Proverbs 23 "Hear and be Wise"

[Music] here we go proverbs chapter 23 I begin with verse 1 I read to verse 3 give you some insight into the those first few verses and move on through and go through the chapter today proverbs chapter 23 beginning at verse 1 reading 2 verse 3 when you sit down to eat with a ruler consider carefully what is before you put a knife to your throat if you're a man given to appetite do not desire his delicacies for they are deceptive food these have these these three proverbs that really tie into one have various layers of application let me give you some of the layers of application the first thing that we would see here when it says when you sit down to eat with the ruler consider carefully what is before you but a knife to your throat the first thing he would be saying to us is don't get too close to a ruler they have great power consider carefully not only what but whom you are dining with because if you carelessly insult them it can result in serious consequences to you a second thing that they'd be saying that we could apply they D be saying is there are times when they might these rulers these people of position might have ulterior motives so don't think too highly of yourself because you've been invited you might simply be a pawn in their game this can be true in a practical way for pastors when pastors begin to be enticed by political power when pastors begin to feel that that they are important and and their influence is usable it could be a dangerous thing to succumb to you know my own Pastor Chuck Smith when he was pastoring as a younger man and the Lord was moving mightily in in his ministry and coast to Maine so had invitations from the White House to come and to have various conversations with those in political power and and all and pastor Chuck never really got involved in that because he was he was YC knew that if if you become somebody that is known for your political connections that those who have the power those in authority may very well use you and your influence for them it's interesting how during election years there are times when politicians will come to the church and those who are running for office and that and that's happened here it happened all the way back when our church was fairly young there was a someone running for a political office and somebody approached me after a Sunday morning service and and introduced this person to me and and all and and I knew it what they wanted they wanted our endorsement they wanted me to stand up in front of the church and say this is a great guy this has happened more than once you know in our recent elections you know somebody was here wanted actually I got more than one email asking if if this person could you know wanted to speak to me and really wanted an endorsement I'm I'm not one who does that I I just don't feel that that was something I'm supposed to do not that this was a bad guy or not that any of them have been bad I'm not saying that I'm saying you need to be careful you need to be careful that you don't get enticed by some things because you may be being used by somebody as a pawn in order for them to be able to move further on and further in using you and your influence for themselves and then there's a third thing that he could be saying and that would be don't over indulge in the rulers food it may ruin your chance for advancement in other words control your appetite he may be setting a trap for you there are times that they may be using food and and this is coming out from an area you probably wouldn't think but it's true they're in in the in the history of Israel there have been times when the children of Israel have been tempted to partake in in in foods that were delicacies for the King but were intended to ensnare you say really and where would we find something like that you'd find it in Daniel in the Book of Daniel in Chapter 1 let me read to you verses five through eight in the Book of Daniel it says the king instructed Ashman as the master of his eunuchs to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles young men in whom there was no blemish but good-looking gifted in all wisdom possessing knowledge and quick to understand who had the ability to serve in the king's palace and whom they might teach the language in literature of the Chaldeans and the King appointed for them a daily provision of the Kings delicacies and of the wine which he drank and three years of training for them so that at the end of that time they might serve before the King now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah to them the chief of the eunuchs gave names he gave Daniel the name Balthazar to Hananiah Shadrach - ma'sha'allah sheikh and - Azariah Abednego but Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings delicacies nor with the wine which he drank therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself now when you read that you might not understand what was taking place what was taking place was the king of Babylon was trying to make Daniel and his companions into Babylonians they're also referred to as Chaldeans and the way he was intending to do it was to use the foods and the delicacies of his nation because the Jews had dietary laws and one of the ways that he wanted to fluence them and to make them into babylonians was through the diet through the delicacies through the pleasures that he would give to them and afford them at his table and so Daniel refused because he was a young man who was set apart for the Lord and his three friends also refused and they rather than taken of the Kings delicacies actually ate simply vegetables and they said just test us to see whether or not we're healthy and bright-eyed and and all of that and so they allowed them to eat just vegetables and over a period of time and ultimately what happened is they they tested them they looked at them they were in great shape they were mentally quick and all of that and so Daniel was able to to not take up the Kings delicacies and still become a great influence in the kingdom