gold, neither is there any end
of their treasures. Their land is also full of horses,
neither is there any end of their chariots. Their land is also
full of idols. They worship the work of their
own hands, that which their own fingers have made. And the mean
man bowed down, and the great man humbled himself, therefore
forgive him not. Enter into the rock and hide
thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord. and the glory of his
majesty. The lofty looks of man shall
be humbled, and the haughtiness of man shall be bowed down, and
the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the
Lord of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and
upon everyone that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low.
And upon the cedars of Lutmon, that are high and lifted up,
and upon the oaks of Bashan, and upon the high mountains,
and upon the hills that are lifted up, and upon every high tower,
and upon every fenced wall, and upon the ships of Tarsus, and
upon the pleasant pictures. And the loftiness of men shall
be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low, and
the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols he
shall utterly abolish, and they shall go to the holes of the
rocks, and to the caves of the earth, for the fear of the Lord,
and for the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake terribly
the earth. And that day man shall cast his
idols of silver and his idols of gold, which he has made each
one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats, to
go into the clefts of the rock and to the top of the ragged
rocks for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty,
when he arises to shake terribly the earth. Seek ye for man whose
breath is in his nostrils, Wherein is he to be accounted of? Here,
Lord, we thank you. Not as we ought to, not as often
as we ought to, forgive us this place where the truth about you
is preached. Forgive us, brethren, that come
and tell us of you, and let us see through glass darkly. Lord,
we'd ask that you abide here with us for as long as it be
in your good will. Lord, we'd also ask that you
give us the grace that we so desperately need and the mercy
we have and the right to ask for. Because if not, Lord, we
purge. We thank you for all these things,
Lord, that you give us each and every day. And the ones among
us in our measure here, Lord, that you might show mercy to
that are in hard times and dire straits, Lord, that just scream
out for your help. We ask you. We thank you for
all these things through your precious name. Amen. Let's take our Bibles again and
turn to the book of Proverbs. Proverbs chapter 14. Proverbs
14. I would like to look at two verses
this morning, continuing through the book of Proverbs, verse by
verse. What a blessing. and imperative consideration. Imperative consideration. And here are the two verses.
Verse 89, the wisdom of the prudent man is to understand his way. But the folly of fools is deceit. Fools make a mock at sin. But among the righteous there
is favor. The scriptures this morning speak
of one that's been made wise unto salvation. Made wise unto
salvation. Not one that by his own wisdom, no, a believer That's the first
one that's going to stand up and he's going to say, I am what
I am by the grace of God. I'm here today by the grace of
God. I believe Christ by the grace
of God. The wisdom of the prudent, of
the discreet. God's people are not presumptuous,
they're cautious people, discreet people. The wisdom of the prudent
is to understand his way. That is to say, the wisdom of
the careful, those cautious, wisely discreet, is to consider
and to discern and to look well to. Scripture sets forth his
way, his walk, his road, that's what it means. His manner of
life, his life in Christ. That's wise, wise. He considers, first of all, he
considers his way. Like I said, when I say the way,
this is the definition. manner of life, the way he walks,
the way he thinks. He considers that. He considers,
first of all, wisely, how he got to be in that way. That's
the first thing. He understands, by the grace
of God, by the Spirit of God taking the scriptures, And this
is the reason why we make much of the scriptures. Make much
of them. Nobody else has anything to say
that's of any lasting significance. What does the Lord have to say?
It matters not what men have to say if it's not consistent
with this Word. What difference does it make?
According to these scriptures, Every man is going to be judged
before God according to the Word. A wise man considers, how did
I come to be in this way? And do you know what a wise man
will say? Almighty God, according to His
Word. He chose to show mercy to me.
