 Here we are, chapter 12, book of Proverbs. I'll begin reading here in Proverbs chapter 12 at verse 1. I'll read to verse 4, and we'll get into our study. And incidentally, as you already know, excuse me, the first several chapters of Proverbs, you were able to take three or four verses or sometimes even more. And because they all tied into one central thought, we would cover a lot of verses at one time just by taking those verses together and then just looking for the point that was being made. But Solomon has now gone into a style of giving a single proverb or perhaps two that carry the same thought. And so it's a little more difficult, to be honest with you, to give you studies on the rest of the chapters because each one of those verses could really be almost the study of its own. And so I'm trying to jowl these things so that we can get the heart of what he would have us to know. And that's what we'll be doing here in chapter 12. So let's begin reading at verse 1, chapter 12, book of Proverbs, verses 1 through 4, and we'll get into our study. Solomon writes, whoever loves instruction loves knowledge. But he who hates correction, stupid. I wonder if he meant me to say it like that, but a good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of wicked intentions, he will condemn. A man is not established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous cannot be moved. An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones. I will stay there a long time tonight. Okay, here we go. In verse 1, notice again, I'll read it, whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. So let's begin with almost a little bit of a topical for just a moment. Solomon would be saying this. This would be a main point. He'd be saying, a key to maturing faith is the ability to receive instruction. A key to a maturing faith is the ability to receive instruction. One of the pitfalls of being a young believer who has gifts and talents. One of the pitfalls is a self-assuredness that sometimes will keep that young person from receiving correction. So a key to maturing faith is the ability to be corrected. It's the ability to receive instruction. That's what he's saying. Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge. There's a young man that we find in Scripture. We looked at him when we went through the book of Acts. His name is Apollos. And Apollos was introduced to us in Acts chapter 18. And when Apollos was introduced, he was described in a certain way. You see that if you take notes in Acts chapter 18 verses 24 and 25. And when you read Acts chapter 18 verses 24 and 25, those verses describe this young man in this way. They describe him as eloquent, that he was mighty in the Scriptures, and that he was fervent in spirit. These are the kinds of qualities that describe a spiritual leader. Somebody who can speak well, somebody who knows the Word of God, and somebody who has this energy about them, this fervency about them, especially when you're young. And that is a very attractive trait. I find that to be true to this day. There are many young ministers that really have an appeal because of their energy, because they pace the platform, because they can engage people. And they use illustrations that draw people's attention. And they know the Word, and they're able to present the Word at all. And people are taken by that. And Apollos was a man like that. He was a man who spoke well. He was a man who was well versed. He was a man who had this energetic way about him. He's also described as one who speaks boldly. And he's also described as somebody who taught the basics of the Scriptures accurately. So these are things, if you were to look for a spiritual leader, these are things that are outer emblems that are attractive to the listener. These are the things that people will come and enjoy listening to. They will listen to the young man as he speaks. They get caught up with his energy. They like the way that he presents himself. And all of that's a good thing. That was Apollos. But one of the things that made Apollos very special was he was teachable. You see, there was an older couple in the congregation listening to this young man as he was speaking. Aquila and his wife, Priscilla. And the Scripture tells us as they were listening to him, they sensed and saw that he knew certain things, but was not versed in other things. In other words, he wasn't yet complete in his understanding of the things of the Gospel. He was uninformed in his theology. And the Bible tells us that Apollos was taken aside by Aquila and his wife. And as they were taken, he was taken aside that they taught him more of the Gospel. They gave him more information. And what makes him in my sight a great man was that he received their instruction. I am telling you, I've been around a long time. I've been the young man. I've been that person with the fire and the fervency and the study and the capacity to communicate. And I've been that young man. Now I'm the older man. And I know as the younger man that I was so assured sometimes that I knew what I was saying was right and much of the time it was because they did study. One of the things I needed to learn was