WWUTT 1519 There is a Way That Seems Right to a Man (Proverbs 16:19-33)

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The Word of God is good, and it always leads to good things, knowing how we may live in this life in honor unto the

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Lord, and we will receive eternal life in the end, when we understand the text.

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This is When We Understand The Text, teaching through a New Testament book on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, an

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Old Testament book on Thursday, and a Q &A on Friday. With our Old Testament study today, here's

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Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky. Well, being Thursday, we come back to our Old Testament study, and we've been in the book of Proverbs.

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I had to go back and look to see where we left off, because this was a couple of weeks ago. It's Proverbs chapter 16, starting in verse 19, and I'll read through verse 33.

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This is the word of the Lord from the book of Proverbs. It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud.

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He who considers the word will find good, and how blessed is he who trusts in Yahweh!

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The wise in heart will be called understanding, and sweetness of lips increases learning.

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Insight is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the discipline of ignorant fools is folly.

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The heart of the wise gives insight to his mouth and increases learning to his lips.

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Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

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A worker's appetite works for him, for his mouth urges him on. A vile man digs up evil, and the words on his lips are like scorching fire.

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A perverse man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close companions.

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A man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good.

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He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things. He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

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Gray hair is a crown of beauty. It is found in the way of righteousness.

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He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his own spirit than he who captures a city.

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The lot is cast into the lap, but its every judgment is from Yahweh.

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Not a whole lot of contrasts here. We're used to seeing that over the course of the book of Proverbs, where it'll say something like, the righteous receives this, but the wicked will get this.

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Or the wise man considers this, but the fool is always a fool. You know, that's kind of the way the

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Proverbs have been laid out. These are mostly continuous thoughts, just said in two parts that we've read here in this section of chapter 16.

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Even verse 19 is not really a perfect contrast. So it says, it is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud.

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You have the contrast between humble and proud, but it's saying to you to be humble rather than hanging out with the proud.

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So consider yourself with the lowly. It says in Romans 12, do not be haughty, do not be proud, do not consider yourself more highly than you ought to think, but associate yourself with the lowly.

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A lowly person is someone who can't benefit you, not in the eyes of other people anyway. You don't get more popular, more famous because you are friends with this person, nor can they give you money or make you richer or anything like that.

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It is associating with that person because very simply they're a brother or sister in the Lord, or they are somebody in need, somebody you are sharing the gospel with, withholding the gospel from nobody.

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This is associating with the lowly. So it's better to be humble in spirit and be with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud.

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Because as we've read about the proud, pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

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That's what we've read previously in the book of Proverbs. So if you are hanging out with the proud, you could very well fall along with them.

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Better to be humble in spirit, not to have much, but to give up much gain and associate with the lowly and potentially save your soul.

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Verse 20, he who considers the word will find good. And how blessed is he who trusts in Yahweh.

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Again, that's not a contrast, just a continuous thought set in two parts. He who considers the word.

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Once again, it is listening to the word of God, obeying what it says, considering the wisdom that is given and applying it.

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He who considers this word finds good. The word of God is always good.

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It always delivers us unto good. It always brings us good. All good things are received through the word of Christ.

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For it is through this word that we've come to know Christ and therefore salvation by faith in him.

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We only receive good things from the word in the eyes of the world. It may not be fantastic what we receive from this word, but we know it is the power of God.

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For as it says in Romans 1 16, I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.

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And in first Corinthians 1 18, it says the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.

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When we read the scriptures, we hear the word of God. We see God's power through this that has been written down for us by the prophets and the law in the old

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Testament, by the apostles in the new Testament, God working through men to give us his word.

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We hear from the creator of the universe himself, how blessed is he who trusts in this word?

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You trust in this word, you trust in Yahweh. Only blessings can come from that.

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Verse 21, the wise in heart will be called understanding and sweetness of lips increases learning.

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Now we've considered this many other times in Proverbs, the connection between the heart and the mouth, whatever comes from the mouth, it flows from the heart.

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Jesus saying so in Matthew chapter 12, out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.

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So the wise in heart will be called understanding it. They are so known by their wisdom that you could, you could name them understanding.

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It would be upon their name. I know I can go to this person and receive knowledge and understanding because of the wisdom that they have and sweetness of lips increases learning.

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So here you have the wise in heart. And where does that wisdom come out? It comes out of the mouth, the sweetness of the lips.

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When you're talking about the wisdom of God, especially it's sweet, it's good. And it increases learning, knowing the word of God and applying it and living according to it here in this verse as well.

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The next proverb, verse 22 insight is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the discipline of the ignorant fools is folly.

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Sorry. I didn't quite read that right. The discipline of ignorant fools is folly.

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Now here we have a contrast. Definitely. So insight is a fountain of life inside in what way insight into the mysteries of God, Paul talking about that in first Corinthians two in Ephesians two and three, the, this mystery that has been revealed to us in Christ Jesus, our

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Lord in him, we find all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that's in Colossians chapter two.

