PROVERBS LESSON 15
We will begin this lesson in Proverbs 11:17 "The merciful man
doeth good to his own soul: but [he that is] cruel troubleth his own
flesh."
A merciful person who is always doing for others feel good about
himself. A cruel person has no good memories. A cruel person has only
regrets.
Proverbs 11:18 "The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him
that soweth righteousness [shall be] a sure reward."
We have been reading before about the deceitfulness of riches. If
a person works only for self gain, he is deceived and is wicked. The
righteous seek to do good. The righteous may not be rewarded here on
this earth, but will reap rewards on harvest day.
Proverbs 11:19 "As righteousness [tendeth] to life: so he that
pursueth evil [pursueth it] to his own death."
Righteousness not only tends to life, but actually makes life
more enjoyable here on this earth and brings life for all of eternity,
as well. Evil, on the other hand, keeps you in trouble on the earth
and brings death and hell for all of eternity?
Proverbs 11:20 "They that are of a froward heart [are]
abomination to the LORD: but [such as are] upright in [their] way
[are] his delight."
The word translated "froward" here means crooked, distorted, and
false. Our heart will give away what we really are. God judges our
heart more than He does our actions. What was our intent? to do evil
or good? We are what our heart is. God loves a person with a pure
heart. He even likes our giving to be from our heart.
Proverbs 11:21 "[Though] hand [join] in hand, the wicked shall
not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered."
We see in verse 21 above that even if a number of evil people
join together hand in hand, Their combined strength will not keep them
from being punished. The seed of the righteous would be their children
of their flesh and the children of their spirit. Just as all we
Christians are seed of Abraham because of our faith and his. The Lord
promises us when we are saved, that those of our household will be
saved too. It does not mean that it is automatic, but that God the
Holy Spirit will woo them till he gets them. He will try harder to get
them because of your salvation. Acts 16:31 "And they said, believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
Proverbs 11:22 "[As] a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, [so is]
a fair woman which is without discretion."
A woman with physical beauty can become even more beautiful to
you if she lives the Christian life; but if she is a harlot or lives
an evil life, that beauty seems to go away as you get to know her and
she becomes a swine in your sight. The important beauty comes from
within.
Proverbs 11:23 "The desire of the righteous [is] only good: [but]
the expectation of the wicked [is] wrath."
Every Christian you ever meet has a desire in their heart to do
good. They are seeking good and not evil. An evil person is
continually negative. They know the wrath is coming and they expect
it.
Proverbs 11:24 "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and
[there is] that withholdeth more than is meet, but [it tendeth] to
poverty."
This is just saying, give and it will be given to you. I have a
saying, "You can't out give God". If we are greedy and never give to
others, we will find ourselves in poverty. There is a law that God
gives to those who give to others. To get, you must give.
Proverbs 11:25 "The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that
watereth shall be watered also himself."
This is the very same thing as verse 24, just stated differently.
Proverbs 11:26 "He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse
him: but blessing [shall be] upon the head of him that selleth [it]."
To have foodstuff that a neighbor needs and that you don't need
for your own household, and not be willing to sell him some would be
terrible. Not only would your neighbor curse you for that, but God
will be displeased, as well. If you can help someone else, even by
selling them something, God will see and bless you for it.
Proverbs 11:27 "He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour:
but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him."
A person who is trying to do good is also seeking to do good for
others as well, and is pleasing to God in the doing. The penalty of an
evil life is that it comes back to you. Evil begats evil.
Proverbs 11:28 "He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but
the righteous shall flourish as a branch."
We read in I Timothy 6:17, that we must not trust in uncertain
riches. I Timothy 6:17 "Charge them that are rich in this world, that
they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the
living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;" I Timothy 6:18
"That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to
distribute, willing to communicate;" I Timothy 6:19 "Laying up in
store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that
they may lay hold on eternal life." You see riches cannot get you to
heaven. We must do good and not evil with what God has entrusted to
us.
Proverbs 11:29 "He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the
wind: and the fool [shall be] servant to the wise of heart."
We see from this Scripture above that a man who causes trouble in
his own house will not be able to build, but will be destroyed. Incest
is a terrible problem in our society today. We read that I out of 4
children are molested by members out of their own family. You can
easily see how this can destroy the family. The person who lives like
this will destroy them and himself. Someone who is wiser will have to
take over his family and will rule over him, possibly even send him to
jail.
Proverbs 11:30 "The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life;
and he that winneth souls [is] wise."
The righteous are fruit bearers. You can tell what kind of
Christian they are by the fruit they bear. Not only in their children
of their flesh, but those they have led to the Lord, as well.
Righteous trees produce righteous fruit. We have mentioned it before
in these lessons, but the righteous are wise unto salvation.
Proverbs 11:31 "Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the
earth: much more the wicked and the sinner."
Good morals bring good results, and bad morals brings bad
results. Today, as never before, in our society we see people who have
lived immoral lives feeling the brunt of punishment for their evil
actions here on this earth in the disease - AIDS. There is an eternal
punishment for the unrepentant sinner as well. We shall reap what we
sow. God is a just God. God promised the diseases of the world (such
as aids and venereal diseases) will not come on the people who love
Him and follow His commandments. Some things we bring upon ourselves,
because of our behavior. Those who live Christian lives, uprightly
before God, will be watched over by Him. Some diseases come to all,
but worldly caused by our own behavior are reserved for the evil
children. A few people get aids without being evil, In that instance
it would not be a worldly disease. A worldly disease I say one or
more time, is one that we bring on ourselves by the sins in our life.
We see Godly living leads to good health.
Proverbs Questions 15
1. Whose soul do the merciful help?
2. If you are always doing good for others, what does it make you
think of yourself?
3. To him that soweth righteous shall be _______ _________.
4. If a person works only for himself, his is _______.
5. He that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own ________.
6. A person who is upright in God's sight are His________.
7. In verse 20 "Froward" means three things, what are they?
8. What does God judge more than our actions?
9. We are what our _______ is.
10. What does "hand in hand" in verse 21 probably mean?
11. Who are the seed of the righteous?
12. What chapter and verse in Acts tells us "thou shalt be saved and
thy house".
13. What is a "fair woman without discretion" like?
14. Where does the beauty that counts, come from?
15. The desire of the righteous is only good, but the expectation of
the wicked is________.
16. In verse 24, what does it mean about scattering and yet
increasing?
17. What will happen to the person who waters?
18. How do the people feel about someone who withholds their corn?
19. A person who seeks mischief can expect what?
20. What happens to those who trust in their riches?
21. In I Timothy 6:17 we are told not to be _______ ______ or trust in
__________ ________.
22. What are we to trust in?
23. What should a wealthy person be ready to do?
24. He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the_______.
25. Who shall the fool be servant to?
26. What is a terrible problem in our families that effects
approximately 1 out of 4 children?
27. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of _________.
28. You can tell what kind of a Christian a person is by what?
29. We know the righteous will go to heaven, but what will happen to
them on the earth?
30. What are 2 diseases in our society today that are many times
brought on by our own sin?
31. Godly living leads to what?
Home