What's good, what's totally lame, what's better?

Simple Honesty > Shady Twistedness.

Sure, I think you’d agree -- a lifestyle of wise integrous transparency beats a complicated foolish lifestyle of fake news, lying and deception. 

Lord, help us in this area of integrity -- we honestly want to please You daily! 

I challenge you to follow Christ and His good examples. Think about Betsy and Corrie Ten Boom--follow their example too. They without compromise followed Him close with integrity. Both needed His forgiveness at times, but God made them integrous witnesses before a watching world. If he did it for them, He can do that for you. 

How candid are you? Are there people you desire to impress! Do you seek to gain and then cover up how you did gain adding one lie to another to another? If you’re honest in conversations you don’t really have to remember as much in order to match new lies to obfuscate what’s so.  

Do you keep your promises (about what percentage of them)? How’s your personal character and personality? How do you love God and His people looking out for them and others? What do you feel you deserve? Do you express gratitude and praise to God? Do you lead a most integrous life? What’s been your aim, or biblical strategy? 

Have you ever lied or tried to make someone believe something that didn’t happen or wasn’t so (have you ever tried to deceive someone)? How honest are you? How do you plan to maintain a lifestyle of integrity and repentance in the future? Is it like that now, or not as much as you really want your life to be like? 

Make it your ambition to lead an honest, peaceful, and quiet life in harmony with Jesus. That involves minding “your own business and working with your hands…so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” 

"..make it your ambition to live quietly and peacefully, and to mind your own affairs and work with your hands, just as we directed you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders [exhibiting good character, personal integrity, and moral courage worthy of the respect of the outside world], and be dependent on no one and in need of nothing be self-supporting." 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 amp

Daily choose to die to self and lying. A quiet simple life helps me. Let’s all try a simple life of humility, contentment, fellowship, clean celebration and godly faithfulness. When your mind is set on things above where there’s zero lies or deception, when your life is hidden in Christ, our lives display what is God-honoring and God-glorifying. Living with simplicity of conversations and living with less (with what you need). This could mean less distractions, less time with people that pull you down (we need to spend some time witnessing to the lost), with far less clutter, less noise.

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:2-3

“For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” nlt

Ethical integrity is one of the indispensable attributes of Christlike character. As vital as it is to be sound in doctrine, in spirit, in thoughtlife and faithful in teaching the truth of Scripture, it is by no means less crucial for Christians to be upright in heart and consistent in our obedience to Direct Authority – to the moral and ethical principles of God’s law. Thanks Lord for the many ideas from my So Cal and Texas Pastor friends who live the life and regularly challenged me.

That is no simple duty, by the way. The moral standard that God’s people are supposed to live by far surpasses even the highest principles of normal human ethics.

This was one of the main points of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: “I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20). The whole sermon was an exposition of the Law’s moral meaning. The heart of Jesus’ message was an extended discourse against the notion that the Law’s moral principles apply only to behavior that others can see.

Jesus taught, that the sixth commandment forbids not only acts of murder, but having a murderous heart as well (vv. 21–22). Hating people is wrong. The seventh commandment, which forbids adultery, also implicitly condemns even adulterous lustful desires (vv. 27–28). And the command to love our neighbors applies even to those who are our enemies (vv. 43–44).

How high is the moral and ethical standard set by God’s holy law? Unimaginably high. I need the Christ and His Holy Spirit every day of my existence here. Jesus equates this standard with God’s own perfection:

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (v. 48). 

Yes, that sets an unattainable standard..in our own power. Do you clearly see the great need for Jesus yet? It is our duty to pursue integrity in Him relentlessly. Perfect ethical consistency is a vital aspect of that consummate goal — absolute Christlikeness — toward which every Christian should continually be striving in prayer for (Phil. 3:12–14). Will it take cooperation with the Spirit. Absolutely, so pray without ceasing. No believer, therefore, should ever knowingly sacrifice his or her ethical integrity.