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So we have insight. When we look into the word of God, it is a fountain of life to the one who has it.

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Do not sell it. Do not trade it for something else. There's nothing better. It is a fountain of life.

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Jesus saying to the woman at the well in John chapter four, he said to her, if you knew who it was who asked you for a drink, you would have asked him and, and he would have given you living water, a spring of living water that springs up into eternal life that he promised this woman there at the well in Samaria.

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So we have this fountain of life that comes from the word of God to the one who has it. We have everlasting life, but the discipline of ignorant fools is folly.

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So when a, a fool disciplines, when he tries to give guidance, exhortation, instruction, it's just foolishness.

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Does it lead to life? No. And these are waters that are not pure, but they are sorted and dirty and diseased and gross.

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The discipline of ignorant fools just leads to more foolishness. Verse 23, the heart of the wise gives insight to his mouth and increases learning to his lips.

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So the words that come from his lips again, come out of his heart. And what do we have insight?

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We have that word insight in two Proverbs back to back here. Insight is a fountain of life.

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Insight comes from the lips of the wise. We've also had these references to increases.

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Look back at verse 21, sweetness of lips increases learning verse 23 and increases learning to his lips.

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The one who has a wise heart shares that wisdom and learning comes from it that others may hear and learn and know this wisdom that has been given to him by God through his word.

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Verse 24, pleasant words are a honeycomb sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

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And the most pleasant words that we can receive are those words that are right from the word of God.

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But you can also apply this to speaking kindly, speaking gently, showing kindness and love to one another.

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Even when it comes to correcting opponents, Paul said to Timothy in second Timothy two 25, the

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Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone able to teach patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.

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Peter said the same thing in first Peter three 15, always give, always being ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within you, but do this with gentleness and respect.

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Even when correcting someone, we speak pleasant words as it says in Ephesians four 29 that we build each other up with our words, not tear each other down, giving grace to all who hear it as fits the occasion.

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We continue on to verse 25. Now, this is a very popular proverb.

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Surely you've heard this one and it popped out at you when I was reading through them at the beginning. There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

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Not even really a perfect contrast here. It's just continuing the thought. There's a way which seems right to a man.

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A man goes that way because he thinks it's the right way, but if he follows his own heart, you've heard that, right?

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That's, that's like the proverb of the culture. Follow your heart. Believe in yourself. He who follows his own heart will go the way of death.

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There's a way which seems right to a man, but where does it end up? If a man is following his own subjective opinions, his own sense of morality, not by anything objective, not by anything that has been set by God, but he decides what is right and wrong for himself, it's not going to lead to life.

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It will lead to his destruction. He will stand before God in judgment who will say to him, depart from me, you worker of lawlessness.

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I never knew you. This man followed a law. He followed his own law that he decided was good unto himself, but he did not obey the law of God.

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And most especially, he did not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who fulfills the law and gives us his righteousness by faith in him.

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So we continue on to verse 26. A worker's appetite works for him, but is sorry for his mouth, urges him on.

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So the worker is driven by his desire to finish the job.

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He wants the benefits of what that work yields. And so he continues on to finish that job that he may enjoy the end product.

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A painter keeps painting a painting because he wants to see his image completed.

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And maybe for a painter that makes this his living, he also wants to sell that painting, receive the money that puts food on the table.

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So he's driven by that which is going to fulfill his appetite, right?

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So the worker's appetite works for him. His mouth urges him on. Apply this also to the

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Christian life. You have to finish the job. There is no benefit, no reward if you don't finish the job.

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When Jesus talked about this in the book of Luke, when he talked about considering the cost, a guy doesn't sit down and consider building a building without going through the cost of the materials and getting everything together and how much labor it's going to take in order to build this structure.

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If he starts building the building and doesn't finish it, nobody's giving him praise for that job that he did. They're going to say, this guy couldn't finish the job.

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He started the job, but could not finish it. And Jesus was tying this to the Christian life. You have to consider the cost.

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You have to finish the job. It's he who endures to the end will be saved.

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And so the worker's appetite works for him. Our appetite as spiritual people must be

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Christ. We desire Christ more than anything. And his mouth urges him on.

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So we desire to see the end. We want to get to heaven and hear from the father. Well done. Good and faithful servant for great is your reward.

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Verse 27, a vile man digs up evil and the words on his lips are like a scorching fire.

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Now, this is not a contrast in the proverb, but it's certainly a contrast with previous proverbs that we've read.

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So earlier we were talking about the sweet, the sweetness of his lips increases learning. The heart of the wise gives insight to his mouth and increases learning to his lips.

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But now here we read about the fool, a vile man digs up evil and the words on his lips are like scorching fire.

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You also compare that with what we just read in verse 26, a worker's appetite works for him and his mouth urges him on desiring to fill himself with good things.