of Babylon and so there are various practical applications to this and one of them would be to be careful that you're not you know brought into an improper lifestyle by the things that are offered to you by the world verse four and five do not overwork to be rich because of your own understanding cease will you set your eyes on that which is not for riches certainly make themselves wings they fly away like an eagle toward heaven it's foolish to be a slave to money because money disappears quickly it does does it not it does Jesus made it clear remember in Luke chapter 12 verse 15 how Jesus said take heed and beware of covetousness for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses a person is greater than the things that they wear they drive or the place that they live in your life isn't made up of it does not consist of material possessions Jesus made that very clear to us so he said take heed of covetousness because a lot of times people do and especially in this hour they believe that that possessions make the person and so Solomon is saying listen don't overwork to become rich don't have the gaining of finances as your final goal don't make it that way because you're going to be you're going to be disappointed because you can spend a lifetime accumulating things only to lose them very quickly we've seen that when the stock market has crashed we've seen that when people have put so much of their money into a stock and it just goes belly-up and so that's an absolute truth you know the Apostle Paul warned against the deceitfulness of riches and he called it the deceitfulness of riches because riches make false promises riches will basically say I can make you happy when in fact they cannot so Solomon is saying keep your priorities in proper alignment Jesus would say seek the kingdom first Paul would say learn to be content with what you have and so the practical application arrange your work schedule around what best profits your spiritual priorities be careful that you don't how can I say this be careful that you don't put your job ahead of God be careful how to say something it's very practical what I want to say just have to figure out how I'm gonna say it have a friend of mine very successful very successful we were speaking recently and he had been active in his church and his business began to to grow and as his business began to grow and he was gaining more success he was gaining more clients and as his business and his clientele began to grow he began to not be in church he stopped serving I've known him for a while he's very dear to me his wife very dear so I had seen this take place we've had conversations in the past my encouragement obviously has been seek the kingdom first but all your priorities behind the kingdom of God so we're having a conversation and in our conversation he was saying I want to go to church again but my client clients are in in front of me and I I have to meet with them and he says in order for me to be able to be in church like on a midweek and my church I have to lose some clients and so he says and I love them over the years they become very dear to me I loved them very much and I believe that I believe that they have I do and so as we're speaking actually I was listening I I said let me let me say do you let me give you something it'd only take a minute and he says okay I said I said you know something we have in common you and I we both love our wives very much because he tells me about his his wife and he loves her to pieces he loves her very much so we both love our wives very much he goes and we do I said you know how I would make the decision that you are wrestling with and he goes how I said whatever is going to bless my wife that's the person that I'm going to please and if my wife needs to be in the Word of God then my clients are gonna come behind her needs the way it works is put your wife first cuz your wife needs fellowship I know your wife she needs fellowship and she's being deprived a bit because of your growing riches that's a bottom-line thing he started crying and he kisses me he says you know you're more than just a pastor you're my friend I said you know I just love you man and I just want God to bless your life you have to be very careful arrange your schedule around what best profits your spiritual priorities arrange your schedule around your fellowship with God be careful be careful that you don't pursue things to your own hurt to finally make it to be able to have a little being little extra you know I discovered a long time ago that my girlfriend who became my wife really didn't need a lot of money to make her happy so she was very fortunate to marry me she never was difficult to please you know the only time I've said this before some of you haven't heard it so I'll say it to those who haven't heard it she only got mad at me one time on a date cuz I only spent $10 but that's all she had and if she'd have had more I'd have spent more so you know say so we learned a long time ago that that our spiritual priorities please make your spiritual priorities number one because out of the relationship you have with the Lord everything else flows and so be very careful do not overwork to be rich because of your own understanding cease will you set your eyes on that which is not riches certainly make themselves wings they fly away like an eagle toward heaven verse six do not eat the bread of a miser nor desire his delicacies for as he thinks in his heart so is he eat and drink he says to you but his heart's not with you the morsel you have eaten you will vomit up and waste your pleasant words now this is an interesting portion of Scripture verse I'll give you I'll give you what it means but I want you to notice something in verse seven this verse here in verse seven proverbs 23 verse seven is one of the most miss applied in misquoted scriptures in the Bible as he thinks in his heart so is he how many of you have ever heard someone just quote that verse I'm interested some of you have a lot of you haven't in a good way