“The righteous searcheth out his neighbor: but the way of the lawless seduceth them.” In other words, the righteous man wants to help his neighbor. But there’re some neighbors that are going to try to hurt you, and we need to be very careful. The righteous man, if he finds you’re wrong, he’s going to come and talk to you about it and face you with it. Nathan was the best friend David ever had, and yet it was Nathan who had the courage to point his finger and say, “You’re the man. Something you’ve got to straighten out in your life.” Well, how wonderful that is to recognize that we’ve got a good friend.
November 7, 2023
“The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.” It’s a very wonderful statement, by the way, and it just simply means this—that if a person wants to walk in the truth, if that’s the desire of your heart, the Spirit of God can be counted upon for guidance and direction. If a door was closed, it was closed. And if I didn’t have the money to go to school, I didn’t have it. But the Lord always would just open up one door and let me go in. I believe if you mean business of God, He’ll open up the door.
November 6, 2023
“A false balance is abomination to Jehovah: but a perfect weight is his delight.” God does enter into business. You can take Him into partnership. But you couldn’t have Him in the partnership if you’re crooked. And if you’re honest, He’d like to be your partner. How wonderful that should be. And that is true, I think, in Christian work. I think when anyone gives to a certain thing in Christian work—if it’s missions, it should go to missions. If it’s to go to an individual missionary, it should go to that individual missionary. God requires honesty in the dealings of those that are His.
November 3, 2023
“Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.” Without the Lord Jesus “was not anything made that was made.” All things were made by Him. He’s the first born of all creation! He is superior to all. Why? Because by Him the Father brought all things into being, for He is the uncreated God. And he “was rejoicing always before Him.” And these wonderful delights and joys come to us through the amazing grace of God today. How wonderful all of this is!
November 2, 2023
“I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” This is something that in the life of Solomon he discovered, that when he sought God, God gave him wisdom. And he sought Him early. I used to be very harsh on students that were so pious about their study of the Bible. They felt like that there’s some sort of a miracle that’d take place in the study of the Word. Now, I believe that if you’re willing to study the Word of God that a miracle will take place—that the Spirit of God will open your mind and heart.
November 1, 2023
Have you ever noticed that there’s more said about the tongue and the abuse of it than is said about the abuse of alcohol in the Bible? And this is something that’s common to all races and all languages. Psalm 120:2, “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue.” The most dangerous thing in the world is the tongue today. This thing of the lying tongue, God says He hates it. And God is Truth, by the way, and God hates the lie. God desires “truth in the inward parts,” He says. How wonderful. The Psalmist says, “Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” How wonderful.
October 31, 2023
Oh, will you notice Peter goes on and says—he says that husband and wife are to dwell together according to knowledge. And notice this from him—that their prayers be not hindered. And that’s in 1 Peter, the third chapter. Read those first few verses. I’ll not turn to them, but how tremendous they are. Let me tell you, this is a real test. When a husband and wife are so living before each other that they have joy and confidence and can kneel together and pray together and love together. And that home represents the relationship of Christ and the church. I want to tell you, my friend, that that is something God can and will bless.
October 30, 2023
“My son, attend unto my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and healing to all their flesh.” And this is the word that the Psalmist said, “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” And the words are life. And that’s what the words in the Word of God are. If you cut them, they’re going to bleed. Living words—they bring life to you, and they bring light to you. They bring instruction and direction and joy—all comes through the Word of God.
October 27, 2023
You see, life and grace come through this wisdom of, actually, studying the Word of God. “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.” It’s good for you when you’re walking and then “when thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.” There is today in the heart of man a certain fear, a certain hang-up that he has about life. And, therefore, we need to recognize that a knowledge of the Word of God is the answer to all of that. How wonderful it is here to find out that the truth of God, it will hold us.
October 26, 2023
“For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” Now, God never whips the devil’s children, but He sure does spank His own. That’s good evidence that you belong to Him. You remember in the book of Job we saw this. “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth.” And by the way, this is not punishing. We talk today a great deal about punishing criminals, and that’s the word. Don’t you punish your child, correct him. Punish the criminal. My friend, we’ve got it mixed up today. You punish criminals; you correct your children. How different it is. This is discipline, and this is what God uses for His own today.
October 25, 2023