Sunday, November 28, 1999 This Week's Lesson:
In this week's lesson, which came from Proverbs 14:11-16, we learned that it is important for us to seek righteousness and the ways of the Lord. Everyone wants to be happy. However, we should be careful about how we pursue happiness. If it is not where we are at, then chances are it will not be where we want to be, either. Living right before the Lord brings joy to one's life, while not living right deprives one of their joy and brings the curse of the Lord. Proverbs 3:33 says, "The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just." The just are blessed, but the wicked are cursed. This is a very important lesson in life to learn. How can someone be just before the Lord? The answer is that, on our own, we cannot. We can never please a holy God. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Therefore, our only hope is that our holy God might show us mercy and reconcile Himself to us. And that is exactly what He did. Romans 5:6-8 says, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
The first step towards being the upright person that Solomon spoke about in these verses is to turn your life over to the Lord. Then, allow Him to lead you into the paths of life that He would have you to go, and the results will be blessings from above and joy in your present life. To turn away from the Lord is to accept a curse on your life and the consequences of having never known Him. People, in general, think that they can order their lives correctly, but Solomon wrote that they cannot. What seems right to us ends up in death and destruction. We must therefore trust our life to an all-knowing, all-powerful, ever present God that can put His hand upon our life in such a way that we are never the same again. Backsliders do not escape either. A backslider is defined as someone, who having known the ways of the Lord, turns back to their old ways of life. Solomon wrote that peace and happiness would be foreign to such an individual. But following and trusting in the Lord and staying on His path for a lifetime brings joy and satisfaction. Solomon warned against being a simple-minded person, too. The simpleton believes every word and is confident in the eye of evil. We should not be deceived into thinking that we can do wrong and then escape the consequences. It will not happen. We show our wisdom when we depart from evil. The fool, on the other hand, charges forward and usually, or at least eventually, regrets having had their foolhardy desires.
This week's lesson spoke more about the importance of living for the Lord and doing those things that are right and proper. In the coming week, try to trust more of your life to your heavenly Father and allow Him to lead you in the paths that you should go.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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