Before the foundation of the world, according to the scriptures,
Ephesians 1.4. He chose me in Christ. Why? Because it pleased Him. That's what Ephesians 1 says. Because it pleased Him. Not according to anything that
he saw that I would do. Anytime that somebody tells you
that the Lord looked down and saw that some would choose Him
and so therefore He chose them. Remember this scripture, Psalm
14.2. Psalm 14.2. Let me just read
it to you. In case you forget. In case I forget. Psalm 14.2. He said, The Lord looked down. Yeah, He did. Psalm 14.2. The Lord looked down from heaven
upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand
and seek God. Verse 3 says, They have all gone
aside, that are all together become filthy. That word there
means they There's none that do it good. No, not one. So whenever somebody tells you
that the Lord looked down, and they start talking about election,
and they said the Lord looked down and saw a group of Christians
and He chose them, that's a lie. They're lying to you. They're
lying to you. No, a wise man considers that
Almighty God chose to show mercy and compassion
to whomsoever he would. A believer will say in considering
his way, Lord, what for your grace? I wouldn't be here. I would not. I wouldn't think
this way. Lord Jesus, as I consider my
way in standing before God Almighty, uncondemned, Lord, You took what
I am and made me to be Yourself. Made sin. And Lord, You laid
down Your life and the justice of Almighty God was satisfied. The law was honored. And Holy Spirit, I know that
in the fullness of time, according to God's good pleasure and predestinating
grace, You caused me to simply, marvelously, magnificently, you
brought me under the sound of the gospel that honors God. And you put me here. You know
why you're here this morning? Because Almighty God allowed
you to be here. He purports to be a prudent man, wise. He considers, understands his
way. He understands that Almighty
God, by His Spirit, regenerated him, sealed him. The Spirit of
God was given to him as an earnest, as a down payment. earnest of
our inheritance. We don't know the fullness. We
can't know it. Not in this life, but we do. And that consideration, he considers
how he got there, that consideration is precious because of the one
in whom he was chosen is precious. Secondly, he considers wisely
his place in the kingdom of God. Scripture says forth that God
set the members, every one of them, in the body as it had pleased
Him. A believer considers wisely,
prudently. He considers, I am where I am by the grace
of God in His body. You say, well, I'm a I don't
see myself, I don't see my place, though there is one. I don't
think a lot of times we realize what an encouragement it is just
to be together. An eye, an ear, a hand. The Lord has set every one of
his people in the body just exactly the way that he has. What an
encouragement. God's people are God's people.
How thankful. I appreciate so much the fellowship
of God's saints to be with you. David said, I'd rather be a doorkeeper
in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of the wicked. Isn't that so? I just, to be
able to just Be together with God's people, praying for one
another, being encouraged by one another. All the blessing,
considering wisely His place in the Kingdom of God. Consider
that harmony. You think about it, that we would
be together this morning, And there's many that we wish
were here, aren't there? We do. Every member ought to be content
with his place, with his gift, with his usefulness. To God's
will, Lord direct me, order my steps according to your good
pleasure. For he puts his people where
he keeps them. Thirdly, a prudent man wisely
considers his walk before God and before men. The wisdom of
the prophet is to consider his way. A few weeks ago I preached
on this passage right here on walking before God. Here Colossians
2 says, this was my text, as you have therefore received Christ
Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. And I asked this question, how
did you receive him? Well, he said, I received him
just helpless. needy, dependent, walk that way. Remember this,
we never go beyond. As you therefore have received
Christ Jesus, you never go beyond that. According to the scriptures,
we grow in grace, but as you grow in grace, you will grow
more aware of your need. You'll grow more aware. You say,
you know what? It seemed like to me, when I
first heard it, it seemed like to me that I was a little bit
stronger or I was a little bit more stable or something. It
seemed like to me the longer I go, the less stable I realize
I am. Good. Good. There is no sound that honors
Him like hearing a believer. Telling another believer, oh,
that the Lord will keep His hand upon me, bless me. Oh, I see
myself just so wavering, just so. I disappoint myself so much. Good. A wise man considers his walk
before God needed, except you come as a little child. You think
of a little child, I'm talking about an infant. An infant. What is an infant going to do
for their parent? He's the object of that parent's
affection, love. That parent delights to take
care of that baby. Delights to take care of that
baby. Delights to meet his needs. Except he comes a little short. God's people walked before Him
needy. And I'll tell you how they walked
before others. They considered their walk before
God and before men. Here it is, Philippians 2.13.
Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness
of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. You want to have a settled relationship
with somebody? Esteem them to be better than
you. Esteem them to be more worthy
than you. I tell you, there's nothing that
will split a friendship, a relationship, like somebody trying to exalt
himself above somebody else. Making them think that there's
something that they're not. Pray for one another. Ask the
Lord. Blessing. Pride is that characteristic
that every person born in Adam deals with. Brother Henry Mayham
said something. I like this. I wrote this down.
When things, he said, are done through strife, it involves quarreling,
contention, and dividing into bitter camps. He said this is
not the Spirit of Christ. He said don't do things seeking
recognition and personal praise. But by the grace of God and the
spirit of humility and sincerity, regard your brother as spiritually
superior to yourself." That's good. That's good. Consider
those that you know, you love, that you appreciate. It's evident
God's done something for her. Consider them, esteem them better
than yourself. The Apostle Paul said this concerning
himself. He said, I'm the least of the
saints. They said, now Paul, didn't you know that? No, he
didn't. No, he didn't. He wasn't saying that so somebody
could pat him on the back. He meant it. What wisdom that Almighty God
would teach a man. For the glory of God, give. In a spirit of meekness, Abraham
said to Lot, we're brethren. We're brethren. There's no need
for quarreling, fussing, fighting. The wisdom of the prudent. is
to understand, to consider his way. How he got there, where
God put him, and his attitude toward Almighty God and others.
But the folly of fools is deceit. Deceit. There's no deception
like self-deception. Because a man doesn't know it. If a man's deceived, he doesn't
know he's deceived. He thinks he's not deceived. Self-deception is man's spiritual
problem. Self-deception is evidence. Here's the height of self-deception.
Here it is right here. I really have no need. I have
no need of Christ. I have no need of hearing the
gospel. Here's the scriptures. Lord willing,
I'm going to deal this Wednesday, I think it's this Wednesday,
going through the book of Hebrews. It's concerning, exhorting brethren
to love, to love, to encourage. It tells the way that God sets
forth and says it is not forsaken to be assembling yourselves together
as the matter of science. It is not forsaking the hearing
of the gospel, the preaching of the gospel, the evidence of
self-deception, being deceived. I really don't need this. It's okay if it's not made up. priority. It's okay if it's not,
you know. God's people absolutely lack
a priority out of the theory of the gospel. The folly of fools,
the silliness of fools, is deceit. And secondly, not only is it This is the most important thing
that we'll do in this life. Hear what God has to say. This
is it. The most important thing is hearing what God has to say.
This is what He's been pleased to raise up. And how He's been
pleased to feed His people. This is it. I'm telling you,
when I tell you everything else is second fiddle, Lord help us
that it is. And then secondly, the self-deceit
is heaven. And that a man can by his own
ability reconcile himself back to God. And that's just an evidence
of not hearing what God has to say. He thinks that he's something. Paul said in Galatians 6 where
if a man thinks himself to be something when he's nothing,
he deceives himself. He thinks he's something. A believer
knows the moment a person leaves this world, absent from this
body, they're going to see God. The rich man, Lazarus, both of
them died. Scripture says the rich man died
and lifted up his eyes out of hell. Lazarus died, he was found
in the bosom of Abraham immediately. I wonder sometimes if a person
ever loses consciousness. I mean, we look at them and we
say, well, they're unconscious. Sean, you've seen people who
are unconscious. I don't know what happens when
a person dies, but I do know this, immediately, immediately
they're in eternity. But not only does a fool deceive
himself by his silliness, by his folly, despising the disregard
for the glory and sovereignty of God in Christ, but he deceives
other people. He deceives others. 2 Timothy
3.13, but evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving
and being deceived. Oh, what my action says to others,
when it's not a priority to me. How children perceive, how others
perceive. Is this really that important?
Well, obviously it must not be. Deceiving, the harm of that. Evil men, wicked men, those that the scripture
says have a form of godliness, of Almighty God's Word, preaching
of the gospel, they stand in pulpits. And the scriptures set
forth. They're bent on seducing and
deceiving. Follow their false doctrine.