to receive correction from those who've been in the faith longer than me. And that is something that every minister has to learn. And one of the most dangerous things that you can be is a person who is gifted but not correctable because you're dangerous at that point. And so the one who loves instruction loves knowledge. The one who loves the word instruction there doesn't simply speak of information. It carries with it the connotation of being instructed or corrected. A person who loves correction when it occurs is somebody who really is moving in the right direction is the point that Solomon is making. The one who receives correction is blessed by the Lord. But the one who refuses correction, notice what he calls him, he says the one who refuses or hates correction is stupid. That word stupid is a word we don't use today, not that we don't use the word stupid, but it's brutish, B-R-U-T-I-S-H brutish. It means it's like an animal. A man who doesn't like correction, who hates it, is like an animal is what he's saying. So the word stupid there carries with it the connotation of an individual who resists correction because he's not wise at all. He's actually like an animal. In other words, he's opinionated. He's a person who can hardly wait for your mouth to stop moving so he can start talking. And he has all this information that you really need to have. He says, well, that's really not a good quality to have at all because you're not teachable. In 1 Corinthians in chapter 8 verse 2, the one or he who thinks he who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. In Romans 12 verse 16, simple word, do not be conceited. Don't be puffed up. Don't be self-important. Don't think that you've got it all down because you don't. Every day that you live is another day you can learn. And if you have that attitude, Solomon would say that's a very good attitude to have. Somebody once said, a man who has himself for teacher has a fool for an instructor. I like that. That's good. And so we need to be correctable. We need to be teachable. Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. Verse 2, a good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of wicked intentions he will condemn. When it speaks of a good man, this is an ethically good man. And this is a man who pleases the Lord. And as a result, God favors him. God delights, if you will, in this man. But a man of wicked devices, the word devices speaks of wicked plots and intentions. A man of wicked devices, he says, God will judge. This one who is of wicked devices is a man who constantly thinks of and plans on doing evil. That's what his whole life is built around is, what can I do that is really bad? And it's not as if he is thinking, I want to do only bad, but his intent is to do that which is evil. And he says, this is a man whose life is filled with, his thoughts and desires are filled with evil constantly. The result is that he receives judgment. In John 5, 28 and 29, Jesus said, do not marvel at this. The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth. Those who have done good to the resurrection of life, those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation. And so the person who is of wicked intentions ultimately is judged by the Lord. Verse 3, a man is not established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous cannot be moved. And so when he speaks of the root of the righteous, it's a picture of a tree that's planted and its roots have gone deep and they're drying up the water, the moisture, the nutrients that they need. And as a result of that, they flourish. It's like what it says in Psalm 1, verses 1 through 3. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord. And in his law, he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither and whatever he does shall prosper. Jeremiah 17, verses 7 and 8, same thing. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord whose hope is in the Lord, for he shall be like a tree planted by the waters which spreads out its roots by the river and will not fear when heat comes. Its leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. I was in a South American country at the moment. I can't remember which one. There it was. And we were walking by a river. It's a small river that was going through the city. And the thing that stands out of my memory, it's been about 20 years since I saw this. But the thing that stands out is there were eucalyptus trees that were there on the edge, on the lip of this river. And those eucalyptus trees were huge. But when you look at them, they were there right by the water's edge. And they had roots that went down deeply. And they were constantly soaking in that supply of water. And they were constantly producing this leaf. And that's the point that he's making. If you're rooted and grounded in the things of the Lord, if you're rooted and grounded in God, God is going to bless your life. So don't go to a place that's a place of drought. Don't go to a place in your life that is devoid of that living water. Remain close to the Lord, and God will bless your life. Verse 4. We don't need to read this, do we, ladies? Okay. An excellent wife is the crown of her