that's in a good way that's good because there's so much bad teaching related to it that I don't really have to uncertainty you must not be reading your Bible but anyway this is a verse that is often misquoted many have used verse 7 to bolster their teaching that you can create your own reality and as an example I went to a website today and I just copied and pasted to give you an example and this is what I what I copied and pasted at verse 7 for as he thinks in his heart so is he and this is what I found on the website just cut and paste the key word in this verse is the word thinks the word thinks is telling you that God is targeting your thought process what you think about on a daily basis so the proper interpretation you are what you think you can become what you think he went on to say the Bible is very clearly telling us in the above verse that we can all choose what to think about and dwell on we cannot blame anyone else including God himself if we have chosen with our own free wills to constantly dwell on the negative and darker side of this life as a man thinks in his heart so is he now he says as a man or as he thinks in his heart it's usually quoted as a man thinks in his heart so is he is this what Solomon is saying is Solomon saying that we create our own reality you need to read your Bible in its context let's read it again and let me show you what he's saying he says in verse 6 do not eat the bread of a miser nor desire his delicacies for as he thinks in his heart so is he eat and drink he says to you but his heart is not with you the morsel you've eaten you will vomit up and waste your pleasant words he is not saying that I create with my mind in the way that I think what is real he's saying a greedy man invites you to eat seeking to take advantage of you in order to increase his wealth he is not really friendly nor is he generous and he's begrudging every bit that you eat he's upset when you eat too much and is calculating how much the meal is costing him his heart is not with you in other words he has no real kindness toward you and he resents feeding you that's what it's saying and instead of him saying well you know you are what you think and he thinks in his heart so is he he's speaking about the miser the context is speaking about this miser this greedy person and so he's saying be careful not to eat with this kind of guy why because even though he's saying eat and drink his heart's not with you he's getting upset at you because you're eating his food he doesn't even want you to do that and he's basically simply saying to you that that that's something you should avoid he doesn't like you he's not showing real kindness to you he resents feeding you so don't be going over there and eating with somebody who doesn't even want you there in the first place in other words leave your parents alone in no you don't create your own reality verse nine do not speak in the hearing of a fool he will despise the wisdom of your words fools reject teaching and sometimes they'll even mock those who are teaching them and so because of this don't waste your time explaining things to someone who has no ears to hear when you're speaking to somebody and sharing with them and they have no interest don't waste your time any further and this is not necessarily speaking concerning a mom and a dad having a conversation with a wayward child this is you having a conversation with somebody about things that matter and they're just not interested this is you sharing the gospel with somebody a friend maybe a family member and and you begin to share because the the Lord has placed it on your heart to share with them how good god is and they're just looking at you and they're thinking you know you can tell that they're thinking this is a waste of time while he's saying don't be wasting your time giving to them what they don't want it's like what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7 verse 6 do not give what is holy to the dogs nor cast your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you in pieces on occasion when I've had conversations with people the Lord and all if they're interested I'll continue speaking to them if they're not interested I leave it alone and that's what you do and in when I was working by the way on a on a job in a job I did not take company time to preach the gospel somebody who was writing on Facebook recently how that they had taken two hours and were preaching the gospel to somebody when are the co-workers I'll be honest with you if I was the boss and somebody took two hours that I was paying them for to do that I would not be a happy camper because I didn't hire them to be an evangelist I hired them to do their job when I was working jobs regular jobs and all I would take my breaks I would take my lunch time that I had that was mine and if God gave me an opportunity at that time I'd share but I didn't do it well now was working and getting paid when I was on on the clock so be careful about that verse 10 do not remove the ancient landmark nor enter the fields of the fatherless for the redeemer is mighty he will plead their cause against you so this takes the speaks of taking away possessions or taking away their land it reminds me of what we've seen in chapter 22 and it says in verse 28 that you're not to move an ancient boundary stone that's been set up by ancestors and so don't take away their possessions and don't take away their land it says in verse 11 for the Redeemers mighty and he will plead their cause against you God in other words has a protective love for the weakest in society God will take up their cause and God will deal with you in Deuteronomy 10 18 it reads that he administers justice for the fatherless and the widow he loves the stranger giving him food and clothing verse 12 apply your heart to instruction your ears to words of knowledge this is something real important for us to take a moment to look at spiritual maturity and depth of understanding doesn't come in some overtly mystical way you can't go to bed and have you know a