When you blow it, please own it and go tell on yourself to God. He sees it all and knew what would happen before you poorly chose. Before it happened. 

So ask for free forgiveness from Him and then from others you’ve hurt. Receive God’s cleansing, trust Him to change you from the inside out, and make then restitution as He leads you to. He can do it, can alter your habitual lifestyle of dishonesty.

The perfect One can help you live righteously, with right relationships. He can help you tell the truth in this so called post-honesty kind of world.

What are some Bible verses about deception?

What should a believer do if his or her spouse becomes deceived and chooses to live a gay, bi or transgender lifestyle?

What does the Bible say about cheating in school?

Got some Bible verses to memorize about honest and godly character?

How important is honesty with a Christian and their conduct related to how the watching unbelieving world sees Christ?

What does it mean to have a double tongue?

Here are three powerful reasons why safe-guarding integrity is important:

1.) It’s for the sake of a good name. God wants you to have one as His representative. What’s your our own reputation like? Of course, Christians should not be concerned with issues like status, class, caste, or economic prestige. In that sense, we need to be like Christ, who made Himself of no reputation and took on the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7).

There is a true sense, however, in which we do need to be concerned about maintaining a good reputation — and that is especially true in the matter of ethical integrity. One of the basic requirements for an elder is this: “He must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” (1 Tim. 3:7 nasb).

Nothing will ruin a good reputation faster or more permanently than a deliberate breach of ethical integrity. People will forgive practically any other kind of error, negligence, or failure — but ethical bankruptcy carries a stigma that is almost impossible to rise above.

Have you messed up in the area of honesty? Please take a lesson from Zaccheus: repent and do whatever you can to restore your reputation in the community. In the meantime, stop representing yourself as a Christian. You’re destroying the whole church’s reputation.”

According to Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” You don’t have a good name at all unless your ethical integrity is intact and above reproach. Do people trust you? How much? It takes a long time to gain the trust, but trust can be lost in a few seconds. If you’ve lost it, then through Christ rebuild what you can of it okay. 

2.) It’s for the sake of our personal character. There’s a good reason why Jesus’ exposition of the moral law in Matthew 5 focused so much on uprightness of heart as opposed to external behavior. 

The real barometer of who we are is reflected in what we do when no one else is looking, how we think in the privacy of our own thoughts, and how we respond to the promptings of our own consciences. Those things are the true measure of your moral and ethical fiber.

As important as it is to keep a good reputation in the community, it is a thousand times more important to safeguard our own personal character. That is why Jesus dealt with the issues of morality and ethics beginning with the innermost thoughts of our hearts. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Matt. 15:19).

The single most important battlefield in the struggle for integrity is your own mind. That’s where everything will actually be won or lost. And if you lose there, you have already ruined your character. A corrupt character inevitably spoils the reputation, too, because a bad tree can’t bring forth good fruit (Matt. 7:18).

3.) Another reason why it is vital to prayerfully safe-guard our moral and ethical integrity: is for the sake of our Christian testimony. God allows tests to see if you pass and so you’ll have a testimony. What’s your story like? Is it one of victory in the name of Jesus or one of spiritual compromise? Your reputation reflects what people say about you. Your testimony is what your character, your behavior, and your words say about God.

Consider what is being communicated when a Christian lacks ethical integrity. That person is saying he doesn’t truly trust, follow or believe what Scripture plainly says is true of God: That “to do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Prov. 21:3). That “the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him” (15:8). And that God “delight[s] in truth in the inward being” (Ps. 51:6).

The person who neglects ethical or moral integrity is telling a lie about God with his life and his attitude. If he calls himself a Christian and professes to be a child of God, he is in fact taking God’s name in vain at the most fundamental level.

What does the Bible say about being honest, yes, a person of integrity?

What principles should distinguish a Christian business?

What does the Bible say about non-deceitful, godly Christian character?

Need some more content related to Christian Character organized into subcategories?

What does it mean that Job was blameless and upright?

What are some Bible verses about cheating?