husband. A she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones. This is a contrast, obviously, between a wife of noble character and one who is really what would be called disgraceful. It speaks of a crown. A crown is a symbol of honor, a symbol of respect. But the word rottenness when used here speaks of something that eats his strength, diminishes him as a man. But as he's saying, he's saying, a shameful wife destroys her husband's enjoyment of life. And a shameful wife brings him disgrace in society. There are wives that do not do their husbands good. Yes, I'm aware, by the way, that there are husbands who don't do their wives good too. I read your minds, but that's not what Solomon's talking about right now. And there are. I've seen a few in my day. Wives who bring shame to their husband. Wives who don't do him good all the days of her life, but actually through criticisms and mean spiritedness just takes his strength from him. I've seen it. And it's sad to see it either way, to be honest with you, to see a husband who doesn't cherish his wife and to see a wife who brings shame to her husband. And that's what Solomon is speaking about. He's speaking about a woman who can be verbally abusive, who finds pleasure in mocking him and ridiculing him in front of others and causing him to feel less than a man. And today we're hearing more and more about wives who physically abuse their husbands who disrespect that man or order him around like he's a child who control and manipulate. And we say, well, you know, that's maybe I said this once and I'll say it again because it bears repetition at this moment. But even in the society that we live in, ladies, be very careful that you don't allow the society to put you in its box. We're not to be conformed to this world, but aren't we to be transformed by the renewing of our minds? As Paul said in Romans 12 too. And indeed, that's true. And I said this once and I issued this not as a real challenge, but I said, you know, ladies, some of you may have been here, it's been a few years. I said, you know, men in general in the society are looked at as being and we're treated as being unnecessary. And even the commercials, this common cultural commercials, you know, sometimes Maria will tell you this, sometimes I get angry. I actually get angry because the commercials make men look so stupid. He poor stupid guy, he doesn't even know how to buy a car without her. He doesn't even know how to do the dishes. He doesn't know how to do anything without a wife who walks up saying, oh, you poor stupid man with your tiny husband brain, let me help you. And what it makes men feel like, it makes men feel disrespected and diminished. Maria and I were talking about this today. I'll say it very quickly, but it is something important to remember. You know, I as a man, hold women in high regard. She knows this. This is true. I hold women in high regard, obviously. Why wouldn't I? You know, women ought to be held in high regard. Jesus taught us to do that. And I don't see women as any less than men, but we hold different roles. We are not equal. We're equivalent. There are things that men do, that men simply do that are better than women. And there are things that women do that are better than men. And rather than competing with one another, we compliment one another. We thank God for the differences, because when you unite those differences, you become one in Christ. That's what marriage is. My wife has certain things I don't have. I need those things to complete me. God gave me a woman who enables me to become more of a man. That's the way it works. But when we're in a society where a woman thinks that she's got to be the man, and the man right now is confused and doesn't know what he is, and I have to tell you, I see a lot of that. I do. I see a lot of young women who are more man than the man that they're with. It really kind of trips me out. Whoa, that's one bad baby. We're not in competition, guys. We're not in competition. God created us to complete one another. And respect. That's how a man actually spells the word love. Respect. And that's how we know we're loved. It's when our wife respects us. When our wife shows us the respect that that we really should have. Prayerfully, we've earned and deserve. Of course, we want to be men who are respectable. Of course we do. Some of us don't know how to be yet, but we're learning. But the bottom line is, is, and I said this to my wife when we were first married, because my wife wanted to mama me, and I don't mind being mamaed every once in a while. Why not? But I told her, listen, I didn't marry my mother. I married a woman supposed to be my wife. And if I want to be mamaed, I'll call my mommy. What I want is a woman who's my wife. And together we'll make this journey. When the scripture says an excellent wife is the crown of her husband, that's absolutely true. Because I can see a man's ministry by simply looking at his marriage. I can see his ministry when I see his wife. Because if this is a woman who's blossoming and loves the Lord and walks in the spirit, I can say this man's got a good ministry. But there are numerous men who pastor churches who don't