Apr. 26 | Gentle Words

Series | The Wisdom of Proverbs, Part 1

Scripture | Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

Lesson 26 | Gentle Words  

I don’t know about you but before I came to Jesus the last thing that would ever come to my mind when I was anger was a “gentle answer!”  Usually harsh words flooded my mind and the only discretion I used was to pick the words that hurt the most and I wouldn’t even feel any remorse.

After I got saved and had the Holy Spirit living on the inside of me, things began to change.  I remember one time when I was working in a local pizza shop I got into an argument with my boss and cussed her out.  However, this time on my way home I felted so grieved.  I knew immediately that it was the Holy Spirit convicting me for speaking harsh words.  I told my mom what happened and she counseled me to call her back up and apologize.

Over the last 18 years of serving Jesus there is not a day that goes by that the Holy Spirit doesn’t remind me how to talk to people.  Sometimes I hear and listen to God’s voice before I say the wrong thing and other times I say things I later have to repent for.  Since being married and having children I find I’m tested more often, but God’s voice always remains the same.

How are you in times of anger?  Are you always under control and able to answer someone with gentleness or do you, like me, sometimes say the wrong thing?  The Bible says in James 3:9-10, “9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”  Therefore, we shouldn’t be content to allow both good and evil to come from our mouths.

We have been saved and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, God has promised us a way of escape from every temptation in every situation, and we have been given the mind of Christ.  In turn, there is no excuse to not talk like Jesus.  Make a decision with me today to guard your words and choose gentleness over wrath!   

 
Reflection | Do you talk to people with gentleness?   

Action | (1) Repent of the times you may have not spoken to people with gentleness. (2) Ask God to guide your words. (3) Lastly, next time you’re upset with someone, remember to not speak with harsh words, but answer in gentleness.  

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Judges 6:1-40, Luke 22:54-23:12, Psalm 95:1-96:13, & Proverbs 14:5-6. Click here to read online.

Apr. 25 | Exalting a Nation

Series | The Wisdom of Proverbs, Part 1

Scripture | Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”

Lesson 25 | Exalting a Nation

Solomon was the King of Israel after his father David.  King Solomon had learned first hand the disgrace that came to Israel because of his Dad’s sin, 2 Samuel 12:11.  However, this did not stop him as the King from making some of the same mistakes.  Even though Solomon was the richest and wisest man on earth, he was led astray by women to worship idols and likewise suffered disgrace, 1 Kings 11:4.

Plus, many of the kings after Solomon and David sinned and brought disgrace to the nation as well.  Not only did these kings not learn from the mistakes of the previous kings, but it almost seemed like they grew even worse over time.  When God’s patience ran out; He had to punish the Jewish people and actually allow Israel to be captured and brought into captivity two different times, Jeremiah 20:5.

Even in America’s brief history it can be seen that when we as a nation had special times of prayer, honored the ten commandments in our courts, and sought God’s will in major decisions- God exalted and blessed us.  However, in the last 50 years as we have taken the Bible and prayer out of school, pulled down the ten commandments, and placed money and power above God and His Word we have suffered more disgrace than our founding fathers could have ever imagined.

Therefore, reader, be warned, no matter who you are.  If you and your nation sin you will be disgraced and brought low.  However, if you and your nation live righteously before God He will exalt you and your people.

Reflection | Do you live a righteous life?   

Action | (1) Repent of any unrighteousness you may have. (2) Repent of all the wickedness you see in your nation. (3) Lastly, pray for God to raise up more righteous people in your nation- in government, education, etc…  

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Judges 4:1-5:31, Luke 22:35-53, Psalm 94:1-23, & Proverbs 14:3-4. Click here to read online.

Apr. 24 | Disciplining Children

Series | The Wisdom of Proverbs, Part 1

Scripture | Proverbs 13:24, “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.”

Lesson 24 | Disciplining Children  

Today as parents we have a choice to either obey what God said in His eternal unchanging word or what the trendy every changing culture says.  In the past corporal (physical) punishment for children was a given.  It’s how children from Biblical times to colonial times were disciplined and taught respect.  And lets just think about how well it worked… chances are your grandparents were spanked, thus, do you think your grandparents were better behaved then our children today?  Of course!  The question itself is almost laughable.

Our current generation, especially in the US, has the highest level of obesity, crime, rebellion, lack of respect, violence, perversion, and laziness known to the planet!  So why do parents keep following Dr. Phil and Oprah’s advice over the Bible?  Simple, parents have been convinced that spanking their children is the same as child abuse.  They have believed the lie of our “politically correct culture” that punishment shouldn’t “hurt.”  This kind of thinking has even lead to the removal of the death penalty for murders and rapists and made the prison system a joke to criminals.  Hence, the reason criminals have no fear or respect for the law.

Some might ask, “What about the parents that have abused their kids?”  To that I answer, “The parents should be arrested and put into jail!”  Just because someone abuses a thing doesn’t mean we should reject it.  Abuse and misuse shouldn’t lead to disuse, but rather proper use.

