PROVERBS LESSON 20

    We will begin this lesson in Proverbs 14:1 "Every wise woman
buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."

    We can see in this the husband builds the house and the wife makes
it a home. Dad is the head of the family, but mother is the heart that
glues it together. I believe a family's morals are directed by the
mother. The mother spends a great deal more time with the children
than the dad does. Mother can make it a happy home or a sad home.  We
will read a great deal more about this when we get to chapter 31 of
Proverbs. I will say just one thing more here and then go on.  In our
churches today, there are several times as many women in attendance as
there are men. This should not be so, but we cannot deny the facts.
Mothers of America, lead your family to church with you.

    Proverbs 14:2 "He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the
LORD: but [he that is] perverse in his ways despiseth him."

     In Nehemiah 5:9, we see that our walk is not only important to us
but is important to the heathen, as well.  "Also I said, It [is] not
good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because
of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?" You see, it is very
important that we walk in our salvation after we receive it.  There is
someone watching you to see if you live the way you preach or teach.
The very best sermon you can preach is to walk uprightly before God
and man. The perverted person actually is totally opposed to God and
His ways. Perversion is unnatural sin.  God tells us to walk the
narrow, straight way to Him.  The perverse way is crooked and leads to
destruction.  Perversion is an abomination before God.  It is doing
all sorts of unnatural things the Bible strictly forbids.

    Proverbs 14:3 "In the mouth of the foolish [is] a rod of pride:
but the lips of the wise shall preserve them."

     In 1 Samuel 2:3, we read: "Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let
[not] arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD [is] a God of
knowledge, and by him actions are weighed." You see, arrogancy and
pride try to force our opinions on others and this is wrong. In
Matthew 12:37 we see "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by
thy words thou shalt be condemned." We see that our good words save
us.

    Proverbs 14:4 "Where no oxen [are], the crib [is] clean: but much
increase [is] by the strength of the ox."

    This is the very same saying as "a clean stable means you have no
 horses". We all know where animals are, there is evidence of their
 being there. We see here, also, that even though the animal leaves a
 mess, it is very important to have him to work. Without the ox to
 pull the plough, there would be no crops. No crops lead to poverty.

    Proverbs 14:5 "A faithful witness will not lie: but a false
witness will utter lies."
    In court, a false witness can be tried themselves for perjury.
There is nothing worse to a neighbor than someone who tells lies about
them.

    Proverbs 14:6 "A scorner seeketh wisdom, and [findeth it] not: but
knowledge [is] easy unto him that understandeth."

    We see that wisdom is for the humble who are eager to be taught.
A scorner is not humble and cannot receive instruction in wisdom.  We
see in the second part of this a teachable person who understands can
accumulate more and more knowledge.  The main thing is to remain
humble enough to be taught.

    Proverbs 14:7 "Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou
perceivest not [in him] the lips of knowledge."

     This is just saying to listen to the words coming out of your
 friend's mouth, if they are not godly words and are lacking in
 knowledge, don't have him for a companion. You will become like the
 person you have for a close friend. The minute to leave is the first
 moment you see that he used bad language.

    Proverbs 14:8 "The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his
way: but the folly of fools [is] deceit."

     We see here in the wise person, one who carefully considers the
 options and takes the best way for him. The fool is deceived and just
 rushed off into something without considering the consequences.
 Their way is to cheat every way they can. Be sure your sins will find
 you out.

    Proverbs 14:9 "Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous
[there is] favour."

    We see this in our society today.  Anything goes is the motto.
Sin is being made to look as if it is the best thing to do.  Movies of
all kinds (X-rated, R-rated, PG-13, and PG) are all full of sin.  If
you are a Christian, you should not watch any of the above.  You see
only a fool would practice sin. Those in right standing with God
(righteous) make better choices and in doing so they are in good
favour with God.

    Proverbs 14:10 "The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a
stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy."

    We see in this Scripture that the feelings of our own heart are
private. It is difficult for someone else to feel grief that is in
your heart. If the grief is personal in nature, your grief is deeper
than the onlooker's. The same thing is true with joy.  You can share
joy with a friend, but it is impossible to feel the greatness of it if
it is not happening to you.