CD plain of the Bible all night and you just lay there and then wake up memorizing the book of Deuteronomy it just doesn't work that way and and if you're asking the Lord for for wisdom and understanding he's not going to unscrew the top of your head off and that just dump it in it doesn't work that way either what he says that it this happens how this happens is you apply your heart to instruction you you incline your ear to words of knowledge in other words spiritual growth takes time it takes effort it takes discipline and he's saying if you apply your heart if you apply your heart to instruction if you if you listen listen to those who can give you the best advice listen to those who can instruct you in the ways of the Lord if you have godly parents listen to them if you if you're going to church and receiving Bible studies then receive the word through the teacher and and understand that it is God's Word it's implanted within you James 1:21 says get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you which can save you so may your heart be like that receptive soil so when the word the seed of the word is is imparted it might find through faith a reception and produce fruit verse 13 do not withhold correction from a child if you beat him with a rod he will not die you shall beat him with a rod and deliver his soul from hell this is one of those verses in scripture that people say that God is in favor of us harming our children nothing is further from the truth we need to understand that even as I begin to apply this he's saying that you need to be careful to discipline your children to chasten your children to encourage them through through discipline and chastisement he's saying don't withhold correction from a child why because if we if you withhold correction from a child the child grows up without boundaries the child grows up without a moral code he grows up she grows up without knowing the right from the wrong guy have you ever been in a restaurant I have where somebody's kid is going crazy and and the parents just kind of just kind of sit there just smiling and if any if you show any kind of irritation you're a bad person because you don't love kids you know there's a lot of young people in this room let me share with you something some of the older ones will remember there was a time when you'd go to a restaurant and it was quiet I know that's I know that's it's hard to believe but it's true there was a time when you would go into a restaurant and people whispered across the table because they didn't want to disturb their neighbors you could go to a movie when there were movies you wanted to see you could go to a movie and nobody would be talking you wouldn't have somebody adding dialogue to the movie thinking that they are funnier than the person on the screen you didn't have that people actually sat quietly they used to have something called an usher and if you were making any noise they would walk up they had a flashlight they put it on you and either you would shut up or they would escort you out of the theater that's weird isn't it but that's true and what it was it was that the society that we grew up in was polite it was kritis it was actually built on biblical principles you may or may not realize this do unto others as you would have them do unto you was a code in our society that's why you showed courtesy that's why a man would stand up gentleman would stand up when a lady entered the room that's why men would open doors for others they were showing see they were they were showing respect that's the things that we used to do that unfortunately many in the younger generation just have not learned or been taught there has there's a lack of discipline that many parents many parents have been guilty of and so I have seen it where I was actually with a group of people one time and the kid he was six years old really unruly and he got up and he walked up to some stranger's to some stranger's table and started taking food off their plate and eating it yeah amazing and I still remember looking at the people where this kid was just looking at him just eating their food and they would like what are you doing you know and and I've seen that more than once you know so he's speaking concerning disciplining your children he's not saying beat them all up and this and that he's not saying he's using an illustration of what it means to discipline in proverbs 13:24 he who spares his rod hates his son he who loved him disciplines him promptly proverbs 29:15 the rod and rebuke of wisdom a child left to a South bringing to his mother that's true I was one of those kids who were left to myself I was the one who my mom was working my dad was working I was alone in in our neighborhood at that time that was unusual so when you're by yourself in your 10 11 12 years old you can get into a lot of mischief you can do a lot of things nobody's watching and you can get into bad habits and a bad lifestyle so this is an encouragement to us as parents those of us who are parents to discipline our children and to do so promptly he says in verse 14 you shall beat him with a rod deliver his soul from hell what are you saying I just thought of something I don't think he's saying you'll beat the hell out of them I don't and I'm not cussing neither see say that no and correcting him in instructing him in righteousness he will be saved from judgment Hebrews 12:11 says now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present but painful nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it verse 15 my son if your heart is wise my heart will rejoice indeed I myself yes my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak right things parents rejoice when their children make wise choices and we rejoice when our children speak with wisdom like it says in Proverbs 1520 a wise son makes a father glad verse 17 do not let your heart envy sinners be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day for surely there is a Hereafter and your hope will not be cut off you know sometimes and