Did you ever read through Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, and think to yourself- It is unbelievably amazing that what Solomon wrote so long ago Still Applies to this age!
Have you ever given thought to that?
"Hell and Destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied."
"It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows."
"He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given."
"A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken."
"A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones."
"The beginning of strife is like releasing water; therefor stop contention before a quarrel starts."
"An evil man seeks only rebellion; Therefore a cruel mesanger will be sent against him."
"A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer seperates the best of friends."
"He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction."
"Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, But what is in the heart of fools is made known."
"The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness."
"The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil."
"Go from the presence of a foolish man, When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge."
"In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, But the lips of the wise will preserve them."
"In all labor there is profit, But idle chatter leads only to poverty."
"The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers his steps."
"The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above."
And, So so very many more! Is it not true even for us in this age? He gives so many warnings and ways to avoid them! And yet, we do not follow and abide in it. I am sure that when Solomon says "guard your mouth", he MEANS for us to guard our every word, not just to be careful of saying blasphemous things!
If we teach kids songs every sunday which talk about reading the bible everyday and how important it is to do so, WHY ARE WE NOT DOING IT? Do we believe we are TOO OLD AND WISE FOR THE BIBLE?
Students! If we say we are studying to glorify the Lord, and not ourselves, WHY SHOULD WE NOT HAVE TIME FOR READING HIS WORD? Do we think the Lord places studies higher than honouring Him and getting what He has to say to us?
This previous issue particularly struck me yesterday when i woke up and realised i still had time to cram for physics MidYears if i didn't read God's Word. And i took out my physics stuff, but there was this nagging on my conscience. I would have ignored it, but the Holy Spirit made me sit and reflect on why it was nagging at my conscience, by bringing this verse "The Helper, The Holy Spirit, will teach you all things and ..."
So i did. And By the Lord's grace, He showed me!
"Why am i studying?" I asked myself.
"What a needless question.. im studying for God, of course!"
"Do you think the Lord Wants you to study so much so that you put studies BEFORE Him and His Word?"
Amen, praise the Lord! I was so struck by that fact that i was overwhelmed for awhile. HOW TRUE! And yet we often just brush away the Holy Spirit's leading...and then we come to church and ask "How do we know what is the Lord's will for us? How can we hear that still small voice?"
Truly, i thank the Lord for granting me the gift of salvation- Oh, so glorious and free from sin! Not just free from the penalty of sin (death and hell) but FREE FROM SIN!
Why should our idea of pleasure be the world's idea of pleasure? Have we been lost in sin for so long that we do not know any good, godly fun anymore? Why must we pull a long face to the world when we think we have many cares and burdens our friends do not have (by the way, you're wrong if you think so!) when WE CAN ENTRUST THEM TO OUR GOD? Has His Word not said "Cast your cares upon Him, for He cares for you"? DO WE THEN NOT TRUST HIS WORD?