even pastor their wives. And it's out of control. And so when a man is loving his wife in the way that Christ loved the church, when we are given ourselves for her washing her with the word and walking in the spirit with her, our wife begins to blossom. And that brings glory to us. In 1st Corinthians chapter 11 verse seven, a man indeed ought not to cover his head. He's the image and glory of God. But woman is the glory of man. And so a woman, my woman, my wife brings honor to me. And when people will say to me that they love my wife, you're also saying, I love you. You're also saying, I appreciate your ministry. Because in our relationship, from from almost day one, I'd say, Murray has been somebody that I have attempted, sometimes better than others, I'll be honest with you better, my attempts have been more successful than others at certain periods of our lives together. But I've known pretty much for a long time that she is the reflection of my walk with Christ. And thus I have made it my aim to be the best husband I can be for her. But she brings honor to me by the life she lives for Jesus Christ. And when she is not bringing honor to the Lord, she's bringing dishonor not only to him, but also to me. And so she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bone. So of course, our great desire is to bring glory to the Lord and one another. Verse five, the thoughts of the righteous are right. But the councils of the wicked are deceitful. The words of the wicked are lie and wait for blood. But the mouth of the upright will deliver them. So when he says the thoughts of the righteous are right, councils of the wicked are deceitful, righteous thoughts, which speak of plans or intentions, spring from the hearts of those who love the Lord. But the wicked schemer always plans for that, which results in evil. When he says in verse six, the words of the wicked are lie and wait in blood. The wicked trap with false accusations is the context. That's what that means. But a righteous person makes a skillful defense through wisdom and instruction. The wise are able to avoid a trap. And by a soft answer, they can avoid problems. In verse seven, the wicked are overthrown and are no more. But the house of the righteous will stand. The wicked are overthrown and are no more. Do you guys remember somebody by the name of Madeleine O'Hare, Madeleine Murray O'Hare? How many of you remember that name? If not, let me give you a lot of you don't. Let me give you a brief history lesson. Back in back in 1963, an atheist by the name of Madeleine O'Hare or Madeleine Murray O'Hare filed a suit with the intent to prohibit Bible reading in public schools. It was the atheist Madeleine Murray O'Hare who won that suit. And the Bible was no longer allowed to be read in the way that at one time had been in classrooms throughout the United States. And shortly thereafter, there was another law that was passed that banned prayer from school. No Bible reading and no prayer back in 1963. And Madeleine O'Hare in the United States was it was she was referred to as the most hated woman in the United States because of what she had done. But she took that as a sign of something to be proud of her son. I can't remember his name. I think it may have been John. Her son came to faith in Christ and was disowned by his mother. And he said that his mother was the most vile, wretched, profane human being he had ever known. And it was his own mother. He said his mother was addicted to pornography. His mother enjoyed using profanity. As a matter of fact, she got so bad in her latter later years that when she'd be interviewed, they stopped interviewing her because they had to edit so many profanities from her from her speech that she wasn't even used. She wasn't even worth speaking to anymore. So this is a woman whose whole goal and some of us remember this because that was in my lifetime was to remove God from the public square. She's been she laid a seed with others that has blossomed in the age that we live in now where you can't have Koran in a public school, but you better not read your Bible. Those are things that came specifically for from her efforts, those kinds of things. Well, why am I bringing her up to you? Well, because it says here again, the wicked are overthrown and are no more. Madeleine Muriel Hare was kidnapped, murdered and her body as well as one of her sons and her granddaughter was dismembered and buried in the desert somewhere. Eventually, the ones who killed her were arrested and confessed to the crime. The wicked, the wicked are overthrown and are no more. She's a great example of that. She was a very profane, wicked woman influencing an entire generation to reject the things of God. And it's just a fact. You can think in terms of the variety of world leaders that have arisen and have left planet Earth who also have been overthrown. Men in recent history like all the way back in the early 1900s, like a Stalin or a Lenin or a Mao, you know, Pol Pot and various others, even even Castro's and all that arose for a time. But you know what? It's only for a time. And they may live 60, 70, 80 years, sometimes 90 or more. But they go the way of all the earth. They