Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. Proverbs 26:8 –
If you fasten or tie a stone in sling it won’t fly out like it is supposed to. It may infact come back and hit you in the head. The proverb here is saying giving honor to a foolish person also often comes back to bite you. If you ever have been in a position where you bragged about someone and not long later they ended up terribly embarrassing you by something they said or did then you get the point of the Proverb. Maybe you shared something with someone in confidence thinking they would be trustworthy with what you shared, but they opened their mouths about it.
Maybe you thought someone was skilled for a particular task so you asked their help or hired them to do this or that- but they messed it totally up.
The Proverb goes on to say “Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by. Proverbs 26:10 –
There are many situations this can play out. We though must be careful in what we entrust to people, whether we publically speak highly of them, trust them with personal information, or some task- its foolish to not be certain they were the right person for a job or someone trustworthy enough to share personal details of your life with.
Interesting thing about insect traps is the fact they often lure pests like these using certain insect baits. Once mom set up little ant traps that had sweet liquid substance but it was laced with ant poison. The ants wouls eat it then take the sweet poisonous substance back to the nest and feed it to their young.
Fly paper is another trap specifically geared toward catching pesky flies. The fly will unsuspectingly land on the paper and get stuck. There are also roach traps that incorporate the same method.
There are many different types of insect bait, depending on the insect, yet same result- death of the insect occurs. Same with temptation- different things tempt each of us but the same result “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23)
Yet sin also can get us seriously stuck. We are often tempted with the bait, but don’t weigh the risk to stepping outside of God’s will to indulge the appealing temptation whatever it may be. Temptation takes on various shapes but we can be sure going for the bait will always get us into a mess. Whether it be gambling addiction, drugs, alcohol, lust, talking badly, gossip, or anger- sin traps us and eventually destroys us.
In Proverbs 5:21-23 we see this play out “The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them, the cords of their sin hold them fast” and we see they get stuck on a spiritual version of fly paper unable to pull away from the destructive bahavior they find themselves in.
So often all of us can foolishly go back to silly things that created problems in our lives. We can easily forget the problems and only selectively remember the pleasure sin temporarily brought.
If you find yourself stuck today reader, if you have yet to turn to the Lord, then this is goodnews for you, Jesus came to set captives free, regardless of how bad of mess you find yourself in.
If you are a believer reading this and you feel stuck in some sin you know you should not be in, there is good news for you to, pray to the same Lord who freed you and first and ask Him to empower you to break free and not foolishly return to the sticky mess you get tempted to go back to time and time again. If you are sincere and pray to Him, if you earnestly seek Him, He will give you strength you need.
Jesus wanted true followers. He was surrounded by fans and fake friends when He walked on earth. He is truly seeking committed people who are willing to follow and be His disciples.
We keep hearing these days people throw around words like “privilege” and get upset over many things that people may enjoy that they have not. Yet the truth is we have hardly any control over where we are born or who our parents are, but we can choose what we do with the lives God blessed us with.
In the case of Moses, we see, ““At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for by his family. When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action. Acts 7:20-22 –
Moses did grow up with privilege. He was educated with the greatest education of that day and became powerful in speech and action.
Yet God still chose to use the privileged life Moses had to glorify His purpose. Funny thing though later on in Exodus we see Moses did not think himself to be good in speaking. In fact when he was called by God to go confront Pharaoh, Moses said
Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” Exodus 4:10 –
Moses obviously had his insecurities even though apparently the New Testament describes him different then he saw himself.
What is the lesson here? Well, we cannot limit God. We cannot say he cannot use our unique life situation and our past to use us for the purpose He calls us to step into. Whether we had a great upbringing or a not so ideal one, God will use each of us if we make it our number one goal to glorify him- whether rich or poor. Life circumstance does not determine how God will use us, our response to Him will. We must choose that we are going to glorify Him with our lives and set our hearts to by faith obey what He calls us into, regardless.
That is the secret to a well lived life being used by God, as the expression goes, “Life is not about the cards your dealt but how you play them”
Meaning in card games you may nor get all the great cards in your deck, but if you skillfully use them you can still come out on top. People make many excuses and let those hold them back, but if we are wise we will let God use all things to shape us for our good and use us for His plans and goals.
When ungodly wicked people get power and control, we see that they make unjust laws and oppressive decrees. We see that those who abandon knowledge of God do not understand justice at all (Proverbs 28:5)
In these days, in the Nation of Israel we see ungodly people were in control. God though never lost His rule on high though and was devising great disaster on this nation that stooped to great corruption
The nation was suffering enough problems before God finished them off with the “icing on the cake” as the expression goes. They were suffering many problems but as they kept sinning God kept upping the heat on this corrupt batch of sinners
“to whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches? Nothing will remain but to cringe among captives or fall among the slain”
Eventually those who kept rebelling would become slaves of the Assyrian, or they would be slaughtered while trying to resist or fight back. Basically God would sentence them to bondage, slavery or death.
Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives or fall among the slain. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised. Isaiah 10:4 –
‘Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised’- Meaning God who is by nature compassionate was so angry that as these rebels were suffering horribly, His pity for them would evaporate in the fierceness of his fiery anger. He had had it with them. His patience was being tested to the max, to the point He was not even moved to feel compassion over their fate.
God will of course show compassion if in our rock bottom moments we humble ourselves and turn to Him. God has the invitation
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. (Vs 18)
He gave them an opportunity and invitation to “repent and make peace with me”
(Vs 19) If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; but if you resist and rebel,
Good would come if they turned from sin, but what horrible fate awaited those who would not
(Vs 20) you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Isaiah 1:18-20 –
God has not changed since these times, God is still making His terms clear “Repent and believe the gospel”
Yet if we keep on rejecting repentance of sin and the Lord ship of Christ, death then eternal Hell will be the fate. The sword of death will eventually overtake every person, then those who reject the gospel, will face the sword and then the fire.
We ought to turn from sin to Christ Jesus, and we can be saved! Make no mistake dear reader, if you are still living in your sins and unbelief, his wrath and indignation is on you- his vexation at the sight of your sins is ever increasing each day you put off the decision to repent. You are “storing up His wrath” yet if you are willing to respond to He whom you greatly incensed, He will be merciful to you.
But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and do not regard the majesty of the Lord. Lord, your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame; let the fire reserved for your enemies consume them. Isaiah 26:10-11
Many think the fact God has not yet judged them is his lack of existence or indifference, yet he is rather “being patient” yet many will make a horrible mistake and take his “grace” for granted and never “learn righteousness”
•even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and do not regard the majesty of the Lord.
There are many who “even in the land of uprightness” never come to saving faith. People can often year after year be surrounded by people who share the message, and still not get it and reject it. Many even go to church year after year yet never truly surrender their lives to Christ- yet just attend church thinking they are good to go. Yet many sadly will be horrified when Jesus says to them “Depart from me, I never knew you” –
It takes true repentance and conversion to be saved, Jesus said “You must be born again” and we must have a moment where Jesus truly becomes Savior and LORD- Lord of our lives, decisions, choices, words, every area of life!
We keep hearing these days people throw around words like “privilege” and get upset over many things that people may enjoy that they have not. Yet the truth is we have hardly any control over where we are born or who our parents are, but we can choose what we do with the lives God blessed us with.
In the case of Moses, we see, ““At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for by his family. When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action. Acts 7:20-22 –
Moses did grow up with privilege. He was educated with the greatest education of that day and became powerful in speech and action.
Yet God still chose to use the privileged life Moses had to glorify His purpose. Funny thing though later on in Exodus we see Moses did not think himself to be good in speaking. In fact when he was called by God to go confront Pharaoh, Moses said
Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” Exodus 4:10 –
Moses obviously had his insecurities even though apparently the New Testament describes him different then he saw himself.
What is the lesson here? Well, we cannot limit God. We cannot say he cannot use our unique life situation and our past to use us for the purpose He calls us to step into. Whether we had a great upbringing or a not so ideal one, God will use each of us if we make it our number one goal to glorify him- whether rich or poor. Life circumstance does not determine how God will use us, our response to Him will. We must choose that we are going to glorify Him with our lives and set our hearts to by faith obey what He calls us into, regardless.
That is the secret to a well lived life being used by God, as the expression goes, “Life is not about the cards your dealt but how you play them”
Meaning in card games you may nor get all the great cards in your deck, but if you skillfully use them you can still come out on top. People make many excuses and let those hold them back, but if we are wise we will let God use all things to shape us for our good and use us for His plans and goals.
Well startling reality is as human beings we by nature are not inclined to love that which is true or right. Yet the Bible warned there would come a time were truth would become even less desirable for many
When it speaks on “The Lawless One” or antichrist, Paul says many will believe counterfeit signs and be deceived
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 –
First we see the lawless one will be using the power of Satan to do displaus of power with the purpose of deception. Just like Pharaoh’s sorcerers replicated some of the signs Moses and Aaron gave, so too will the lawless one deceive many by this means.
But we see the people who are fooled by it are “those who are perishing” – and they are unconverted people who refuse to repent of sin and believe the gospel because they, “delighted in wickedness.”
In reality they love sinning so much they despair the idea of parting with their love affair with sin
A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil. Proverbs 13:19 –
All his days the wicked man suffers torment, the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him. Terrifying sounds fill his ears; when all seems well, marauders attack him. He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness; he is marked for the sword. Job 15:20-22 –
“Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: “‘When people fall down, do they not get up? When someone turns away, do they not return? Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return. Jeremiah 8:4-5 –
. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. John 3:19-20 –
We are all foolish in our sins, but the truest fools are those who refuse to turn from evil and perish in their sinful state. Yet if we hear the gospel truth and come into the light, we have hope regardless of how bad we have blown it
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:21 –
Jesus came to save sinners, even the worst kind, but we have to turn to Him by faith and receive newness of life.
arg913972's Blog 