Honor

Proverbs 20:3

It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

I’m interested in “It is an honour for a man to cease from strife”

HONOR “A testimony of esteem; any expression of respect or of high estimation by words or actions; as the honors of war; military honors; funeral honors; civil honors.”

STRIFE “Contention in anger or enmity; contest; struggle for victory; quarrel or war.”

It is a testimony by words or actions for a man to cease from contention in anger. 

It’s an honor not only to the person to cease from contention but it is also a reflection of the Lord shining in and through a persons life. Let’s give praise where praise is due. Without the working of the Spirit of God in our hearts few would even try to cease from strife. They would just keep justifying what they said or did by words of I just can’t help it or that’s the way I am or even God made me this way. Bottom line we become that way because of sin that we allow to go uncontrolled. Lord help me today to allow you to control my mouth and mind that I’ll not bring shame to your name.  

Don’t Be Broken Into

Proverbs 25:28

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

This losing self control was also seen in 

Proverbs 16:32

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

What makes us lose self control? Could our number one failure be TEMPTATION. Temptation always attacks our weak points. The enemy will suggest something where we are weak and if I or anyone else begins to think on what was suggested it may not belong before we preform that act. Our wall will at that point be broken down because we refused to take action over our spirit. The picture given in these verses are “no rule over his own spirit” you know you shouldn’t get angry but what was done to you or said about you was uncalled for. We call it losing our tempter as if that were to justify our actions. Where in reality we allowed our wall of protection to be broken down, then our sinful action is easily committed. Now the results of our actions may be just like an army coming into a city and destroying what’s there as well as taking things which cannot be replace. To the young boy or young girl that allows their wall of purity to be broken down can never be a virgin again. The one who steals, commits adultery, kills another with their harsh talk will never be able to go back and undo what they did. We must protect our walls by protecting our spirit. Don’t be broken into!

The Great Light

Proverbs 13:9

The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

What jumped out at me this morning was this phrase “The light of the righteous rejoiceth:”

The first time we see the word LIGHT in the New Testament is in

Matthew 4:16

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Webster says this about LIGHT

“That ethereal agent or matter which makes objects perceptible to the sense of seeing, but the particles of which are separately invisible.”

Also “Illumination of mind; instruction; knowledge.”

What is this LIGHT mention in Matthew? Was this great LIGHT the sun? I don’t think so because of what is stated afterward. Notice they were sitting in darkness, it’s hard to sit in darkness after the light of the sun lighten up the world after a nigh of darkness. They were also sitting in the shadow of death when light sprung up. Here what I think. We were born in darkness a dead spirit which could not know God neither worship God.

John 4:23

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

John 4:24

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The people which sat in darkness (no light lost without hope) saw great light; (the gospel , the death, burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ the Son of God) and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. (The light of Jesus)

John 8:12

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 9:5

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

John 12:46

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

Jesus is the Light and if we never know Jesus we will be seated in darkness and the shadow of death will ever be present. But the child of God walks through the shadow of death.

Psalms 23:4

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me

Therefore “The light of the righteous rejoiceth:”