    Proverbs 14:11 "The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but
the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish."
    The wicked are only interested in building big, fine homes here.
They are not thinking of the future at all.  This life is one that
leads to destruction.  Things we accumulate here on the earth we leave
behind when we die.  We came into the world naked and our going out
will be without earthly goods.  The Christian on the other hand knows
that his true home is in heaven.  Abraham knew this when he gave up
his home in Ur of the Chaldees and dwelt in tents .  He was looking
for a city whose builder was God.  We Christians should be looking to
the heavenly city (New Jerusalem).

    Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but
the end thereof [are] the ways of death."

     The problem with the chosen children of God in their journey was
 that they did what was right in their own sight.  We must not listen
 to fleshly desire which leads to sin and death.  This new teaching
 (new age movement) tells us if it feels good, do it.  That is very
 dangerous.  The flesh (feel good) walk will lead, as I said, to sin
 and death.

    Proverbs 14:13 "Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the
end of that mirth [is] heaviness."

    Sometimes a person is laughing on the outside, but crying on the
inside.  The laughter is a cover up to keep from crying.  The world's
laughter will bring grief.  We, also, can see in this that worldly fun
(drinking, etc.) makes you appear to be happy for the moment, but come
tomorrow is the hang-over and grief.

    Proverbs 14:14 "The backslider in heart shall be filled with his
own ways: and a good man [shall be satisfied] from himself."

    Backsliding is listening to the lust of our own flesh.  We are in
a battle.  The flesh against the spirit.  To walk before God in a
pleasing way and be satisfied with our own walk, we must put the flesh
under the rule of the spirit.

    Proverbs 14:15 "The simple believeth every word: but the prudent
[man] looketh well to his going."

    We see here that a person should not believe every word someone
says.  We should check it out and find out whether it is truth or not
before we believe it.  We are told in I John 4:1 "Beloved, believe not
every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because
many false prophets are gone out into the world."

    Proverbs 14:16 "A wise [man] feareth, and departeth from evil: but
the fool rageth, and is confident."

    This verse is a carry-over from the one before.  This wise man
here fears getting involved with the sins of the world and examines
everything he is about to do to see whether it would be pleasing to
God or not.  The fool has confidence in himself and not in God.  His
self-confidence encourages him to do things against God's law and
man's law and gets him into trouble.

    Proverbs 14:17 "[He that is] soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a
man of wicked devices is hated."

    A hot tempered person flies off before all the facts are in and
winds up doing foolish things.  In the last of these above, we see
this evil person is not just hot tempered and impulsive but actually
plans to do evil.  The second person commits premeditated sin.  He is
more guilty than the one who sins in anger.

    Proverbs 14:18 "The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are
crowned with knowledge."

     The simple are the unlearned whether by choice or by birth.  They
 inherit folly or foolishness because they do not separate good from
 evil very well.  They don't make good decisions and are led away into
 sin.  The prudent, however, (as we have said before) checks
 everything out and judges from his accumulated knowledge what is
 good.  He is thought of by others (crowned) to be very intelligent:
 crowned with knowledge.

































                         Proverbs 20 Questions


1.  What does every wise woman do in verse 1?
2.  What does the foolish woman do?
3.  What is the difference in the call of a husband and wife in the
    home?
4.  Which is larger in attendance in our churches today, men or women?
5.  In verse 2, who is said to fear the Lord?
6.  A perverse person actually ---------God .
7.  Who is our walk important to besides ourself?
8.  What is the best sermon you can give?
9.  What is perversion?
10. What is meant by rod of pride?
11. In I Samuel 2:3, we are warned against what?
12. In Matthew 12:37, we read that we are justified by what?
13. What is the condition of the crib where there are no oxen?
14. A clean stable means what?
15. What would happen to a farmer with no animals?
16. What kind of witness does not lie?
17. In court, what is lying under oath called?
18. Wisdom is for whom?
19. Who is a scorner?
20. What should you do when you find your friend is foolish lacking in
    knowledge?
21. The wisdom of the prudent is to --------his way.
22. What is going on in our society today that fills the meaning of
    "fools make a mock at sin"?
23. What knows a man's own bitterness?
24. What will happen to the house of the wicked?
25. What home are the Christians looking forward to?
26. Why did Abraham dwell in tents?
27. What is wrong with the "new age" movement?
28. What does "even in laughter the heart is sorrowful" mean ?
29. What causes a person to backslide?
30. What does the simple believe?
31. In I John 4:1, what are we warned to do?
32. A person who is soon angry deals ---------.
33. Which is worse, quick temper sin or premeditated sin?
34. What are the prudent crowned with?