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Pathways Through Proverbs
Daily Devotional
July 18, 2008
Today's Reading - Proverbs 18
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Following Scripture Verses
Proverbs Chapter 18
- Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
- A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
- When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
- The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
- It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
- A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
- A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
- The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
- He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
- The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
- The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
- Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
- He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
- The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
- The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
- A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
- He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
- The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
- A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
- A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
- Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
- Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
- The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
- A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
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Today's Pathway:
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Solomon has many negative things to say about the fool throughout the book of Proverbs. In today's verse I find it interesting that he singles out the fool's speech as being the thing that brings him a snare and destruction.
James tells us that a man's tongue will get him into trouble. He writes in James 3:8,
"The tongue can no man tame".
Men are able to control their hands and their feet, but it is very difficult to keep the tongue under control. Because of this, a man's speech will be the revealer of his true spiritual condition. Jesus said in Matthew 12:34,
"Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."
A man's actions may not reveal the true condition of his soul, for it is relatively easy to live out a hypocritical life. However, eventually a man's language and conversation will show forth exactly what the man is on the inside. Because of this, the fool's mouth will ultimately destroy him.
This also explains why the fool's lips ensnare him. He can not control them. Thus he tells lies, and eventually he gets caught. He says one thing to one person and the opposite to someone else, and soon his duplicity is discovered. He will spew out promises that he can not keep, or make boasts that he can not back up, and he will ultimately be mocked and rejected.
The principle here is not that we need to guard our tongues, but rather that we need to guard our hearts. If my soul is right with God, and if I am not thinking as a fool, then I will never need to worry about speaking like a fool and destroying or ensnaring myself.
What is it that comes out of your mouth?
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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