King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Saturday, June 05, 2021
Chapters: Proverbs 7-9
Message: Tried As Gold
Hello My Friend,
Gold has to be one of the most valuable and precious metals on the planet, but it is worthless to God. How do I know this? Well, He paves the streets up in heaven with it. Gold is not shiny when it is found, it is actually quite dull and that is due to the fact that it is often naturally formed with other metals that God so amazingly created, like copper, and silver. In order for gold to become shiny and pure it needs to be refined, which in ancient times involved melting it down over a fire. This brings up what is known as dross, or the impurities, which are then skimmed off and as it cools it shines. This has to be done several times in order to get all the impurities out. And this is what God does to us, He puts us through the fire to remove those impurities in our lives. This reminded me of what Jesus said, [Revelation 3:18–19 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.]
My prayers this morning was more like venting, asking God why He gave me the path He gave me and if He knew I would mess things up so bad why He even brought me there. I felt like I had failed at this thing called life so badly that the devil is just standing there laughing at me. God told the devil to afflict me and I just caved and fell right into the trap. Then God reminded me of something, yes, in this thing called life I did mess up, and I will mess up again and again until He brings me home. The one thing I have never done was curse Him nor forsake Him, and what He allowed, and continues to allow, are the very things that He uses to purge me and purify me so that Jesus shines through me as gold, [Job 23:9-10 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: 10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.]
I said to God this morning that He needs to talk about women being an influence on guys and enticing them, when there are some guys that are just as bad. And of course, when God speaks about fornication, adultery, temptation and all that pertains to the flesh, He is referring to men and women. Temptation reminds us that we definitely do have a sin nature, and the only way to stop it in its tracks is by obeying God’s commands. Proverbs 7:1-5 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. 2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. 3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. 4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: 5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.]
[and my law as the apple of thine eye.] There really is something about God’s Word that does stop you from sin. We may be ignorant to some of the sins we had no idea were sin, but as we get in His Word and allow the Holy Spirit to direct us we literally do not want to sin against God and therefore, we refrain from them. Temptation really does not even become temptation until we let our guard down. That usually happens when life hits us hard and we find ourselves searching for comfort from it. All the devil needs is an inch of doubt, fear, pride, or desire for us to succumb to those temptations. As the Proverb continues, it describes how the adulterous woman was able to force the man into her temptation.
[Proverbs 7:21-27 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. 24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. 25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. 26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. 27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.]
[For she hath cast down many wounded:] Do you see the key word there? Wounded. The devil finds us when we are wounded. We lost a loved one, we lost our health, we lost a job, we lost money, we lost hope in something or someone, we were deceived, these are all things that wound us. When we are wounded we can make the wrong choices, and those choices are often what God uses to try us in the fire. What is the saying? “What does not kill us makes us stronger.” Well, this is what Jesus does, while we are in the fire, He teaches us, He refines us, and He makes us stronger, as He removes all the impurities within us as we follow God’s Word.
[Proverbs 8:10-17 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. 11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. 12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. 13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. 17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.]
[and those that seek me early shall find me.] I often wonder, especially when reading through the Psalms, Proverbs, and prophecy books, just how many people read the Bible and oblivious to the fact that Jesus is the one speaking. I mean, do they literally think that this is Solomon describing himself in this chapter? As we continue the chapter, more proof is shown that the is in fact Jesus talking.
[Proverbs 8:22-30 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;]
[Then I was by him] This is referring to when God created the heavens and earth, Jesus was right there as the second person of God. Okay, just think about this, God is omnipotent, meaning He has the power to do whatever He wants, He decided He was going to, in a sense, show Himself in the form or three different persons, them being the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, which He has a specific reason for. Jesus has always been, in fact, He is God in the flesh, and those who believe that are the ones who get are saved from the fire, and receive eternal life, [Proverbs 8:34-36 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. 36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.]
[For whoso findeth me findeth life,] Anyone who believes that this is Solomon speaking really does not understand Jesus at all. Jesus loves all, after all, He died for all of us, but He only gives life to those who believe in who He is, [John 14:6-7 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.]
We may be tried in the fire, but Jesus takes extra special care of us when He does by removing those things from our lives that would bring us to sin against our own soul. I come to realize the more I teach God’s truths, the more people I attract, some are rude and hateful, but quite a few find hope and comfort in hearing about Jesus. You cannot explain God to those who are stubborn and willful, they are fools and all it does is take valuable time away from someone who really wants to hear what God has to say.
[Proverbs 9:6-12 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. 7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. 8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. 12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.]
[He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame:] When I was looking up information about gold it has been documented to have been used since about 5500 BC. For some reason (and this is what I get for looking it up from a godless society) that it was brought here by meteorites some five thousand million years ago. People really are fools to believe all that nonsense when even history proves otherwise. When we spend valuable time trying to convince the foolish what God’s truths we lose sight of why Jesus sends us out into the world in the first place, [Titus 3:8-9 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. 9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.]
The devil will constantly be looking for that one thing he can use to add fire to the wounds of life. Why do you think people become addicts? Or physical abusers? Or adulterers? Or cons? Or even victims? We have all gotten into something a time or two because we were wounded, and once we make those decisions we have to deal with the repercussions of it. The bad decisions we make upon our wounds are what God uses to try us in the fire. He does not keep us in the fire, it is only for a season, but once we endure it, we shall come forth as gold.
[1 Peter 1:6-9 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.]
Jesus Christ Magnified: [Proverbs 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for adopting us into Your family the second we receive Your Son as our Saviour. We are not saved by any of our works, only by grace through our faith and acceptance of Your Son, and His finished work on the cross. Thank You, also for the fire that You put under us to refine us and remove the impurities that weigh us down. Our faith in You needs to go beyond our salvation, we need a continual walk with Jesus to conform into an image the resembles Him as He refines us. Part of that walk is in reading Your Word, and applying it to our lives. We are not always going to make the right decisions, and You will try us in order to keep us from getting burned. Lord, lead us and guide us, give us Your wisdom, understanding, and strength to endure the fire. And fill us with Your mercy and grace so that we may endure it with You and come forth as gold like You continue to do. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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