“In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated “integrity” means “the condition of being without blemish, completeness, perfection, sincerity, soundness, uprightness, wholeness.” Integrity in the New Testament means “honesty and adherence to a pattern of good works.”

Jesus is the perfect example of a man of integrity. After He was baptized, He went into the wilderness to fast for forty days and nights, during which time Satan came to Him at His weakest to try to break His integrity and corrupt Him. Jesus was wholly man and wholly God at the same time, and He was tempted in every way we are, yet He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15); that is the definition of integrity. Jesus is the only one who was ever without blemish, perfect, completely truthful, and always showing a pattern of good works.

I still describe God's attributes or characteristics using these four important omni terms: Omnipotence. Omnipresence. Omnibenevolence. Omniscience. (Omni is the Latin root meaning 'all').

Christians are called to know, follow and be like Jesus Christs. In Christ, we are new creations and can be considered without blemish before God (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Ephesians 1:4–8). In Christ, we also have the indwelling Holy Spirit at work in us, sanctifying us and making us more like Jesus (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). We are also to strive to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12–13). It is by God’s power that we become increasingly people of integrity. We are called to obey God and, in so doing, to be people of uncompromised morality and integrity. Christians should be those who adhere to the truth and who do good works.

“Integrity” in our world today implies moral incorruptibility. Christians should be those who cannot be bribed or compromised because we serve God rather than men (Colossians 3:17, 23; Acts 5:29). We are to be people who keep our word (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12). We are to love those around us in both word and deed (1 John 3:17–18; James 2:17–18; Ephesians 4:29). We are called upon to believe in God and therefore to follow Him in all our ways (John 6:19; 15:1–17). Our lives should line up with our belief in God and evince a trust that His ways are best (Proverbs 3:5–6).

Living honestly in a so called post-integrity kind of world can be tough at times. Living pure and righteously in a fake news kind of world where corruption seems favored and promoted, not to mention our battle with our own sinful (fleshly) nature.. is challenging huh. But God has a really good strategy for your life of victory in the Son! 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 nlt 

First Peter 3:13–18 gives us this encouragement: “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord." 

I am His doulos forever--(that word is found at least 127 times in 119 verses in the New Testament Scriptures and means "slave owned by another"). Yes, Jesus is my Master and full, on-fire obedience from the heart is what Christianity is all about. No cold hard-heart, no lukewarm-ness, no spiritual compromise, and no excuses. Is Christ your Master today? Do you have an assurance inside that you are right with Him? You can.  You can turn and trust the Lord today -- even now. 

Have I ever told a so called "white" one and got away with it? I've told one before, and other lies as well. Hey, we can tell the truth in a post-truth kinda world.

Is it ever right to tell a lie?

Q:  What’s a “white lie” really? Is it white and right? 

A:  It's any lie (the so called white lie is). It's a particular lie that, due to mitigating circumstances, honorable intentions, or limited scope, is considered negligible. Plenty of people believe that lying can be acceptable and even justifiable in certain circumstances. They argue that noble motives and the need of the moment can erase the sinful weight of the lie.

Have I told a so called "white" lie before, or some not even near white at all? Yes, and sometimes thought I was doing right due to my motives at the time. Have you done that too.. and what do you currently think about all that? Listen, God can forgive you and me of any sins. Humbly ask and receive.  

Can you find one in the Bible? Check out the story of Rahab.

And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. (Joshua 2:3–6)

Jesus never sinned once, He never even told a lie. You and I, we are to follow Him, His teachings, and His good example. 

What does the Bible say about white lies?

What does the Bible say about lyin’ and cheating in school?

Sup with lyin’ and human depravity - is it biblical?

Back in the day, should those Hebrew midwives have been commended for lying?

What does it mean that Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44)?

“A righteous man hates lying, but a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.” Prov. 13:5 nkjv

Live straightforward in the Son who is that way. The wise person’s words are sincere. They are honest. They are like silver (see Prov. 10:20), a tree of life (Prov. 15:4), food to nourish people (Prov. 10:21), like refreshing water (Prov. 10:11; 18:4), and like medicine (Prov. 12:18). The wise have words that should always be well seasoned like with salt (Col. 4:6) and must never become false and destructive (Jam. 3:1–12).

