October 6, 2008

Today's Reading - Proverbs 6
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Following Scripture Verses

1. My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
2. Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
3. Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
4. Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
5. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6. Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7. Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8. Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
9. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
12. A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
13. He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
14. Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
15. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16. These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17. A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18. An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19. A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
20. My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
21. Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
22. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24. To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
25. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
26. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
27. Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28. Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
29. So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
30. Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
31. But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32. But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
33. A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34. For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35. He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

Today's Pathway:
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"He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;" - Proverbs 6:13

In today's verse Solomon is giving his son instruction concerning the activities of the wicked man. As I look at this verse though, I see a principle that can really be applied to every man. It is this: a man "teaches" with his actions as much as he teaches with his words.

The final two phrases of the verse are the ones that I want us to notice The man here speaks with his feet and teaches with his fingers. In other words, the places that he goes and the things that he does provide instruction to all those that observe him. It is unfortunate that many Christians never grasp the this truth. They talk about how much they love the Lord, yet they go places that He would not go and do things that He would not do. Then they wonder why the unsaved are not interested in hearing the message of salvation. Our co-workers, neighbors, and family members know how we live. They know where we go. They know whether our lifestyle backs up what we say we believe. And when it doesn't, they believe that they are justified in rejecting any Gospel message that we give them.

Many Christian parents fail in this area as well. They talk to their kids about living for the Lord, yet they fail to do so themselves. They expect faithfulness from their kids, but don't have it themselves. They demand obedience from their children, but they themselves do not obey the Word of God. This blatant hypocrisy soon becomes obvious to the kids, and eventually they reject the verbal teachings of their parents and choose to follow their poor example instead.

Verbal instruction is very important. However, it will never overcome the ruined testimony of a carnal lifestyle. Remember that what you do and where you go will help to determine how people respond to what you say.

Pastor Mark J Montgomery