, we need to buy it and not sell it. Those terms are terms that are used in stock and investments. The only reason you would buy and not sell something is because it is constantly increasing in value. The longer you hold it, the wealthier you become. And according to Scripture here - you want to buy truth whenever you can and hold it forever because it will make you richer every day you have it!
The Word of God is truth! Let's consider this for a moment. The wise, as he comes to the Word of God, buys truth and does not sell it. It may not look like much to everyone else, but he knows he has found a field that is filled with gold, diamonds, and jewels of every shape, size, and description! Knowing this it is amazing that we don't realize that time spent in the Word will make us eternally wealthy whenever we do it. Buy truth - redeem any time you can in the Word of God - it's worth millions!
There is more here - because God wants us to do more than just read His Word - although that is a good start. He wants us to gain wisdom and instruction and understanding as we do. Getting wisdom means getting an idea of how God views things. Getting instruction means being open and teachable so God can teach us at any time through anything that He does. Getting understanding means that we take the wisdom and instruction that we obtain and learn how to apply it to how we live each and every day. We learn how to walk with the Word that we read and understand and discern the difference between good and evil -between what is God and what is NOT God in this world and in our lives.
It is vital that we take the time that we have here on earth and apply it to knowing God - and as we know Him - walking with Him in wisdom throughout our days. The benefit to knowing truth - buying it and getting wisdom, instruction, and understanding - is that we learn to live for the things that truly matter. We also learn to steer clear of things that will harm us in the end. That way at the close of our lives we will not suddenly learn that all our investments were worthless. We won't learn that we are bankrupt spiritually. That is because we've learned wisdom from God. We've learned from Jesus that we ARE bankrupt spiritually, (This is what, "Blessed are the poor in spirit" means - to be utterly penniless and bankrupt in spirit) We won't learn with shock that we've spent the time God gave us gathering bushels of worthlessness and utter emptiness. Instead we will have bought well - and will reap an eternal reward. We will find that riches are ours through the Word and through Christ. When it comes to Him and to His Word - buy and don't sell!
Always a "Buy" Recommendation . . . Proverbs 23:23
June 17, 2021 • John F. Lawrence
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.