Proverbs 20

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THE GIFT OF SPIRITUAL RECEPTIVITY

July 31, 2023

“Ears to hear and eyes to see— both are gifts from the Lord” (Proverbs 20:12 NLT). One can have ears and eyes, yet still be deaf and blind. The Lord has made both the physical and the spiritual ability to hear and see. Both are grace. Both are gifts. The physical is obvious, but few

“The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them” (Proverbs 20:7 NLT).

July 28, 2022

LEAVING A LEGACY OF BLESSING Righteous parents who live a life of integrity, leave a legacy that continues to bless their children. Integrity is that crucial character trait of consistency and incorruptibility, so that one’s walk matches one’s talk. They are the same in private as they are in public. Because children see both the

“The hearing ear and the seeing eye— the Lord made them both” (Proverbs 20:12 HCSB).

July 31, 2021

THE GIFT OF SPIRITUAL RECEPTIVITY One can have ears and eyes, yet still be deaf and blind. The Lord has made both the physical and the spiritual ability to hear and see. Both are grace. The physical is obvious, but few recognize the spiritual. The first offers awareness of the physical world, the second makes

“Ears to hear and eyes to see— both are gifts from the Lord” (Proverbs 20:12 NLT).

July 31, 2019

THE GIFT OF SPIRITUAL RECEPTIVITY One can have ears and eyes, yet still be deaf and blind. The Lord has made both the physical and the spiritual ability to hear. Both are grace. The physical we all understand, but few recognize the spiritual. The first offers wisdom of the physical world, the second makes one

“The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him” (Proverbs 20:7 NKJV).

July 28, 2017

Righteous parents who live a life of integrity, leave a legacy that continues to bless their children. Integrity is that crucial character trait of consistency, so that one’s walk matches one’s talk. Children see both the public and private lives of their parents. Those who observe their parent’s faith in Jesus practiced in the home, as well as in the church, are truly blessed.

Do you walk in integrity before your children? Will they be blessed after you?

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1 NKJV).

July 25, 2017

How many have been “led astray” by alcohol? The one who is normally thoughtful and well-spoken becomes a “mocker” when intoxicated. The peaceful one becomes a “brawler” when under the influence. How many families have been torn apart, how many friendships broken, how many fortunes lost because of alcohol? Be wise. “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).

“Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler” (Proverbs 20:19 ESV)

August 3, 2016

Do you know someone who is constantly telling you secrets about someone else? Or someone who slanders another? Do not associate with such people. For if they talk badly about others to you, they will talk badly about you to others. And if they share the secrets of others with you, they will reveal your secrets to others. Telling such a person a secret is the same as broadcasting it to everyone. A gossip is to be warned, and if they persist, avoided.

“Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.” (Proverbs 20:18 ESV)

August 2, 2016

Do you seek wise counsel before making plans? No matter how wise you may be, there is always much to be learned from another’s perspective. We all have blind spots, so we need others to enlarge our vision. These counselors should not to be mere ‘yes’ men, agreeing with us. They are to be wise in the biblical sense and willing to disagree and confront. Having sought out wise advice, be sure to be humble enough to follow it.

‘Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?’ (Proverbs 20:9)

July 29, 2016

Solomon’s rhetorical question assumes a negative response. The sinfulness of humanity was an accepted reality in his day. Yet, even this basic wisdom has been thrown into question in our modern time by the tenets of humanism. The philosophy of humanism stresses the idea that humans are born basically good and that their potential for goodness is based on environmental factors. According to their thinking, with sufficient resources and education, all children should turn out well. A generation of this thinking has proven the theory untrue, yet the philosophy remains. However, God’s Word teaches us that our sin problem is more about the human heart than our behavior or the environment in which we live. This is a profound distinction. The real problem with humanity is the human heart. What is needed is heart change. Yet, who can make their “heart pure?” No one. What we need is a Savior. One who would give us new and holy hearts for God. But in order to know this, we must first admit that we are sinners. We must first accept this basic truth about ourselves, that we are sinful and powerless to do anything to change. We need help. We need Jesus. We need Christ to give us new hearts.

“The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both” (Proverbs 20:12 NKJV)

July 31, 2015

One can have ears and eyes, yet still be deaf and blind. The Lord has made both the physical and the spiritual ability to hear. Both are grace. The physical all understand, but few recognize the spiritual. The first offers wisdom of the physical world, the second makes one receptive to the gospel and believing. One is not the other. Only God makes the “hearing ear” and the “seeing eye.” This was God’s calling to Paul and to us: “I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:18-19).