die. They're overthrown. But the righteous on the other hand, the righteous continues. The house of the righteous will stand. And so the evil, they don't last, the righteous do. In Psalm 37, verses 35 and 36, the Psalmist said, I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a native green tree. Yet he passed away. Behold, he was no more. Indeed, I saw him, but he could not be found. See, you live and you die. And the wicked are overthrown. Keep that in mind. Verse eight, a man will be commended according to his wisdom. But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised. Wisdom can result in being respected. But warped thinking results in disrespect. Verse nine, better is the one who is slighted but has a servant than he who honors himself but lacks bread. This is a word against pretense. It's better to live within your means and be comfortable. But the one who pretends to be somebody, well, very often they don't have enough to eat. And they're really foolish. These are the ones who they may drive a nice vehicle. They may wear the latest styles. They may live in a home. But the home is falling apart from neglect. This is somebody who doesn't know really how to live. He only has the appearance that he does. Verse 10, this is an interesting scripture here. A righteous man regards the life of his animal. But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. Isn't, now that's interesting to me. And I'll tell you why. Well, one, I'll say compassion to animals tends to be an indicator of character. If you like animals and you treat them well, usually means you're a good person. Well, there are some who like animals more than like people. We know that. But usually if you're treating your dog well, you probably, you have a compassion at heart. Now, there are some people who treat their dogs like they're their kids. I don't know about you. I think that's kind of goofy. I could go on about that, but I won't. I have a friend of mine. I'll leave him a name, Bob Grenier. He's a pastor in Visalia. And he puts pictures of his dog, Annie, on Facebook. And he calls Annie, Annie the Christian dog. So I wrote him. I said, man, what do you mean, Annie's a Christian dog? I said, listen, if any man be in Christ, it's a new creation. Are you telling me that that dog's really a cat? I mean, what's wrong with you? And I said, you've got to stop doing this, because frankly, I think you look a little crazy. He writes back, oh, you're just jealous because you don't have a dog like Annie. I think loving dogs and loving animals, of course, is a good thing. And that's basically what's being said here. A person who loves their animal usually is a person of good character. It's interesting in Matthew how Jesus in chapter 12 verses 11 and 12 said, what man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out. Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. It's interesting how Jesus used an illustration of kindness to an animal, just to demonstrate to us that that's an indicator of being a good person. Verse 11, he who tills his land will be satisfied with bread, but he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding. Working diligently produces income, but following pipe dreams produces hunger. He's saying, do your work and do not run after the dream of a quick profit. In Proverbs 14-23 all hard work brings a profit. Mere talk leads only to poverty, so work towards your dreams. That used to be called the Protestant work ethic by the way, is where somebody worked for what they got and did not think that somebody owed them out of what they had. Our society, I'll be careful with this because it's not because I'm afraid to talk about it, it's because I can talk too long about it. So I'll be very careful about this, but I will tell you this, that I was raised in a home where my father, my father taught me that hard work was a good thing. Hard work was a good thing. And my father was not a man who could receive from other people if he had the ability within himself to achieve his own goal. My dad was not a person who would take things just given to him. He worked for everything he had and that's the ethic my father gave to me. I'm the same way. I'm just saying this and I guess most of us are, if not all of us are the same way, I don't believe that somebody owes me anything. I believe that I have the responsibility to take the God-given gifts that I've received, to put them into practice and to achieve the dreams that perhaps the Lord has put into my heart. I do not believe that because somebody is wealthy they're bad if they don't give me things. Because if they worked for it it's between them and the Lord. And what they do with their money is between them and the Lord. But be careful because we're living in a time when people think that they're owed something because they don't have what somebody else has. That's called envy and that's called covetousness and we have failed to realize that. I was watching the news years ago now there was a guy who decided to sleep in the front yard of a guy who owned a house on the beach. He decided he was going to sleep on his front yard. He had a sleeping bag and he's sleeping on the guy's front