2019 Jan 01 Proverbs 1, Psalms, 1Corinthians 1
2019 Jan 01 Proverbs 1, Psalms, 1Corinthians 1
A warm welcome to 2019, and well wishes for all this day! Let's begin by continuing in Proverbs 1, this time verses 20-23. For helping anyone who may imagine that there may be benefit to harming others for material or other gain, verses 10-19 are applicable, with commentary by searching "Dec 01".
"20 True wisdom cries aloud in the street. It keeps raising its voice in the public squares. 21 At the corner of the busy streets it calls out. At the entrances of the city gates it says: 22 “How long will you inexperienced ones love inexperience? How long will you ridiculers take pleasure in ridicule? And how long will you foolish ones hate knowledge? 23 Respond to my reproof. Then I will pour out my spirit for you; I will make my words known to you."
Prove 1:20,21 God wants true wisdom freely available to all who may appreciate it and love Him eternally. 2Peter 3:9 says "Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise...but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance." May we keep on "enduring trial, because on becoming approved [we] will receive the crown of life, which Jehovah promised to those who continue loving Him." (James 1:12). Also, may all right-hearted ones take our Christian commission seriously, to share with others the hope we have, not keeping it to ourselves.
Prove 1:22,23 How "inexperienced" or naïve ones need urgently to be taught foresighted shrewdness, to see the consequences of good and bad behavior and decisions, and learn to act accordingly, loving the good and right path of life. Fault-finding ridicule is far from true love--ones loving ridicule because it makes them feel better than others, are on a prideful slippery path to a terrible crash, as Proverbs 16:18 states: "Pride is before a crash, and a haughty spirit before stumbling." Such pride is "the sin that easily entangles us," causing a fall, and hindering true faith in God. Such ones need to repent of their lack of faith and trust in God, who loves them and wants them to turn from a hateful course to one of love for God and others. (Hebre 12:1-3). Also, fools are hating divine knowledge, lacking discernment and understanding, cornerstones of true wisdom. They need to learn to discern truth from falsehood, right from wrong, good from bad, etc., and learn to comprehend, not only the big picture, but how all it's pieces fit together, relate to one another, to make the whole. Until then they may continue to wallow without true knowledge of things, speaking and acting foolishly.
Psalm 73 (Book 3, psalm 1 of 17) records Asaph's near tragic turn from true worship, as he lets his heart meditate on the seeming (temporary) successes of the wicked. His story is introduced by verses 1-3: "God is truly good to Israel, to those pure in heart. 2 As for me, my feet had almost strayed; My steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I became envious of the arrogant When I would see the peace of the wicked." He goes on to outline the things that wicked ones seem to be getting away with. For example, verse 7-9 read: "Their prosperity makes their eyes bulge; They have exceeded the imaginations of the heart. 8 They scoff and say evil things. They arrogantly threaten oppression. 9 They speak as if they were as high as heaven, And their tongues swagger about in the earth." May we not be fooled by such arrogant ones, no matter how great they make themselves appear. Asaph finally entered the "grand sanctuary of God, and...discerned their future. Surely you place them on slippery ground. You make them fall to their ruin. How suddenly they are devastated! How sudden is their finish as they come to a terrible end!" (Psalm 73:17-19).
As Proverbs 10:2 says, "The treasures gained by wickedness will be of no benefit, but righteousness is what rescues from death." God will make sure that any "treasure"--material or spiritual, gained by some evil course, will not prove to benefit one in the long run. On the other hand, pursuing God's righteousness by faith leads one to eternal life in true peace and happiness.
1Corinthians 1 In view of the "undeserved kindness" that God is granting us, may He lead us as Paul was inspired to write to the Corinthians: "He will also make you firm to the end so that you may be open to no accusation in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful..." (1Cori 1:4,8.9). In God's faithfulness, and by His holy spirit, He guides us "into all the truth," as 1Corinthians 1:10 encourages: "Now I urge you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you should all speak in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you may be completely united in the same mind and in the same line of thought." May we treasure the Christian unity that God is making possible through His Son. This unity of thought, in harmony with God's righteousness, makes possible an unsurpassed peace among like-hearted humans, on the basis of true faith in God, leading to true love.


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