Here are some helpful ways to carefully discipline your child, (1) Never spank out of anger, (2) Only spank to give the sense of discomfort, not injury.  Red marks should totally disappear within 20-30 minutes, anything that last more than that is injuring the skin, tissue, and muscles, (3) Only spank on their butt (or a simple swat on the hand), (4) Do not spank more than 2-3 times, (5) Never spank with your full strength, (6) Always give a teaching before and after the spanking so the child can understand why they are getting spanked, (7) Afterwards, comfort the child to let them know you still love them, and (8) Spanking is less affective after 10-11 years old, thus be sensitive to when to discontinue the practice.  

If you cannot carefully spank your child and follow the guidelines above, than please don’t spank your child at all because you may injury and abuse them.  However, I believe by the power of the Holy Spirit God can lead you to discipline them in a healthy way and thus show your love for them by reminding them of the consequences of sin.

Reflection | Do believe its Biblical to spank your children?   

Action | (1) Repent of any wrong thinking you may have had about spanking, whether to not do it at all or to do it in an abusive way. (2) Ask God to teach you the best way to discipline your child. (3) Lastly, next time you discipline your child, remember, your heavenly Father is watching and one day will judge you on how you raised your kids.  

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Judges 2:10-3:31, Luke 22:14-34, Psalm 92:1-93:5, Proverbs 14:1-2. Click here to read online.

Apr. 23 | Walking With the Wise

Series | The Wisdom of Proverbs, Part 1

Scripture | Proverbs 13:20, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”

Lesson 23 | Walking With the Wise

This proverb has to be one of my all time favorites.  I remember reading this when I first got saved and it was like a huge spot light just turned on and I could see everything so clearly.  I grew up in the suburbs of Fort Wayne Indiana, a city with about 300,000 people.  My parents had both been from the Chicagoland area but choose to move to the "Fort” for a better place for their family and job.

They literally gave me every good thing a child could ever want.  I always had new clothes, great home cooked meals, and was raised in a God-fearing environment   On top of all the essentials, my parents choose to live in a neighborhood where we had three outdoor swimming pools, a clubhouse with racketball courts and pool tables.  Plus, the neighborhood had a golf course and two outdoor tennis and basketball courts.  Sidewalks ran for miles safely behind our home so I could literally ride my bike to my friend’s house, then to the basketball court, to the pools, and then relax in the club house without even crossing one street!

You would think that all the great things my parents provided for me would have guaranteed my success.  However, there was one thing that they couldn't provide that I had to choose myself- my friends.  By the time I was in 5^th grade I had chosen the wrong friends and the rest is history.  Long story short, by the time I was 18 years old I had been kicked out school over 5x times, I was a high school drop out, drug dealer, arrested 8x, and had already been locked up for over 3 months in juvenile facilities.

I look back and wish I would’ve listened to Solomon and choose wise friends and instead of foolish ones.  I suffered so many needless hardships and pain.  Some of the scars I still have to this day to remind me of those terrible times.  But the story doesn’t end there, now because of those life lessons I have for the last eighteen years made the right friends and because of walking with them and sharing life together I have grown wise everyday.

What kind of friends do you have?

Reflection | Do you hang out with wise or foolish people?   

Action | (1) Ask God to show you the kind of friends you have. (2) Remove any foolish friends you may have from influencing your life (you can still stay friends with them for the sake of preaching to them, but you don’t have to always be around them or follow their ways). (3) Lastly, be a wise person so that when people hang out with you, they grow in wisdom.

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Judges 1:1-2:9, Luke 21:29-22:13, Psalm 90:1-91:16, & Proverbs 13:24-25. Click here to read online.

Apr. 22 | Why We Argue

Series | The Wisdom of Proverbs, Part 1

Scripture | Proverbs 13:10, “Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”

Lesson 22 | Why We Argue

King Solomon gives the root cause to all arguments and quarrels- pride!  Think about it… pride has been at the foundation of all arguments.  From Satan’s fall from heaven to the Jewish leaders who argued with Jesus- pride has always been “the root of the fruit of quarreling.” 

Now apply this truth to your life and the arguments you’ve been in.  Can you clearly see that when you had pride, you started the argument?  Or that when you were discussing something with someone else who had pride and he or she started the argument?

However, one of the biggest problems with pride is that it is always easier to see in others than in yourself.  Thus, most of the times you’re in pride, you cannot recognize it because of the very nature of pride itself.  Pride by definition means, “to be unteachable, above correction, and to hold false views about one’s self.”  As a result, pride deceives you to believe that you’re never in pride, but it’s actually always the other person in pride!

Some might be discouraged now and ask, “How then can I know if I’m in pride, since pride is self-deceiving?”  Don’t fret or fear King Solomon’s wisdom is here!  The answer is given in the parallel statement, “wisdom is found in those who take advice.”  Therefore, the way to know if you’re in pride is to see if you are receiving the advice given.  Of course, all advice you receive in life is not to be received, but by the leading of God’s Holy Spirit He will guide you into all truth!

So next time you’re in an argument, ask God in meditative prayer (to yourself), “Who is not receiving the advice?”

Reflection | Do you readily and humbly accept good advice?   

Action | (1) Ask God to expose any areas in your life you have pride in. (2) Pray for God to give you humility. (3) Lastly, avoid pride- accept good advice and try to avoid arguments with people who have pride and are unwilling to accept advice, Matthew 7:6.

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Joshua 24:1-33, Luke 21:1-28, Psalm 89:38-52, & Proverbs 13:20-23. Click here to read online.