yard. And then the news was interviewing, this is years ago, was interviewing the owner of the house. Why are you not letting this man sleep on your front yard? Uh because it's my house because I pay rent because I mow this lawn because it belongs to me. And the guy who was sleeping on his front yard started yelling at the homeowner saying to him you go to house and I don't have one. Well I don't know what to say about that. Why don't you have a house? And is it my fault that you don't have a house? And am I obligated somehow to get you a house? How's that work? And what we're living in the United States right now be very careful as we're being brainwashed and to believe in that we owe everybody everything. But in fact who gave you what you have? Didn't you work? Didn't you go to school? Didn't you learn how to read and to write and do the basic things? Didn't you go out and apply for a job? What was your first job? My first job was washing dishes. That's what I did. I washed dishes. I made minimum wage. And you know that was my first series of jobs. I was making minimum wage when I married Marie. Thank God she wasn't. She owed me. No I but that's that was what life is. If you you have a job you buy a car. You buy your car? Do you buy a brand new car? No you buy a car you can afford. And you drive that car and then one day as you're working hard maybe you get an increase. Maybe you get a salary boost and a new position. Now you get a different car. You've been running an apartment. As you rent your apartment it's great to have an apartment. Thank God I've got a roof over my head. But I'd like to have a home. So now I make it enough to get a home. I buy a home. Do I buy a very expensive home? No I buy a home that I can afford and I get into that home. Is it filled with all kinds of stuff you know big TVs and stereos? No it's just a place that we we have a bed for our kids a bed for us and some basic things and guess what we're happy. Why? Because we worked for those things they belong to us. But after a while you say I've got some equity in this home. I can sell it. I need a little more space. See my first house was 969 square feet. I had two bedrooms and no we didn't have air conditioning. I didn't even know really I'd never lived in a house with it. Then I was living in Ontario. It's 110 degrees during the summer. We're sleeping with the windows open and I say well maybe maybe we ought to get an air conditioner. So we get a little wall unit, put it in the baby's room, put all my kids in the air conditions room so that they're comfortable and I'm sweating like a pig. So what happens is after nine years I have equity in a home. My dad taught me that if you have equity you can use it. What I do is I sell my home and I bought a home that my family could grow in. My first house had two bedrooms. The next one had enough room for four kids and me and my wife. That's what we did. That's what people in my generation and my parents generation always did. You live within your means. My grandmother and grandfather had 13 children. And they had a three bedroom house. That was about 700 square feet. That was my grandparents. Think about that for a minute. They had like I think they had eight eight sons and five daughters and they ate kids. Boys shared a room and slept on the floor. That's what they did. Did they complain and cry and say I deserve more? Somebody ought to give me a bigger house? They worked. And one day my dad bought his own house. And my dad taught me how to buy my own house. So you work. Nobody owes you anything. Nobody owes you anything. Keep that in mind. Because we're in a generation now that thinks everybody owes us something. And we hate those one percenters don't we? We hate them. Why? That's called envy and covetousness. And we think that they owe us what do they owe me? They owe me nothing. They owe me nothing. What I am supposed to do is take the gifts that God gave to me and to work. And at night there's just something about putting your head on a pillow at night knowing you had a long hard honest days labor. And when you get your check you work for it. There's just some honor in that. It was called at one time the Puritan work ethic. And America was built on the back of that work ethic. We're losing that right now. We're losing it right now. The people who think that we owe them something. You know I'll help people because I think as a Christian I ought to. But I don't want to cripple them by giving them things they should be getting for themselves. And that's something we have to be aware of. I hope I didn't offend too many of you but that's the truth. I don't really care. Let's see where were we? Verse 12. The wicked covet the catch of evil men but the rid of the righteous yields fruit. The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips but the righteous will come through trouble. A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth and the recompense of a man's hands will be rendered unto him. So verse 12. The wicked covet the catch of evil men. Wicked people use the tactics of evil men. Desiring results that their evil seems to yield. In other words they admire con men. Yet the root of the righteous yields a fruit. He's rooted in righteousness and produces fruit that endures to everlasting life. In verses 13 and 14 when it says the wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips evil people eventually get caught by their own lies. They end up suffering for it but in verse 14 righteous people are careful. Don't get themselves into a bind. They work with their hands and they prosper. Verse 15. