Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Proverbs 15. Proverbs 15.22 is where we'll
begin. Proverbs 15. Let's just read verses 22 to
26, then we'll look at those scriptures for a moment. Without
counsel, purposes are disappointed. But in the multitude of counselors
they are established. A man hath joy by the answer
of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season how good it is.
The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from
hell beneath. The Lord will destroy the house
of the proud, but he will establish the border of the widow. The
thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, but
the words of the pure are pleasant words." You know, man by nature really
is not interested in good, solid counsel or advice or consultation. He's really not. Mr. Spurgeon
said this. He said, I'm often asked for
advice, but I generally find that people have made up their
minds long before they come to the minister, and only want him
to sanction what they've already settled. And therefore, I very
seldom give any counsel. But here's the truth of the matter.
Man needs some counsel. He needs counsel concerning salvation. He needs counsel concerning being
justified before God. He needs counsel concerning life
eternal. You know why? Because by nature
the whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint. Because man by nature is dead
in trespasses and sins, Because Psalm 58-3 says the wicked are
estranged from the wound, they go astray as soon as they be
born, speaking lies. Now that's the truth. You know
this man by nature needs counsel. But man by nature doesn't want
it. But here's the truth. Man by nature, every man by nature
is born knowing that God is offended. We've talked about this many
times. See, this is the fallacy of man by nature, the wicked. This
is the fallacy of his hope. He's got a knowledge that God
is offended. I want you to look at Romans
2.14. Romans 2.14. This is what God says, For when the
Gentiles, that is, those that were Not the people of God. When the Gentiles, which have
not the law, didn't have God's Word, didn't have God's instruction,
do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not
the law, are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law
written in their hearts, their consciences, That is, the conscience
that witnesses within them. Their conscience also bearing
witness and their thoughts demean while accusing or else excusing
one another. When you say, what did he just
say? Here's what he said. Man by nature knows it's right
and wrong. He knows it's right and wrong.
Man by nature knows it's wrong to kill. He knows that. And man
by nature will either accuse that which is wrong, or will
excuse that which he thinks is right. He's got a conscience. God has put within every man
this truth. He knows right from wrong. Romans 1.18.19, for the wrath
of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. That word hold,
that means to hold back or to restrain. It's revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who
resist the truth. And they do it in unrighteousness
because that which may be known of God is manifest in them or
to them. That is, by their conscience.
For God hath showed it to them. This is what man by nature knows. He knows that the wrath, the
judgment of God is so. He knows that. But the glorious
gospel of God's mercy is only revealed by a new heart, by the
Spirit of God giving a man life and light. Man knows that wrong
is wrong, but he does not know that which is right. He can't
do it. Blind to it. Man, because he's
ignorant, of God's righteousness, what is He going to do? Here's
what He's going to do. He's going to go about to establish
His own righteousness by attempting to do something that's good. Keeping the law. And when you
say, keeping the law, it just means something that you try
to do. The Gentiles, by nature, will
try to excuse themselves, accuse that which is wrong and say,
that's wrong. But I'm right. Because I hadn't done, I hadn't
killed anybody. I hadn't committed adultery.
I hadn't stolen anything today. He excuses himself. He's going
about to establish his own righteousness because he's ignorant. of the
righteousness of God. Can you imagine? Think about
what the Lord has taught us. What the Lord has taught His
people under the preaching of the gospel of God's grace. What
He's taught us concerning the righteousness of God. Can you
imagine man by nature trying to know that? You can't know
that. What is man going to know? How is he going to know anything
concerning God's electing grace? Can you imagine? Look how blind,
how ignorant man is. The Scripture sets forth Christ
having been made sin. Can you imagine that the Spirit
of God is surely going to call out God's elect. I'm going to
tell you this, man needs counsel. We're ignorant people. Back in
our Proverbs 15, verse 22, the Scripture says this, without
counsel, purposes are disappointed. without the whole counsel of
God set forth in the preaching of the gospel. This is what we
do. We stand and we take... I'm in Proverbs right now. And
I truly desire to take this book and take it verse by verse and
find out what does the Lord have to say. I want to know. I want to know. What does God
have to say? What does God Almighty have to
say in John? What does the Lord have to say
in Hebrews, in Acts, in Romans? What does God have to say in
His Word? Tell me what God has to say. Because I know this, this is
the only thing that's worth hearing. Nothing else. And if I'm not
hearing what God has to say, Woe unto me. I need some counsel. Without counsel, purposes are
disappointed. They are frustrated. They are
broken up. What purposes? The word purposes there means
plots. Intentions. Plots and intentions concerning
reconciliation before God. That's the only thing that matters.
