Saturday, November 16, 2013

SIH’s Think On These Things: Proverbs 12:28


He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous (Prov 2:7)

Wisdom’s Opposing Counterparts: Death: Proverbs 12:28
28) In the way of righteousness [is] life; and [in] the pathway [thereof there is] no death.



EXPOSITION:

28) In the way of righteousness [is] life; and [in] the pathway [thereof there is] no death.
1.  The path of pleasing God with our lives will lead us to life in Him.  Although we may be suffer on this earth and perhaps ever die for our stand for Christ, we will be blessed on a daily basis and have satisfaction and peace knowing that we have pleased Him and await His coming.  

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.  [It is of] the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  [They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness.  The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.  The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.  [It is] good that [a man] should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.   (Lamentations 3:21-26)

2.  This same path that leads to a spiritually profitable life will lead us to an eternity in the presence of our Lord.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.   (Titus 2:11-15)

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.   (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.  Let your speech [be] alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.   (Colossians 4:5-6)

This type of wise existence Solomon has been comparing with the life of a fool.  It is the foolish lifestyle which only leads to a wasted physical life on earth and eternal existence of separation from the presence of God in the Lake of Fire.  It is in this Lake of Fire that the foolish one will face the deserved, just punishment for their rebellion against God and rejection of the truth that has been revealed to him through nature, his conscience and the Word of God.

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord [is].   (Ephesians 5:15-17)

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:   And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats:  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink?  When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]?  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me.  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.   (Matthew 25:31-46)

SUMMARY:

Our summary for this devotion can be summarized in one text…

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:   (Deuteronomy 30:19)

Which lifestyle will we choose?  The way of wisdom or the path of foolishness?

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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