notice this in verse 17 when he says do not let your heart envy sinners sometimes it seems that others will get ahead they get all the breaks and you don't have you ever noticed that sometimes it feels that way doesn't it or am I the only person who's ever felt that you know you do your best to raise your kids in the Lord and bring them to church you give them devotions you pray for them you dedicate them to the Lord and a certain point in their life they seem to be going in a direction that you well it breaks your heart and then you know somebody down the road parents who basically neglect their child and never go to church and that kids doing well never gets any trouble he's a high school you know president she's a valedictorian and you did the best you could for your kid and he's top of the class in reform school and you can look out there and you can say it's not worth it it's not worth it I'm doing the best that I can and it doesn't seem to be paying off in any way it seems that others get all the breaks and I don't get any I don't get any you know the guy across the street he's I know he's stealing from the company and he just drove up in a nice car and you go out and try and start your car and it didn't want to start and when it finally does it it it sends smoke signals to everybody in the neighborhood it's it's not in a good car well in Psalm 73 verse 3 the psalmist said it like this he said I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked in Psalm 73 12 and 13 he said this is what the wicked are like always carefree they increase in wealth then he says surely in vain have I kept my heart pure in vain have I washed my hands in innocence it's paying off for them and it doesn't pay off for me that's easy to do when you're struggling with life and others don't seem to be we can say why do things happen to me and and not to not to them one of my favorite portions of scriptures found in the Gospel of John when Jesus is speaking to the Apostle Peter paraphrasing he says to the Apostle he says when you were young you address yourself and go where you want when you're older other somebody else is going to dress you and take you where you don't want to go and John says that Jesus was speaking to the Apostle concerning the death that he would die for the glory of God he was speaking to him of his martyrdom and the Apostle Peter got it and so as Jesus is saying just letting you know you're gonna die that's not cheery words to hear and so when Jesus says that to the Apostle John's over here in the Apostle Peter sees him and he says well about him mm-hmm and you're gonna let me die can he die with me you know two for the price of one what about him and you know what Jesus says to him you remember he says what does he got to do with you you follow me listen this is very basic but it's very helpful keep your eye on your own responsibilities and let God take care of somebody else's I'm telling you you can waste a whole life wondering why others don't get what they deserve you can waste your whole life thinking they they're getting they don't deserve that why don't they get what they deserve eventually the Lord is gonna say guess what you're not getting what you deserve you know what you deserve and it isn't a new car and a better job you know that you deserve judgment but I gave you grace what does he got to do with you why are you so caught up wanting to know why I don't do certain things to him and it seems like you can't do anything without getting caught have you ever thought that maybe I love you so much I don't want you to go the wrong way and that one doesn't belong to me you ever thought that and that I'm working in your life didn't you pray one day you wanted to be like me how do you think that's gonna happen how did you think that's going to happen you know it's gonna happen I'm gonna break you I'm gonna break you I'm gonna you're gonna be hurt you're gonna be down then I'm gonna remake you and at the end you're gonna say I wouldn't give up anything I wouldn't haven't done any other way because the result has been my ability to love and praise the Lord for so many things and that's basically what we need to understand we need to understand the Lord has his way in our life and we must trust him for that what are we to do what are we supposed to do well he says in verse 18 surely there is a hereafter your hope will not be cut off be zealous trust the Lord rejoice that you're saved you see in Psalm 73 verses 21 through 26 the psalmist goes on to say when my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered I was senseless and ignorant I was a brute beast before you yet I am always with you you hold me by my right hand you guide me with your counsel afterwards you will take me into glory whom have I in heaven but you and earth has nothing I desire besides you my flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever he and that same Psalm says that I used to envy them until I considered their end I realized that their enjoying life right now but what they have right now is the best it'll ever be what I have right now is the worst it'll ever be yes I have something waiting for me that is so great keep your eyes on the Lord verse 19 hear my son be wise guide your heart in the way do not mix with wine-bibber x' or with gluttonous eaters of meat for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty drowsiness will clothe the man with rags drunkenness and gluttony when he speaks of gluttony that's obviously overeating overeating it would also be speaking of how they would do it at certain festivals and all they would eat and eat in excess so what he's speaking about here is something that reveals a lack of spiritual desire because you're constantly yielding to the flesh in Romans 13 verse 13 Paul said it like this let us behave decently as in the daytime not in orgies and drunkenness not in sexual immorality and debauchery not in dissension and jealousy and so he's saying if you have a life of overindulging they're going to end up in poverty verse 22 listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your mother when she is old when he says listen to your father who begot you and don't despise your mom a godly parent has experienced a godly parent should be listened to at a certain point as a father or you as a mother at a certain point you have to stack step back and allow the child who's really growing to be an adult to learn to make decisions for themselves but it's a very wise thing for a child to realize that if they have a godly mom or a godly dad it just makes sense that they ought to be willing to listen to what they have to say because if they listen if the child will listen to the parent they can be saved a lot of heartache I used to tell that to my children I don't have any small children anymore they only act like they are I don't have any small ones but I used to say that to my children you know I'd say listen you don't want to have my testimony you don't want my testimony the way I'm trying to race use to keep you away from my testimony I don't want you to know the things that I know I don't want you to experience the things I've experienced I want you safe from those things I don't want you to know those things and yet sometimes I'd hear them say in one form or another well I have to make my own testimony you know the testimony of a pure life is a beautiful testimony you had to strive for that if you have a godly mom a godly dad listen to their counsel because they have experience and they can help you in verse 23 by the truth do not sell it also wisdom and instruction in understanding the father of the righteous will greatly rejoice he who begets a wise child will delighting him let your father and your mother be glad let her who bore you rejoice so again the father and the mother are the ones who are wise and of the one who is wise will delight in that one and truth and wisdom instruction and understanding well these are things that are valuable not just for the moment these are things that are valuable for a lifetime that's why he says in verse 23 by the truth and do not sell it there are some things that you buy that you keep for the rest of your life and and that is one of the things that he speaks about is buying the truth than and not selling it and wisdom instruction and understanding these are things that you should have and that you should keep over a lifetime in verse 26 my son give me your heart let your eyes observe my ways for a harlot is a deep pit a seductress is a narrow well she also lies in wait as for a victim and increases the unfaithful among men my son give me your heart let your eyes observe my ways my father never gave me a lecture about being a husband I don't know how many men in this room had a dad who sat you down and instructed you how to be a good man how to be a good husband maybe you did if you did that's unusual most of us didn't my father my father never said Dave I'm gonna take you to husband 101 classes it's going to take you 16 weeks I got these books we're gonna have some lecture some tapes you know I don't my father never my dad didn't even talk to me let alone lecture me that's a fact my dad was quiet he never gave me a lecture never never said anything to me related to how I should treat a woman how I should be a husband so I understand this verse give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways I loved my father with all of my heart and I observed his ways he never had to tell me this is how you love a woman he just loved my mom I watched my father love my mom I watched my father spoil my mom he used to get mad sometimes she was so spoiled my mom was so spoiled and my dad loved spoiling her he loved it and I think she doesn't deserve that she's so mean well my dad loved it anything she wanted he would break his back together that was the fact he wasn't an overtly affectionate man but I knew he loved that woman he one day said to me son before there was a David there was your mom and when David leaves your mom stays I choose your mom that's how my dad would teach me my dad went to work at the same time every Monday through Friday and he'd return right on time every day Monday through Friday he was faithful to his job faithful to his family faithful to his wife and I observed his ways and I watched he never lectured me but he showed me by the way he loved so son I hope you have a father that loved your mama I hope you do hope you did I did and I learned people will say you know people know that you love your wife yeah but my dad never taught me with a with a a lecture my dad never know he just did it I watched this man I watched him and I gave them my heart I watched him and I watched the way he would show her affection I watched how she would kind of flirt with him when he she thought we weren't looking and how my dad would get all that's silly little smile in his face at her she would baby-talk him he never he never called her by her name he never did if you're speaking to me it was always your mom when he was speaking of her it was always mama that's how my dad spoke to her I called Marie mama from the beginning I didn't even know why I I didn't even know why we had our first baby and suddenly her name is no longer Marie its mama hey mama yes mama I never knew where that came from I really never did I never until one day he hit me that's what my dad called my mom and do you know as I've shared with you before the last words that I know my father ever spoke before he went home to be with Jesus the last word that he spoke was when my mom walked in the room before he died and he looked at her and said mama his last word mama so watch and learn watch and learn I was blessed I was blessed burying my wife was blessed with a mom and a dad that loved each other and were married well over fifty years showed us in that they came from that generation that if it's if it's if it's broken you don't throw it away you fix it that was my mom that was my dad see today hmm it's broken I'll throw it away we do that with marriage we do that with disappointments it's broken we'll throw it away