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes but he who heeds counsel is wise. A fool's wrath is known at once but a prudent man covers shame. So in verse 15 the way of the fool is right in his own eyes. We demonstrate wisdom and maturity by the way we take advice. Again we've already seen that but it's very true. How do you receive advice? If you're if you're not interested in receiving advice here's something for you very practical then don't ask for it. Don't ask for it. You know there was a period in in the history of this ministry where people were coming to me and I'm talking about 20 25 years ago or more and people were coming to me asking for advice and as a pastor that's what I'm supposed to give right advice. So they say pastor I'd like to ask then they'd ask and I'd say well if you're asking what scripture says concerning that this is what the bible says and and this is my recommendation and then often they would just go out and do something quite opposite. They wouldn't follow the advice not that I'm supposed to make the decisions for them I'm not but I began to see that there were people who would just ask advice because they're not really wanting advice. What they're wanting is someone to agree with them. They just want me to agree and so they can walk away feeling wise but when I would not be agreeing with them they wouldn't listen and I saw that happen quite often. So eventually for a while people would come up to me and they would say something to me and I actually started saying this I can tell you what I used to say I don't say it anymore they'd say I'd like to ask you a question and I would say okay let me ask you something first before you ask okay all right. Do you want me to tell you the truth or do you want me to agree with you? Which is it? What do you mean? No you know what I mean. Do you want me to say what you want to hear or do you want me to tell you the truth? It's up to you. You know what I'm really not that interested okay that saved me a lot of time. It did and a lot of frustration and I actually I'm telling you the truth I really would do that I'll still do that. Do you want an honest answer or do you want me to agree with you? Because it makes people think because many times they just want me to agree with them and they want to walk away saying well the pastor said this and they'll quote me and so you have to be very careful. So the bottom line is the way of a fool is right in his own eyes but he who heeds counsel is wise. You see again a fool is set in their own way and refuses to listen to others. In verse 16 a fool's wrath is known at once. Mature people receive criticism without getting angry and telling people off. In controlling their anger they do not increase the problem that results. When it says a fool's wrath is known at once yeah you're talking to somebody and he gets mad and everybody knows they can hear him yelling they can hear him raising his voice and that's what he's saying a fool's wrath is known at once. A prudent man covers his shame a prudent man listens carefully and is very careful not to respond quickly. Verse 17 he who speaks truth declares righteousness a false witness deceit. Reliable witnesses will tell the truth without hedging it. They don't modify it in other words. Verse 18 there is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword but the tongue of the wise promotes hell. Some people use their words as weapons don't they? Some people use words as weapons you know there was this old saying sticks and stones you remember it sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me that's not true is it? Your body can heal from a wound that was inflicted by a stick or a stone much quicker than a wound that was inflicted by someone's evil words towards you that's a fact and you know it you could have grown up with somebody was telling you constantly how stupid you are how ugly you are how fat you are how skinny you are how you'll never succeed how you'll always be a loser and that is just driven into you to the point where you just live up to what you were told and you want to know something words are piercing be very careful how you use yours because some of them are like a sword and they pierce and they harm be very careful speak with grace and speak with love and when you speak the truth do it with gentleness try and be careful with the things that you say because there are those that can injure you and sometimes the pain is so great that you'd never really forget it my mom when went through a period when I was growing up my mom was not well and and god knows I love my mom mama could be cruel and mama could say things and there was a period in my life when my mother told me she hated me a lot more than she ever said I love you you know those are