Proverbs 22, Week 22

Easter Sunday gave me hope. I tend to worry about the condition of our world. I feel like it is out of control. But when Jesus died he ascended into Heaven and there He sits at the right hand of the Father. What is He doing there?

Jesus is ruling our land and He is in control of our world.

1 Cor 15:25 Amplified Bible

25 For [Christ] must be King and reign until He has put all [His] enemies under His feet.
Jesus is interceding for us to God.

Luke 22:31-32 Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has asked excessively that [all of] you be given up to him [out of the power and keeping of God], that he might sift [all of] you like grain,
32 But I have prayed especially for you [Peter], that your [own] faith may not fail; and when you yourself have turned again, strengthen and establish your brethren
Jesus is answering our prayers.

Hebrews 4:15-16 15For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.

16 Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].

Jesus died so that we might live eternally in Heaven with Him. Whenever I do not feel worthy to be called a child of God, I must remember that indeed I am not worthy. That is just it. I can’t ever “do” enough to be worthy. But because Jesus died, rose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven, I can now live my life knowing that Heaven is my eternity spot.

What about you? Do you believe? Have you accepted that Jesus Christ died for you so that you might live eternally in Heaven?

John 14:6 says: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.
Jesus is our intercessor. He sits beside God the Father in Heaven. He is there to plead to the God of the Universe on our behalf. He is our defender. When we sin we go to by way of Jesus to ask for forgiveness. He is the High Priest. Remember the High Priest would go into the temple once a year to ask God to atone the sins of the Jewish people. Once a year. When we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, we believe he is the permanent High Priest who goes to the Father on our behalf whenever we ask Him to. So we have access to God through Jesus every minute of every day.

Remember, the veil that was between the Holy Place and the most Holy Place was ripped from top to bottom when Jesus died. It was at that moment that Jesus took the sin of the world (past, present and future) on himself for me and you.

Now this gets even more interesting when Paul says in

Galatians:20I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

21[Therefore, I do not treat God's gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose]; I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God. For if justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through [observing the ritual of] the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly and to no purpose and in vain. [His death was then wholly superfluous.

Whoa!

I do not treat God’s gracious gift (my body) as something of minor importance.

This is why we are doing what we are doing when we come to class week after week and persevere in striving to become righteous in the eyes of God. It is because Jesus was crucified for me and I no longer live, but He lives within me.

This pulls our theme verse and all that we have learned together. His Death and Resurrection explain why we do what we do. What other motivation could we possibly need?

Proverbs Chapter 22

The Book of Proverbs describes our life the way it should be lived. We do not always live the way we should. If we did, life would be pre Garden of Eden. Sin entered man when Adam and Eve disobeyed and “chose” to do what was wrong. We too follow in the pattern of the first man and woman. Why, because we are sinners. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The closest to perfection that we will ever come is our willingness to live blameless; that is no willful sin in our lives.

Vs 4 I want us to look at what the definition of humility is. I honestly feel that humility if practiced will keep us on the Way.
Humility means: modest sense of one’s importance

Vs 4 says: True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.
Fear of the Lord – how do we fear the Lord? We often answer that question to say that it means reverential fear (a feeling or attitude of deep respect) . How are the two related?

I don’t think one can “feel” or acquire fear of God without first seeking to know Him. I believe the more you strive to know God, the more reverential respect and awe you will gain. As you gain this fear, you will be humbled to your knees with the magnificence of His grace towards us.
Vs 5 Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it.

5Thorns and snares are in the way of the obstinate and willful; he who guards himself will be far from them.

What happens when you get stuck with a thorn? The pain remains for a very long time after you get stuck. Gardeners know this to be true. The saying, thorn in the flesh means someone or something that is a continuous irritation or suffering. It is as if this verse is saying that any time we step a foot off of the Way to righteousness you are going to get stuck with a thorn. The road is treacherous, dangerous, and destruction lurks there. If you want to avoid destruction (hell) get away from the thorny paths and walk the path of righteousness.

Interesting to not that a synonym for thorn is vexatious. Remember from last week what a vexatious women was like? Irritating, quarrelsome, complaining, troubling, irritating, provoking, pesky.