they came from that Depression era where you better fix it because you may not get something else like this my dad fixed everything he worked on everything and he worked on his marriage and so as you look at this I understand from a deep way my son give me your heart let your eyes observe my ways learn from is what he's saying and then he gives his advice again when it comes to relationships he speaks of a harlot in verse 27 a harlot is a deep pit then he uses the word seductress the seductress is a narrow well well many times in the Old Testament the word harlot it will speak of an immoral woman but she's an unmarried woman so a harlot is a deep pit in other words she's she's like a pit that's easy to fall into but is very difficult to escape from you fall into it but you you have a heart if not almost impossible task of trying to get out of it a seductress can speak of someone who is married but these are both what I referred to as sexual temptations and we think of Hebrews 13 verse 4 where the writer said marriage is honorable among all and the bed undefiled but fornicators and adulterers God will judge so he's saying remain remained faithful by application remained faithful to the one that you marry and realized that sexual temptation is out there but if you are seduced if you fall into it it's extremely destructive verse 28 says she lies and wait as for a victim and increases the unfaithful among men she seduces and seduces and continues multiplying the unfaithful men in society remember that sexual intimacy is intended for marriage and no other place and then finally verse 29 who has woe who has sorrow who has contentions who has complaints who has wounds without cause who has redness of eyes that he gives the answer those who linger long at the wine those who go in search of mixed wine do not look on the wine when it is red when it sparkles in the cup when it swirls around smoothly at the last it bites like a serpent it stings like a Viper as your eyes will see strange things your heart will utter perverse things you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea or like one who lies at the top of the mast saying hey they struck me I wasn't hurt they beaten me I didn't feel it when shall I awake that I may seek another drink is that descriptive it really is there's some in this room whose you have never been drunk I understand who has whoa who has sorrow you ever have you ever been around somebody who's drinking and they're getting drunk and before you know it you have to hear their sob story and she left me man she left me I was good to her [Laughter] who has contentions you're looking at me you looking at me and he's looking in the mirror he's so drunk that's right who has complaints who has wounds without cause they're drunk they're stumbling around they hit their head on the on the side of the door or they trip and bang their head on a rock I've seen that wounds without cause they wake up the next day and they're all bruised and they don't know how that happened who has redness of eyes mm-hmm and the answer those who linger along at the wine those who go in search of makes wine those are those people who are lingering that means that they're drinking and over drinking and getting drunk and then you get your your warning don't look on the wine when it's red when it sparkles in the cup in other words it's it's it's a Laurine it swirls around smoothly I mean how many commercials do you see were these people so home you know is nothing like having a nice glass of wine you know at the end of the day that's the kind of thing he's talking about he's saying you're getting some kind of comfort from it and it is it is alluring to you it's it's drawing you he says at last verse 32 at the last it bites like a serpent it stings like a Viper that's true your eyes will see strange things you know you you'll be so drunk that you're cross-eyed you close your eyes to try and make sure that you're going in the right way your heart will utter perverse things there's some guys who get really filthy when they're a little drunk I remember one time we told somebody that what they were taking was gonna get them really high and this and that and in fact is is they weren't taking something that would get him high we're just telling them that it would and before you know what they're saying all kinds of stuff all kinds of bad things they weren't drunk there was no alcohol in what they were taking that they were using it as an excuse to do that they were uh turing perverse things verse 34 very descriptive you'll be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea when you're very drunk you feel like that you feel like everything's moving beneath you or one who lies on the top of the mast you know going back and forth kind of like that and and then then they say they struck me I wasn't hurt you know there are guys who weigh a hundred pounds but when they're drunk they suddenly weigh 300 it struck me I wasn't hurt in that kind of attitude they beat me but I didn't feel that of course you didn't you're numb and then when shall I awake that I may seek another drinks there's hardly anything that is as sad as somebody who is an alcoholic families are destroyed marriages are destroyed families are destroyed lives are destroyed I was speaking to a friend of mine just a day who was sharing with me about somebody he knows that he's tried to help who saw an abuse he abuses drugs and alcohol and he says you know he lives out on the street by choice he said his mom and his dad are our Christians godly people but from the time this guy was young he liked his alcohol he says I've helped him I I have brought him to my house I've have had him living with me I've tried to help him and the minute he gets out from underneath a roof whether it's a rehab center he goes right back to what he was doing it's the same attitude when shall I awake that I may seek another drink there were people who don't believe that you can be set free from alcoholism that's just not true that's just not sure I was taking a class