words that I heard when I was growing up and you know what they hurt you and they stay with you and you begin to wonder you know if your own mother doesn't love you who who whoever will and that's what happens so there are words that pierce there's one who speaks like the piercings of a sword but the tongue of the wise promotes help promotes healing if you will the truth will lift shall be established forever a lying tongue is but for a moment truth will always outlast lies even if it may not seem so at the time verse 20 deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil but counselors of peace have joy plotting evil only results in pain and sorrow promoting peace results in joy those who are peacemakers will always have an inner contentment verse 20 deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil but counselors of peace have joy no grave trouble will overtake the righteous but the wicked shall be filled with evil decent people do not have frequent troubles of their own making evil people find themselves in trouble all the time verse 22 lying lips are an abomination to the lord those who deal truthfully are his delight simple simply stated god hates lies because he's the god of truth so we need to learn to speak the truth in love verse 23 a prudent man conceals knowledge the heart of fools proclaims foolishness this is an interesting an interesting thing i'll say it quickly but notice again verse 23 a prudent man conceals knowledge wisdom produces discretion do not speak all that is on your mind this is referring to the wisdom to know who to speak to and what to say jesus himself knew what was in men and didn't disclose himself to all men john chapter 2 makes that clear there were those who would ask him a question who are not sincere there were others who are hungry to know the truth when you're having a conversation there are times when you may open up and share your heart and share the wisdom god gave to you because the person you're speaking to wants to hear it and there are other times when you're speaking to somebody they're really not interested in anything you have to say and so wisdom is just discretion you just remain quiet you don't say anything you can seal knowledge verse 24 the hand of the diligent will rule a lazy man will be put to forced labor hard work brings success and can result in promotion the lazy will sink to the bottom god blesses industry and diligence in work verse 25 anxiety in the heart of a man causes depression a good word makes it glad encouragement produces hope i have a friend of mine he's going to be with the lord his name was steve maze and uh steve closed his message one message he heard i'll never forget he says i don't want to leave you under condemnation i'm going to leave you in grace and i'll never forget how he closed his message by saying that because sometimes when you're looking at certain passages in scripture i have to tell you it's just like a hammer coming down and people are sitting there going oh my god i'm such a wretch and and and we are we are but by the grace of god you know god has made us into new creations and his word brings encouragement and even even with correction even when the word corrects me it is also encouraging me because he's not leaving me in sin he's saying look at this is who you are the word of god is described as a mirror and you know i look pretty good at three o'clock in the morning in the dark but when the light is on me and i've got a mirror right in front of me i get to see my imperfections and the word of the lord will show me my imperfections but not only does it show me my imperfections it also shows me god's healings and that's the encouragement you get from god's word and uh you know anxiety in the heart can cause a man depression a good word will make it glad god will bring encouragement and hope to you the righteous should choose his friends carefully for the way the wicked leads them astray be careful who you hang around with and i'm not saying you know run around like you're the perfect person looking for another perfect one because you're going to be by yourself all the time it just be be aware of the fact that your pastor is not david osalash your your pastor is the one who influences you in your life is the one who encourages you in your life that's your pastor really be careful who you let lead you in the ways of the lord be very careful because you can be led astray and be careful who you hang around with because their influence can help you to either go in the right way or in the wrong way the way the wicked leads astray verse 27 the lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting diligence is man's precious possession he's speaking about laziness again diligence leads to success but laziness results in never completing a project the lazy one may hunt but doesn't even cook the food that he caught and by finally in verse 28 in the way of righteousness his life and in its pathway there is no death a righteous life leads to heaven remember roman 6 23 the wages of sin is death but the gift of god is eternal life in christ jesus our lord the way of the of righteousness is life and in its pathway there is no death