Tag: mockers

Mockers will be stopped!

Scripture reading for September 7th:  Ezekiel 12-15

Key Scriptures: Ezekiel 12:21-25  “The word of the Lord came to me:  “Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing’?  Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to put an end to this proverb and they will no longer quote it in Israel.’  Say to them, “The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled.  For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations among the people of Israel.  But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay.”  

Ezekiel was told to tell God’s people that they had a proverb that was mocking God’s ability to fulfill His Word.  He was not going to delay any longer out of mercy and patience.  Soon, there would be a quick fulfillment with no more delay!  That is prophetic for us in these last days as we are again warned by Peter, the Apostle!

Thankful for speedy fulfillment:  “I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.  First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.  They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ He promised?  Ever since our fathers died everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”   “. . . ./but the day of the Lord will come like a thief.  The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.”  (2nd Peter 3:2-4, 10)

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Don’t be a lazy mocker!

Scripture reading for July 9th: Proverbs 18-21

When we lived in Washington State near Olympia for six years, we  experienced slugs for the first time.  After a rain the slugs came out.  They left slimy trails and if you picked them up, you felt slimy too!  They did not move very fast but inched along like a snail.  I believe that the sluggard in the Bible is named after them!

The Bible talks more about the sin of laziness than that of drunkenness.  Proverbs 19:15 says that the shiftless man who goes hungry!  We are warned in Proverbs 20:13 about loving sleep.   The lazy man is called a “sluggard” in Proverbs 19:24 and he is so lazy that he cannot feed himself!  The sluggard is always craving but never satisfied because he refuses to work!  In Proverbs 24:30-34 the field of a sluggard is in focus.  Thorns, representing the curse of Adam, are growing everywhere.  The ground is covered with weeds and the protective wall is in ruin.  The lesson is that laziness and too much sleeping leads to poverty.

A mocker is someone who makes fun of God’s Word and ways, preferring to do things his  own way.  Mockers deserve flogging because they lead others astray.  (Proverbs 19:25, 29) Mockers are often involved in drinking and mock when they are drunk with wine or beer.  (Proverbs 20:1)  Proverbs 21:24 names the proud and arrogant man “mocker”.  Mockers are fools because they lack discernment and fail to value God or His Word! God’s Word says to drive out the mocker to remove strife, quarrels and insults!  (Proverbs 22:1)

Proverbs 20:3 states that it is a man’s honor to avoid strife and quarreling.  Proverbs 20:19 warns against gossip and meddling as a source of trouble.  Guarding your mouth and tongue will keep you from calamity!  (Proverbs 21:23)  We are to seldom set our foot in our neighbor’s house because with too much of us, he will end up hating us!  (Proverbs 25:17)  If you want to really get into trouble, meddle in a quarrel that is not your own!  It will be like taking a dog by it’s ears!  (Proverbs 26:17)

Sluggards, mockers and meddlers are trouble!  Evaluate your own life and take appropriate action before it’s too late!  Poverty, beatings, and a Doberman Pincer by the ears should be warning enough!

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Sluggards, mockers and meddlers!

Scripture reading for July 9th: Proverbs 18-21

When we lived in Washington State near Olympia for six years, we  experienced slugs for the first time.  After a rain, which was almost daily during the 8 month rainy season, the slugs came out.  They left slimy trails as they inched along and if you picked them up, you felt slimy too!  I wonder if the sluggard in the Bible was named after that slow and slimy animal!

The Bible talks more about the sin of laziness than that of drunkenness!   Proverbs 19:15 says that laziness and sleeping go together and the combination brings hunger and poverty.   This lazy man is called a “sluggard” in Proverbs 19:24.  The “sluggard” was so lazy that he could not feed himself.   He put his fork in the dish but was too lazy to bring the food to his mouth!  The sluggard was always craving but never satisfied because he refused to work.  In Proverbs 23:13 the sluggard shouted “there’s a lion outside” or “I will be murdered in the streets.”  His excuses to keep from leaving his bed!

One of my personal favorites is from Proverbs 24:30-34.  In the field of the sluggard, thorns are growing everywhere.  The sluggard does not work to keep the weeds out, and the curse of thorns devours his harvest leaving him poor and hungry!

A mocker is someone who makes fun of God’s Word and chooses to do things their own way.  Mockers deserve flogging because they lead others astray.  (Proverbs 19:25, 29) Mockers are often involved in drinking and mock when they are drunk with wine or beer.  (Proverbs 20:1)  Proverbs 21:24 names the proud and arrogant man “mocker”.  God’s Word says to drive out the mocker to remove strife, quarrels and insults!  (Proverbs 22:10)

Meddling in the affairs of others is foolish.  Proverbs 20:19 warns against gossip and meddling as a source of trouble. (Proverbs 21:23)  We are to seldom set our foot in our neighbor’s house because  too much of us brings hatred and strife!  (Proverbs 25:17)  If you want trouble, meddle in a quarrel that is not your own!  It will be like taking a dog by it’s ears!  (Proverbs 26:17)

Sluggards, mockers and meddlers are warned against in the wisdom of God!  Evaluate your own life and take appropriate action before it’s too late!  These warnings about poverty, beatings, and taking a Doberman Pincer by the ears should get our attention!

