King James Bible Study – [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. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Sunday, June 08, 2025
Chapters: Proverbs 16-18
Message: Proverbs: From The Heart
Hello My Friend,
As we continue in the reading of Proverbs, we are reminded that what comes out of our mouth comes directly from the heart. God, is the one who not only prepares us to receive Him, He has also tried our heart and spirit before we even made a move toward Him. Jesus, said it this way, [Matthew 15:17-20 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.]
Part of our faith as Christians is to be placed with the uncertainties of life as well as some affliction. Ones faith in Jesus comes down to the heart, which is the direct line to the spirit. If we do not have a balance of good and evil in our lives then we will never one; be used of God, and two; see the need for God.
[Proverbs 16:1-7 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD. 2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. 3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. 4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. 5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. 6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. 7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.]
Wow! There is some powerful statements written here! [Preparation; The act or operation of preparing or fitting for a particular purpose, use, service or condition.] Think about it, God, uses our trials and suffering in order to prepare us to meet His Son, [Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.]
The proud in heart is the one who refuses to admit that they are a sinner. The proud in heart is the one who refuses to accept that Christ alone in the only way to God and heaven. The proud in heart is the one who refuses to accept that their own righteousness will not save them from hell. The proud in heart is the one who refuses to accept that there is a hell and that everyone who sins will end up there without Christ.
While a saved soul can never be possessed by Satan’s evil spirits, it can be oppressed by them and this can cause much harm to our own spirit. God, knows our pains and sorrows and what is deep inside our spirit and weighs it all out according to our response. We are to try the spirits to see if they are from God or Satan, [1 John 4:1-2 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:]
There is no one more proud in heart than Satan and while he knows God and must even subject himself to Him he is still an abomination to God because he refuses to repent. The same is true for anyone who refuses to repent, man or angel, [2 Peter 2:4,9 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:]
I always say that I rather God use me a vessel to show God’s mercies than His wrath. And yes, it is very true that God will use the wicked to show His wrath, which is the only reason why Satan is still here. He does this to both judge His people and lead the lost to His Son. Satan’s biggest tactic to pin the saved against God is what comes from their heart, which is what trickles down to their spirit. This is also what God uses to try our spirit.
[Proverbs 16:7-11,16-18 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. 9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. 10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment. 11 A just weight and balance are the LORD’S: all the weights of the bag are his work. 16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! 17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. 18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.]
God, uses each and every trial, error, failure, and success to refine and perfect us. In fact, there is a reason why we learn that faith without works is dead, [James 2:15-18 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.]
Faith is great, but we also need to make an effort, we cannot just sit back and wait for God to do something when He is telling us what we need to be doing. Trusting God is the first step by the way, He will lead us in the right direction, and when He tells us to go, then we need to get moving right away.
[Proverbs 16:20-26 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he. 21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. 22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly. 23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. 24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 26 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.]
I am not going to lie, not every decision we make in handling matters is wise and we would all be kind of foolish to think otherwise. However, we learn from those unpleasant experiences that happen as a result of that or we ought to anyway. Remember that thing called pride? It gets the best and the worst of us sometimes, but it should teach us not to do it again.
[Proverbs 17:1-5,9-10 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. 2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. 3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts. 4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue. 5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. 9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends. 10 A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.]
Remember reproof is correction and sometimes we feel the need to do something a few times before we realize we need to stop when correct. However, the fool does not care how many times they get knocked upside the head so to speak they will never stop and it may even become the death of them.
[Proverbs 17:14-17,19-20 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with. 15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD. 16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it? 17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. 19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction. 20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.]
Can you imagine being born just to ease someone’s pain? This is why babies are born under some of the most horrific tragedies. This is why lives are saved under some of the most tragic deaths. If there is any example of someone being born to die for someone it is Jesus Himself. In fact, He literally was born to die in flesh for all mankind in order for them to live, but He will only save those who come to Him, [John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.]
God is going to get our heart right one way or another, and it often needs to be put through the fire to get rid of some of the things that defile it. God, does know our heart, and it is the very struggles that we face that reveal to us what has been inside for a while that we need to get rid of, [John 15:1-4 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.]
It is interesting that Jesus says that, we can mess up a thousand times a day, but as long as we are repentant, then we are forgiven. However, it is one thing to do something not knowing it is sin, that is how we grow in our walk with Christ, it is another to keep going back to it. There is a reason why our walk with Christ is a strait and narrow path, and why we are to never go back the same way we came in.
[Proverbs 17:22-28 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. 23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment. 24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. 25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him. 26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity. 27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. 28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.]
While the earth is doomed to the curse of death just like man is unless they receive Christ, God did not bring Himself to earth in the flesh to condemn the world, but to save those who believe in Him. Since it is impossible for us to save ourselves God made the way possible by being born of a man Himself for our adversity. And this may seem down right foolish to those who refuse to accept the simple things in life, it is not to the one who comes to understand that Jesus is their life.
[Proverbs 18:1-3,6-7,10 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. 2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. 3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach. 6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. 7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. 10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.]
Do you know how strong the name of Christ is? It is strong enough to stop the mightiest of storms, [Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?] It is strong enough to stop evil spirits in their tracks, [Mark 5:7-8 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.] It is strong enough to save the chiefest of sinners, [1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.]
Those with too much pride will never see Jesus as their Saviour and actually seek wicked evil only to end up finding it to their own destruction. There are just some people in this world that no matter how much you try to get them to do right, they will rebel. It is a waste of time and efforts to convince someone to follow Christ who has no intention of doing so, all we can do is give that over to God. When our heart is ready to receive Christ that is when we humble ourselves and accept Him as our Saviour.
[Proverbs 18:12-17 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility. 13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. 14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? 15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge. 16 A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. 17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.]
God, prepares us for receiving Him by breaking our spirit, this is to remove any pride that keeps us from admitting we are a sinner in the first place. While He will never leave nor forsake a soul that has the blood of His Son applied to it, He will pull back and let them fend for themselves until they return to Him.
[Proverbs 18:19-24 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. 20 A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. 22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. 23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly. 24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.]
Those who receive Christ not only know they have the favor of God, they are also called His friends, and what better friend to have than the one who does stick closer to us than a brother or sister? [John 15:15-16 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.]
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for coming here and being born as a mere mortal man for my adversity. You not only gave up Your throne and immortality to come here in the flesh to live in poverty for a time and often not even having a place to lay Your head at night, You came here to give Your life to save my soul from hell. There is nothing that I could ever do to repay You for all that You have done for me so my only option is to live my life though You and for You. Lord, forgive me where I failed You, You truly are my strong tower and the life of my spirit, body, and soul. Fill me with Your mercy and grace and give me Your strength to keep going while I am going through my adversity. I ask these things in Your name Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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