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January 13, 2009
Proverbs 11:1-31 The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. 2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. 3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. 4 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. 5 The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires. 7 When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing. 8 The righteous man is rescued from trouble, and it comes on the wicked instead. 9 With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape. 10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. 11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed. 12 A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. 13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret. 14 For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure. 15 He who puts up security for another will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe. 16 A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. 17 A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself. 18 The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. 19 The truly righteous man attains life, but he who pursues evil goes to his death. 20 The LORD detests men of perverse heart but he delights in those whose ways are blameless. 21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free. 22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion. 23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath. 24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. 26 People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell. 27 He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it. 28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. 29 He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. 31 If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
1 Corinthians 10:1-13 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. 6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did– and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did– and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did– and were killed by the destroying angel. 11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
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Books: 1 Corinthians, Proverbs
One Response to “January 13, 2009”
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January 13th, 2009 at 7:21 am
It’s not easy to speak words of warnings to people who think they’ve got it all together, or to preach the need to repent to those who see themselves as right with God. In this passage, Paul tries to convince them that to think you are standing firm is a dangerous place, because you are likely to fall. Better to be aware of the temptations all around you and how even people who know God and are being led by Him can give in to sin at a moment’s notice. The Corinthians, as was obvious from the last couple weeks of readings, thought they had their spiritual act together - they had all the spiritual gifts, spoke in tongues all the time, and were blessed materially. And again and again Paul, who was poor, persecuted, and nothing spectacular to look at or listen to, had to convince them that he was actually in a better place spiritually than they were, that just because they appeared together did not mean that they were right with God. Instead, their spiritual immaturity and the amount of sin in their community was a sign that even though they thought they were standing firm, they were really falling. But thanks be to God, who always provides a way out of every temptation.