The gospel of man's works. The folly of fools. The silliness
of fools. What are they wanting to do?
The scripture says they want to deceive. They want to deceive. They'll say that they don't.
But the scripture says they do. That's what they're doing. The
silliness, the folly of fools is deceit. Self and deceiving
others. And because they're deceived,
they don't know it. They don't know it. But Almighty
God sets forth. Apostle Paul gives Listen to this, "...but continued
thou in the things which thou hast learned, and has been assured
of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them, and that from a
child thou hast known..." Listen to this, the Holy Scriptures,
"...which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith,
which is in Christ Jesus." Can I give us all a good word of
encouragement and a good word of advice? Whatever you hear
somebody say, I don't care if it's me, I don't care who it
is. Check it out by the Word of God. If it does not line up
with God's Word, then you disregard it. You disregard it. Paul says, you have learned from
a child, from the Holy Scriptures, those that are able to make you
wise into salvation. Verse 9, fools make a mock at
sin. Fools scoff at that which God
is going to judge. Now think about this. Fools make
a mock at rebellion against God. They make a mockery out of Rebelling
against what Almighty God sets forth. Rebelling against His
Word. Rebelling against Him. Rebelling.
They make a mark of sin. They make light of its penalty. They make light of it. Deception. Why don't you come here? Why
don't you come see it? I don't want to do that. I don't
want to. That doesn't have any interest
to me. That's not that important. I've
got other things to do. You see? You see? The Scripture says that a fool
makes a mock at sin. Mocks! Refusing to bow. Every breath that an unbeliever
takes. or saying in his heart, I'll not have this man to rule
over me, brings that fool one breath closer to judgment. Now
this is just the way it is. Fools make a mock at sin. They mock sin thinking that their
works can put it away, their own ability. They say I've made
a covenant with death, with hell. I'm at agreement. Death and hell,
I'm in agreement on this. I've made my profession of faith. Maybe I haven't lived exactly
like I should. Maybe I've done some things that
are not exactly right. But I do know this, when the
overflowing scourge comes through, that scourge of God's judgment,
The Scripture says it shall pass through and it shall not come
unto us. The Holy Scriptures gives the
reason why they think that. For we have made lies our refuge. But in closing of verse 9 it
says, But among the righteous There's favor. There's favor. Fools make a mark of sin. By
the grace of God, the righteous, they know this. By the grace
of God, they know that they enjoy and possess, by the blood of
Christ, shed for them, putting away their guilt, they know that
they enjoy the favor of God. Among the righteous there is
favor." This is the only favor that a believer really wants
to hear about. Tell me, tell me one more time how there's
no condemnation for me. Tell me one more time what the
Scriptures has got to say. That Almighty God, for those
that trust Him, And a believer will say this, I trust Him, I'm
trying to. I struggle. I know, I know. I try to pray. I try to seek. I struggle with myself. A believer
will begin praying and say, Lord help me. Help me even now. For the struggle that I have
even now. A believer realizes by the grace
of God. Lord, you've given me a part
to trust you. And Lord, those precious scriptures
that says, my sheep hear my voice. They follow me. They follow me. That's what you said, Lord. They
follow you. Lord, you said it's not following anything else. It's not looking to anything.
It's not trusting anything. Lord, it's you. It's you. You
said your sheep hear your voice, they follow you. And those who
come to you, you said you never cast them out. Lord, you said
you give unto them eternal life and they'll never perish. Lord,
cause me to hear that again. Lord, bathe my soul once again
in the knowledge that your blood has put away my guilt. That's
how a righteous man speaks. Among the righteous there is
favor. They know that their standing before God is according to His
promise. And they love to hear it. They
love to rejoice in it. They don't count their own ability
in anything. They say this, salvation is the
Lord. Salvation is all of grace. All
of my peace, all of my hope, all of my comfort. It's because
He showed mercy to me. I go to the Lord and I ask Jesus,
Thou Son of Man, have mercy on me. Lord, bless these poorest
of our hearts. Lord, keep us by Your grace,
accomplished by Your Spirit, Christ saved.