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What is the vile man filled with evil and what comes out of his mouth?

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It's like a scorching fire. James talks about this in James three and five, the sorry,

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James three versus five and six. That's what I meant. So the tongue is a small member yet boasts of great things and how great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire.

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The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life and set on fire by hell.

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That's the vile man who has wickedness in his heart. And that's what comes from his mouth.

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May we have a heart that's been transformed by Christ and what comes from our mouth gives grace to those who hear and honor to the

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Lord whom we serve. Verse 28, a perverse man spreads strife and a whisperer separates close companions.

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The whisperer is the gossiper, the one who's spreading rumors and lies. A perverse man spreads strife.

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That word for perverse can also be translated dishonest. It's perverting truth.

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So hence why that can be translated perverse. Sometimes we think of perverse as being something sexually immoral, and it doesn't always have to be that.

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That's certainly something perverted, but perverseness is corrupting the truth.

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It's corrupting that which is pure. So in this case, a perverse man is a dishonest man, does not love truth, does not value love or friendship or goodness among brothers in any way, but he spreads strife.

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He breaks people apart. Remember back in Proverbs chapter six, we read that there are six things the

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Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him. And that seventh thing, do you remember what it was?

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It's one who sows discord among brothers and a whisperer here, the gossip spreader, the slanderer, he separates close companions.

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If you're listening to that kind of language, if you're listening to lies instead of truth, then it only results in strife.

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Lies can never unify. Only the truth brings people together. It is

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Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life. So if we hold ourselves fast to Christ, we are brought together in that and unified in Christ Jesus.

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Paul says as much in Ephesians chapter four, that we are holding fast to the head who is Christ through whom all the parts of the body are knit together in love.

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We go on in verse 29 here, a man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good.

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Same sort of a thing here. So before, don't listen to the man who is perverse in speech.

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Verse 29, don't follow the man that leads to the way of violence for it will not lead to life, but destruction.

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Verse 30, he who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things.

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He's dishonest. He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

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He who purses his lips. These are certain gestures that are signals in a certain way.

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You have the winks his eye, the one who compresses his lips. This is one who is attempting to draw others in some sort of dishonest activity, some sort of crime.

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Going right back into what we read in verses 28 and 29 as well. So have nothing to do with these men that we read about in these three verses.

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The guy who's shifty, who's crafting perverse things, he is bringing evil to pass.

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He's speaking evil. He separates close companions, love the truth and walk in the way of righteousness.

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Verse 31, gray hair is a crown of beauty. It is found in the way of righteousness.

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So there we go. Don't have anything to do with the men mentioned in those previous three verses 28, 29, and 30, but instead seek after wisdom.

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Gray hair, a man who has experience, who can share with you the truth.

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It's a thing of beauty. You have these shifty things that the previous persons were doing.

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The guy who is whispering, the guy who is enticing his neighbor, the man who winks his eye, but the wise man has gray hair.

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And it doesn't necessarily have to mean he literally has gray hair, but you're just talking about a man who has experienced some things.

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He can share with you wisdom because he's dealt with life and he can pass on to you the way that you should go.

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So gray hair is the crown of beauty. He has a wisdom that has been given to him.

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It's been granted to him rather than the shifty things that he does. You just recognize it when you see it.

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Previously, we've read in other Proverbs, it comes right from his mouth. You can hear in the words that he says that this is a man who has a wise heart.

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Gray hair is a crown of beauty. It's a good thing for a person to be so seasoned and experienced and to show their age and to have lived a life that is honorable unto the

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Lord. The gray hair that is earned because a crown is earned, it is found in the way of righteousness.

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He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty. And he who rules his own spirit than he who captures a city.

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We've talked this past week, looking in 1 Corinthians 6 and 7 about self -control.

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So the man who is self -controlled, he's slow to anger. He's better than even the mightiest of men.

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And he who is able to rule his own spirit is greater than he who captures a city.

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Because going back to that, what James said there in James 3, no one can control the tongue.

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So he who has found self -control greater than the mightiest of men. Verse 33, the lot is cast into the lap, but it's every judgment is from Yahweh.

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God is sovereign. You may take the dice in your hand and roll it and throw it on the ground and it comes up with a certain number, but God is the one who determined it.

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Entrust yourself to the for all things. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this word, this wisdom that we have read and may we know how to apply it and live according to these words.

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Great are these words, the words of Yahweh that have been given to us today. In Jesus name we pray.

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Amen. This has been When We Understand the Text with Pastor Gabriel Hughes. For all of our podcasts, episodes, videos, books, and more, visit our website at www .utt

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.com. If you'd like to submit a question to this broadcast or just send us a comment, email whenweunderstandthetext at gmail .com

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and let your friends know about our ministry. Join us again tomorrow as we grow together in the study of God's word when we understand the text.