Man by nature is going to figure out a plot. He's going to have
an intention. He's going to have a way. He's
going to have a road. I'm going to establish righteousness
before God without counsel. Without God's counsel. I'm telling
you, those purposes We're going to be disappointed. But in the
multitude of counselors, they, what is? Well, either the people
or the purposes, it's either one. Either or. Either the people
or the purposes. In the multitude of counselors,
they're established. Almighty God, thanks be unto
Him, has sent counselors. Counselors. He sent, first of
all, the Scripture says, I know He sent prophets. Hebrews 1.1,
God who has a hundred times in diverse manners spake in time
past unto the fathers by the prophets. I know that He sent
His Son. The latter part of that verse
says, Hath in these last days spoken thus by His Son, whom
He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made
the world. The Father. The Father spoke
from heaven twice that I know of recorded in the Scriptures.
One on the day of... Mount of Transfiguration, and
then one day at the Lord's baptism, a voice from heaven was heard
and said, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
And let me tell you this, here's God's Counselor. It's Him. It speaks of Him. This is God's
Word. The establishment, the maintenance,
the setting forth, of the glorious gospel of God's grace. Counsel. Counsel. It's a miracle that
anybody would want to come here and sit down and listen. I can tell you this. Let me tell
you what the unbeliever thinks about what I preach and every
other preacher. That Greg, that Donnie, Don,
Henry, Todd, on and on and on. Let me tell you what they preach,
what they think, the unbeliever. Man, you never get off the same
thing. I am not by the grace of God
saying anything that I've not said before. And I pray by the
mercy of God that I never do. If I ever get off of Christ and
Him crucified, woe is unto me. But I'm telling you, for a believer,
it is the most amazing thing. They hear the gospel week after
week after week, and they hear it with joy, and they think,
that's what I wanted to hear. That's it. That's what I'll tell
me one more time. How Almighty God has put away
my guilt. I need to hear it because it
is safe, Paul says, for me to tell you this again. It's safe
for you. Look at verse 23. A man hath joy by the answer
of his mouth. and a word spoken in due season,
how good it is. A man hath joy by the reply,
the answer, the reply of his mouth. I love to preach the gospel.
I love it. I love to take the Scriptures
and to sit down and start reading, because I know this, I'm looking
for Christ. I'm looking for His honor. If
I read something at first and it doesn't appear to me, it's
not revealed to me yet, the glory of our Lord, I just know this,
the Lord has not shown it to me. But when I see Him by the
grace of God, and He reveals the glory of Christ, The honor
of Almighty God in the redemption of His people. I said, there's
the message right there. That's good. I desire, I long
to preach the gospel again. May the Lord help me to die preaching
the gospel. Man hath joy by the reply of
his mouth if God has given him a heart for the gospel. But I'll
tell you this, those that hear have joy by the answer of the
preaching of the gospel. Many times I know we may say
something that's a benefit to others comfort to others, but for true
joy, for peace, for comfort before God Almighty, the gospel. Preach unto me. May we deliberately
sent forth the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, a man hath joy
by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season,
how good it is." May our speech always be spoken with grace. May it always be seasoned with
salt. And may we pray the Lord's Spirit
to teach us to answer every man To speak unto Him that which
reveals the glory of our blessed Savior. May it be to the honor
of Him. Proverbs 25.11, a word fitly
spoken. Spoken in due season. Properly spoken. Seasonably spoken. In a fit and timely manner. How good it is. How wonderful
it is. How blessed it is! A man hath
joy by the answer of his mouth, a word spoken in due season.
