Posted by Steven Benjamin (Billy Steven Crider) on May 3, 2008, 3:34 pm
Happy Sabbath.
This week, it was emphasized to me of the spirit that Proverbs 26 was appropritate to this timeframe for a Sabbath Study.
In the very first chapter of Proverbs it's purpose and intents is stated in the opening verses...
I myself still find myself in pursuit of wisdom and seeking counsel of this book. Some excellent promises are indicated in it's mission statement of chapter one:
Prov 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
Prov 1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
Prov 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Prov 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Prov 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
The subject of the foolish and the wise are the continual theme of Proverbs. One cannot read the Book and its counsels without questioning if oneself is a fool. Such is healthy. The anwer to such concerns can be found in an application of verse 7 of chapter to oneself and/or the situations to which wisdom is sought, the foolish and the wise, for all of their ways throughout all 31 chapters of Proverbs can be summed up by their actions...and ultimately those actions which define them in a single verse...
Prov 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
There is a type of preaching that is prevalent in this land in which picks apart the Bible taking this passage or that, or this passage and that to prove some point or another, usually supporting a doctrine or stance. Characters in the bible become sermon illustrations
to discipline the church audience, or praise the same. There are some dangerous aspects to this kind of preaching, not saying such is wrong, or even right....the Bible tells us that:
2 Timothy 3:16-17
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto good works."
To the anointed servant of God...the Bible can be a tool. I guess this is the first issue in any kind of preaching, one actually having been anointed of God to do so. So many choose the ministry for the wrong reasons. In Bible college, we had a group we referred to as "Mama Called...Papa sent," but this is only one group. Others were "Milk toast preachers,"
"Feel Good Preachers" and "Deeper lifers" referring to people who watered down the truths of God, to their own benefits, being more concerned with being politically correct and with pleasing their audience...offering them "Milk" and "Toast" the more easily digestible truths of scripture, and never leading people to maturity, usually for fear of offending. Likewise the "Deeper Lifer" who often doubled as a philosopher wannabe, and focused on presenting themselves an intellectual, often grasping at straws as far as any useful application of the messages they seek to present, which more often than not borderline the absurd, only to be exceeding in their absurdity by the vast number of people who embrace the same.
The danger in the type of preaching mentioned in the open of this message is in rightly dividing the word of truth.
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH." 2 Timothy 2:15.
(continued next post...)
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