He
layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous (Prov 2:7)
Sources Of Ruin For Our Lives: Lacking
Self-Control: Proverbs 23:20-22
20) Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21) For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and
drowsiness shall clothe [a man] with
rags.
22) Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother
when she is old.
Solomon
now shares with us teachings on many different sins that can ruin our lives…
EXPOSITION:
Solomon
continues to speak lovingly to us, as a father would speak to a son, addressing
the sin of lacking self-control…
20) Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
1. We should not be numbered among those are
known as drunkards,
2. or those who eat food uncontrollably.
Both
of these types of individual lack the ability to control themselves as they satisfy
the desires of their flesh.
“For the time past of [our]
life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in
lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable
idolatries: Wherein they think it
strange that ye run not with [them] to the same excess of riot, speaking evil
of [you]: Who shall give account to
him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.” (1 Peter 4:3-5)
“Yet not altogether with
the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with
idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written
unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a
fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an
extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.” (1 Corinthians 5:10-11)
Throughout
the Scriptures, Christians are to have their fleshly desires under control at
all times….
“Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking
whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8)
21) For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and
drowsiness shall clothe [a man] with
rags.
Why
avoid the sin of uncontrolled fleshly desires?
1. Those who drink to the point of drunkenness and
eat to the point of gluttony will end up poverty stricken.
2. Those who continually rest to the point of
laziness will only have rags to wear as clothing.
When
a person is controlled by their fleshly desires for food, drink and sleep, they
will no longer be giving adequate attention to their responsibilities of
life. They will become slaves to their
desires always putting their fleshly satisfaction ahead of their other needs.
Please
note: our flesh’s need for liquids, foods, and rest are not sinful. It is only when our desire for those things
becomes the controlling force in our life, that they become sinful. This list can also include the physical desire
for sexual intimacy. When these desires become
our masters, they become our sinful acts as well.
“(For many walk, of whom I
have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies
of the cross of Christ: Whose end [is]
destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame,
who mind earthly things.) For our conversation is in
heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile
body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the
working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Philippians 3:18-21)
22) Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother
when she is old.
1. We are to listen with our attention to the
instructions given to us by our physical and spiritual father.
2. We are to not put aside our mother’s
instructions when she becomes old.
In
both of these cases, great words of wisdom can be learned, when our parents share
experiences and life lessons they have learned. Many times, one of the chief
lessons that they will teach us is the need to be diligent in our labors and
controlled in our demeanor. Keep in
mind, if our parents are Godly people they will love us and only desire what is
for our good. Therefore, the advice and
counsel they give us can be counted upon as sincere and meant for our benefit.
“For Moses said, Honour thy
father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the
death:”
(Mark 7:10)
SUMMARY:
What
better summary for the lesson for today than …
“Therefore let us not
sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep
in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the
day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet,
the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that,
whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.” (1 Thessalonians 5:6-10)
AMEN!
By
God’s grace, let us all study these proverbs diligently, giving them the value
that they deserve.
May the
Lord bless us as we receive this sound wisdom and then “Think On These Things”.
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Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com
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