How good it is! The way of life is above to the
wise that he may depart from hell beneath. Those made wise
on salvation. know the source of good counsel,
God's counsel, and the reason for it. The way of life is above to the
wise. Turn with me to Colossians 3,
1 and 2. Colossians 3, 1 and 2. Well, Jeff just read something
a while ago about men of the earth. They're earthy. Earthy. The Lord is heavenly. Above. Colossians 3, 1 and 2,
if you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God, and set your affection
on things above. Not on things on the earth. There's one of two things that
a man is going to make sure of that he's going to leave this
world by. Only one of two ways. Either he's going to leave this
world hoping in his own work, or he's going to leave this world
totally trusting the Lord Jesus Christ. having no confidence
whatsoever in His flesh. Either by man's will, being frustrated,
or by salvation, truly that is all of grace. That's the only
way He's going to leave this world. One way is the wise, and
it's from above. It's heavenly. Looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith, the other is the way of
the fool. Looking to himself. Trying to
establish himself by his own way. A believer. Oh, the wisdom
that Almighty God gives a man or a woman to teach them to not
look to themselves. You take an unbeliever, They
grasp hold of what they think they can do and they hold on
to it for dear life. And a believer counts it all
done. The things that I trusted in,
Paul said, refuge. No confidence. I thank you to
myself. What can I do? The Lord saved
me, I'm going to perish. One way is life, one way is death. The way of life a man is brought
down, he's humbled before God. God Almighty teaches him. And
the other way, he's exalted. Pride. The way of life is above
to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath. The Lord,
verse 25, will destroy. the house of the proud. But he
will establish the border of the widow. The house of the wicked is going
to be overthrown. But this is a precious. He will
establish the border of the widow. That one that is helpless. Widows in the Scriptures were
a class that was set forth that were needy, the widows. Had no one to care. That was the picture. And this
picture, this one, this needy creature, this is us. We're the widows. We're the helpless. But I'll tell you this, the widows
in their poverty, and that's us, are safer under the protection
of Almighty God than the proud in their haughtiness of impotent
strength. A widow. Lord, I'm a widow and
I know it. I'm a beggar. And I know it by
the grace of God. Not as I ought to know it. Because
that old man, that old nature, still tries to remind me, you
know, well, you do know something. Well, you know, you have heard
the Gospel. You believe. I'm telling you, by nature, I
know. You know, when Satan came to
the Lord and the Lord asked him, he said, have you considered
my servant Job? There's none like Him, the Lord
said, in all the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth
God and escheweth evil. Satan's response was, yeah, I've
considered Him, but you've made a hedge about Him, about His
house, all that He has on every side. What Satan was saying was,
you're protecting Him. I couldn't get to him, but he
said, I'll tell you what, you let me get to him. You let me
touch him. And I'm telling you, he'll curse
you to your face. And the Lord, in his mercy, allowed
Satan to touch him. But I'll tell you this, in all
the things that Satan did to Job, Job did not sin with his
mouth. The Lord gave, the Lord taken
away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
That's grace. Grace. The Lord will destroy the house
of the proud, but he will establish the border of the widow. In this last verse, the thoughts
of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. but the words of
the pure are pleasant words. Now I want you just to look with
me in closing at the way that that verse is written. If you
have your Bible and it has italics in it, the thoughts of the wicked
are an abomination to the Lord, but the words, see the words
there that are italicized, the words of the pure And then the
word are is in italics. Pleasant. Let me just read it
without those words. The thoughts of the wicked are
an abomination to the Lord. But of the pure, pleasant words. Thoughts are actually words to
God. Thoughts are just unverbalized
words. I can think something. As far
as Almighty God is concerned, I might as well have said it.
You've thought it in your heart. You've already done it. A man
looks on a woman, lusts after her. He's already committed adultery
with her. You did it. You think evil against
your brother. You hate him. You killed it,
man. You killed it. Thoughts are actually words to
Almighty God. And Almighty God looks on the
heart. Matthew 9, verse 4, "...and Jesus, knowing their thoughts,
said unto them, Why think ye evil in your hearts?" The wicked,
those who know not Christ, those that the Lord knows not in Christ,
are disgusting. to Almighty God with the words,
the thoughts of the pure. Those found in the Lord Jesus
Christ before the foundation of the world. Those regenerated
by grace. Those that possess that new nature.
Their thoughts. Their thoughts. Thinking upon
Him. Thankful. And oh, how many times,
I don't know how to say it. I don't know what to say. I've said just reading through
those prophets, I think, Lord, the mercy that You've shown Your
people, just the thoughts of the mercy that He's shown me
when I don't know how to verbalize it. Pleasant words to the Lord. How often have we prayed and
we didn't even know how to say it? Pleasant words to Almighty
God. Lord, thank You for Your counsel. Lord, thank You for teaching.
Lord, would You cause us to muse upon these things? Would You
bring these things back to our memory? Lord, would You have
mercy for Christ's sake? Thank you for grace. Thank you
for kindness. Thank you for your long suffering.
Lord, thank you that you won't impute inequity to your people. For Christ's sake.