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Sluggards, mockers, and meddlers!

Scripture reading for July 9th: Proverbs 18-21

When we lived in Washington State near Olympia for six years, we  experienced slugs for the first time.  After a rain, which was almost daily during the 8 month rainy season, the slugs came out, crawling on the sidewalks.  They left slimy trails and if you picked them up, you felt slimy too!  They did not move very fast but inched along like a snail.  I imagine that the sluggard in the Bible is named after that slow and slimy animal!

The Bible talks more about the sin of laziness than that of drunkenness.  Proverbs 19:15 says that laziness and sleeping go together and the result is a shiftless man who goes hungry!  We are warned in Proverbs 20:13 about loving sleep.  It will result in poverty!  This lazy man is called a “sluggard” in Proverbs 19:24.  This verse accuses the “sluggard” of being so lazy that he cannot even feed himself!  He puts his fork in the dish but is too lazy to bring the food to his mouth!  Now that’s lazy!  The sluggard is always craving but never satisfied because he refuses to work!  In Proverbs 23:13 the sluggard is shouting “there’s a lion outside” or “I will be murdered in the streets.”  His excuses to keep from working or leaving his bed are ridiculous!

One of my personal favorites is from Proverbs 24:30-34.  In these verses, the field of a sluggard is in focus.  Thorns, representing the curse of Adam, are growing everywhere.  The ground is covered with weeds and the protective wall is in ruin.  The lesson is that laziness and too much sleeping instead of working leads to scarcity and poverty.  This is the truth in practical terms!

The mocker is the next term dealt with in today’s reading.  A mocker is someone who makes fun of God’s Word and ways, preferring to do things his  own way.  Mockers deserve flogging because they lead others astray.  (Proverbs 19:25, 29) Mockers are often involved in drinking and mock when they are drunk with wine or beer.  (Proverbs 20:1)  Proverbs 21:24 names the proud and arrogant man “mocker”.  Mockers are fools because they lack discernment and fail to value God or His Word! God’s Word says to drive out the mocker to remove strife, quarrels and insults!  (Proverbs 22:10)

Meddling in affairs that are not yours is also spoken against in this book of wisdom.  Proverbs 20:3 states that it is a man’s honor to avoid strife and quarreling.  Proverbs 20:19 warns against gossip and meddling as a source of trouble.  Guarding your mouth and tongue will keep you from calamity!  (Proverbs 21:23)  We are to seldom set our foot in our neighbor’s house because with too much of us, he will end up hating us!  (Proverbs 25:17)  If you want to really get into trouble, meddle in a quarrel that is not your own!  It will be like taking a dog by it’s ears!  (Proverbs 26:17)

Sluggards, mockers and meddlers are warned against in the wisdom of God!  Evaluate your own life and take appropriate action before it’s too late!  Poverty, beatings, and a Doberman Pincer by the ears should be warning enough!

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The Blessed Man

Scripture reading for June 4th: Psalms 1-6

Today we embark on a study of the psalms.  The Book of Psalms was the hymnbook of the Hebrew people and was used in worship and prayer.  The word “psalm” denotes a “song sung to the accompaniment of a plucked instrument.”  These psalms had at least seven different authors and were written over nearly a thousand years, from the time of Moses to the return from exile in Babylon.  David was one of the primary authors of the psalms.  Many reflect his own prayers, worship, fears, and desires as he experience the full range of life in all it’s emotional ups and downs!  As we study this book, let’s ask the Lord to open our eyes to see Jesus Christ and to know Him more intimately!

This book opens with a psalm about a man who is blessed by God.  There are some things this man does not do.  He doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked.  He also doesn’t stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  What is wickedness?  How do we know what counsel we should avoid?  What is a sinner?  What is the mocker mocking?  That’s easy to know from this Psalm.  This man knows because he delights in the law of the Lord!  He is meditating on that law day and night.  From that law he clearly understands good and evil, righteousness and wickedness.  He understands sin by knowing God’s law!

This man who is blessed is pictured as like a tree planted by streams of water.  This tree is always bearing fruit and is leafy and green because it’s roots are well supplied with moisture and nutrients.  Even when it is dry and hot, it is not lacking because of the water supply it draws from.  God abundantly supplies this man because of the Word he meditates on.  Circumstances may change the climate, but the roots are well supplied!  What an encouraging picture to begin worship with!

This blessed man is contrasted with the wicked man.  The wicked man is pictured as the chaff off of the wheat.  The wind comes and blows it away.  It is good for nothing but to be burned up.  Just like the chaff that is separated from the wheat by the wind, so the sinner and wicked man will not stand in the time of God’s judgment!  They will be separated from the assembly of the righteous and blessed!  God is watching over the righteous to provide and protect and ultimately reward them.  God is also going to make sure the wicked perish!

This song about the blessed man is for us today!  We are to meditate on the Word of God and focus on the living Word, Jesus Christ!  Life flows from Him and in Him we find eternal life!  Blessing is favor and a river of good flowing from the source of all blessing, God.  God loves to bless those who sit at His feet, stand in His way and walk by faith in His Word.

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