at Cal Poly Pomona back in the 70s and we had a guest lecturer a guy who was a professor of sociology from UC Berkeley and he came in spoke at our eye in our class and it was a master's level sociology class and he was lecturing our class and he was he he gave us he was like giving his testimony and as I was looking at him you could tell that this guy had lived a rough life you could tell but he's a PhD but you know he just had that look like James Olmos he had a he looked like a like guy in zoot suit you know he had that look and I remember that very well and I'm looking at him and and he's you know he's got the starched shirt in the whole nine yards and he's a but he's a PhD and as he's speaking to us he says I'll never forget it this is a secular class he says believe it or not and argue with me if you'd like I've got the statistics and I can prove this he says with all of the different programs that are occurring today that are supposed to that are supposed to help people to overcome alcohol and drugs with all of these programs that you can take that are supposed to help people overcome alcohol and drugs he says I can tell you this this is a fact he said that the only ones that are doing any good are the born-again Christians who are saving and help these people to overcome alcohol and drugs this is in a secular class at Cal Poly Pomona in the late 70s and there I am sitting there going amen amen why because I was an alcoholic because I loved my pot now and I started experimenting with the LSD and the psilocybin and the various of the THC and the various other Lusa genex because I just telling my wife my wife doesn't really I don't talk to her about this stuff but just the other day I said you we saw something was a real kind of a psychedelic kind of thing and I said that's the stuff that drew me into acid because I liked those visual colors and sounds and I liked it and when you drop acid yuge it just yeah that's what happens that's a fact I'm not lying I was I loved it see and I forgive me I don't want to over over over build this you know I gotta go get a beer no I I don't wanna I don't want to over build this I really don't cuz it it could almost sound like I'm like those are the good old days they were that they were the bad days that's why I got saved I want to make that clear but they were so attractive to me and all of my friends were into it the alcohol the drugs and everything that went along with it and people would say you can't change once an alcoholic always an alcoholic you've heard it that's not true the new wine of the Spirit will set the captive free never forget that Jesus Christ sets you free there's no doubt about that now let me say you were just a lightweight you were only 15 you stopped doing it when you're 20 you know I spent 40 years in it you can't say no no no no no no the power of God is capable of setting any sinner free if they simply say God be merciful to me I am a sinner I need your help forgive me Lord I can't do it on oan I need your help you see it to be saved it isn't me just adding my efforts to something God is gonna do for me it's me giving up completely saying I can't do it I was not one who could have a beer I never had a beer I hate this I had a six-pack I was never a beer I didn't drink one beer I didn't drink two beers I drank six and then I drink a half gallon of wine I mean that's what I did and I was 17 I was in 20 30 40 I was 17 I was drinking like that at 16 17 18 19 years old and I would drink until I was drunk and continued drinking some more that was me you couldn't leave your beer near me you couldn't leave your wine near me I would drink it before you came back that's a fact that's the truth and then and I ruined people's lives then I broke my parents heart then I brought shame to my family then I broke into a jewelry store and stole rings then I one thing after another got caught my father had a mortgage our house to get a lawyer to keep me from going to jail because I was out of control sent me to a psychologist to try and help me to straighten out my thinking it didn't work nothing worked until the gospel until Jesus Christ reached down and said I can save see there's with the one last closing thought there are so many Christians today who were arguing wealth the Bible doesn't say I can't drink the Bible says that I shouldn't be drunk why would I do something that takes me away from the Lord why would I want to exercise perceived freedoms in a way that stumbles a brother and takes God's money and uses it to continue the plural proliferation of that which destroys family why would I do that and how and I in good conscience how could I support that for your legalists know I'm free in Christ and I want you free to and I'm used by the Lord to reach people and I want you to be used by God to do the same instead of evangelizing alcohol let's evangelize with the gospel of Jesus Christ because I don't need the old wine because I have the new wine the wine of the Spirit and my life has been changed and I don't have whoa and I don't have sorrow and I don't have complaints and I don't have contention and I don't feel like the waves are moving out underneath me anymore and I don't say you hit me and I don't feel it I don't have any of that what I have is the ability to put my head on a pillow at night and wake up the next morning saying I don't have anything to regret I live for Jesus yesterday and I'm gonna live for him today and that's called Christianity and that's what we need to wake up to once again amen [Applause]

Channel: Calvary Chapel Chino Valley

Views: 2,431

Rating: 4.8571429 out of 5

Keywords: Bible, Pastor David Rosales, cccv, Church, Teaching, Worship, God, Christians, Bible Study, Jesus, A Jesus People Community, Calvary Chapel Chino Valley, David Rosales, Pastor, Calvary Chapel, Holy Spirit, Gods Word, Chuck Smith, Teacher, Pastor David, End Times, Rapture, Trinity, Antichrist, A Sure Foundation, Prayer, Pray

Id: bEXnyVfCVto

Length: 62min 13sec (3733 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 15 2018