So the question is; am I a thorn?

Vs 6 (NLT) Direct your children onto the right path (the Way), and when they are older, they will not leave it.

I believe they will leave it, but the intent of this verse is to say they will always know right living verse wrong living. They will know right from wrong. It is always their decision (God gives us choices) as to which path they ultimately choose.

Vs 9 Blessed are those who are generous –
Generous means: openhanded – give without a chance of being repaid – ungrudgingly – abundant – unrestricted, bountiful,

I don’t think this really described me. It described God. How is it that I can reflect the image of God? Duplicate his characteristics.

2 Corinthians 8:9For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favor and spiritual blessing), [in] that though He was [so very] rich, yet for your sakes He became [so very] poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied).

2 Peter 1:11Thus there will be richly and abundantly provided for you entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

Vs 12 says, The Lord ruins the plans of the treacherous but preserves those with knowledge. It seems to me that we hear this repeated over and over. The knowledge we are to preserve is that of the Word of God. If we make our own plans, our plans will be ruined. Not a difficult thing to see, but difficult to implement.

Vs 14 The mouth … oh that blasted mouth. Can the tongue ever be tamed?

Vs 15 I never really instilled physical discipline on my children. I remember clearly the day Bryce stood there and said, (after I had spanked him) “That didn’t hurt”! Actually, I have been blessed with obedient children. I do not believe physical discipline is effective for most children. Maybe spanking the little ones hand to get their attention. I have never seen make a child anything other than angry. If that is what you choose as a parent than I am not telling you not to.

Vs 18 How can we keep these sayings in our heart? How is it that we could ever sin if we kept the Word of God on our lips.

Vs 23 The Lord is your Personal defender/attorney. Who else would you need to defend you?
vs 24 and 25 are very accurate. Hanging around with angry people makes me angry. Hanging around with negative people drains your spirit and makes you negative. Hanging around with hot tempered people can make you quick to respond in a hasty way and not well thought out. When you hang around them you begin to act like them. It is an energy drainer too. Will it cause you to lose your salvation? I don’t think so, but verse 25 says you will be endangering your soul.
We learned that our soul has a choice. Heaven or Satan. Guilt comes when too much time is spent with wrong rather than with right.

Vs 26 No cosigning or giving anyone a down payment for debt. What are your thoughts? Is it necessary or OK to do this for our children?

29 Have you experience customer service around here? Can you get an employee to show up on time or even show up at all? Vs 29 says competent workers are impossible to find. Perhaps they are all working for the kings of our land.

Healing Physically Checklist
Week Three

1. Make a commitment to buy more organic produce and products. It may seem more costly, but you are investing in your health. The most likely fruits and vegetables to be contaminated with pesticides and other agricultural chemicals are: apples, peaches, grapes (and raisins), oranges, strawberries, potatoes, carrots, lettuce, green beans, peanuts, and wheat (including flour and products made from wheat flour).

2. By no means should you ever use an electric blanket because of the toxicity in the electric current. If you have an electric clock or radio close to your bed, move it away. I have mine in the bathroom. It makes me get up to turn off the alarm but it also saves me from being electrically poisoned! If you do not already have polarized sunglasses, purchase a pair. UV protective sunglasses are good, but not the best for your eyes.

3. Add kale, chard, onions, cabbage, radishes, broccoli, sweet potatoes, kohlrabi, turnips, beets, and celery to your diet. If you do not shop at a produce market, make that a regular stop. It forces you to buy more fruits and vegetables verses if you are at Walmart when boxed choices are available. Try eating from a produce market only one week! It is very exciting!

4. If you enjoy internet shopping, place an order with www.edenfoods.com. Healthy, wholesome, delicious. You can taste the difference.

5. It is spring time. Get out in the yard and see how much your plant has grown since you planted it last September!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoops, you didn’t plant it? Whoops, it died! Oh my. How about stopping in the garden shop and buying another plant that you can begin again with. Remember, His mercies are new every morning. He always allows us to begin again! J

6. While you are at the garden shop, buy a basil, rosemary, oregano or parsley plant. Put it in your windowsill. Clip pieces daily and add to your salad! YUMMY!