Choose Jesus and stop lying because the Lord is the God of truth. There is no other. Yes, the Lord hates a lying tongue (Prov. 6:17; 12:22). 

With half truths told and full lies, people cover their true feelings up (Prov. 10:18), and they promote hypocrisy (Prov. 26:23–26). Liars do not last (Prov. 12:19), but some lies can go on for years -- they do gobs of damage. Wealth gained by lies is fleeting away. Many people use lies for a quick acquisition of bucks. (Meditate upon Prov. 21:6). All liars will one day be punished for their sinful habit (Prov. 19:5, 9). If God hates lies like He really does, then we too must hate them like He does, or learn to hate lies (Prov. 13:5). Ponder and re-ponder Ephesians 4:17–32.

Pray that God will give you truthful words to tell your story, to share the Gospel Message too. Pray He'll use your words to win people to Christ, to heal the brokenhearted. Yes, to bring deliverance (see Prov. 12:6). It's the mouth of the wicked that brings bondage (12:13). None really wants that. 

Tell it straight, all nine yards of the Gospel, yes, the Message of Life. Do you have friends that need His Message and salvation, then go tactfully tell? Boldly tell. Right words must begin with right thoughts, and right motives (Honest words v. 5) and a love for learning what's true. (v. 1). Yes, in this area is where the ungodly person fails. Truthful words bring good to others and false words simply don’t (Prov. 10:21). Truthful conversations also to those who join in and speak truth (So edifying! v. 14; Prov. 13:2). With your words, you can help to heal those who have been broken or hurt (v. 18) and who have suffered because of lies (vv. 19–22). You can bring joy to those who are depressed and worried too (v. 25).

Lies, other sins done, and saying some other things wrong is what put Jesus up on that cross. My sins did, and yours did too. (Yesterday we celebrated Easter. Man, I don't want Christ's shed blood on that lonely tree to be in vain for me. Please confess truthfully and apply His cleansing by faith). 

Yeah, I've been guilty, but want to become wiser than I've been. I don't believe I've ever heard my dear wife, Liney, lie but she too needs Christ her Savior. But Ms. Rahab fibbed back in the day. Remember? 

By lying, Ms. Rahab prevented the capture of the Israelite spies and helped pave the way for Israel to conquer Jericho. Remarkably, Rahab is the only Gentile honored for her faith in Hebrews 11. By commending her faith, is Scripture also condoning her methods? Was hers the rarest of circumstances in which lying was the right thing to do?

Scholars and ethicists have argued over that question, going all the way back to the earliest rabbinical history. Not at all an easy question for us.

Scripture clearly teaches that “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight” (Proverbs 12:22 NKJV). God Himself cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29), and therefore He cannot condone or sanction a lie.

Some people and Christians argue that because of the serious circumstances, Rahab’s words to her interrogators were not technically a “lie,” but this was a military feint—a military stratagem that was designed to out-trick or outwit the enemy to defeat em in warfare. Then other people argue: No, any lie is acceptable if the motive serves a greater good, like in saving a person’s life. I wanna help save lives physically, and I want God to use you and me to save sinners too. Eternity is long, heaven and hell are real places. 

Such a situational approach to ethics regarding words is fraught with very serious problems.

Personally, do I see a need to try to justify Rahab’s lie. Nope. Do I see any biblical basis for defending her verbal deception as righteous? Nope. God is so powerful and wise, He certainly could have saved Rahab and the spies without her lie.

Do you remember Corrie Ten Boom and her story? She fixed watches in the Ten Boom home in Haarlem, Holland. (Visitors today can still view the actual 'hiding place. Read the book. She later attended the Costa Mesa So Cal church where I went as a teen). 

Jews were sheltered by the Ten Booms during World War 2. Yet Corrie and her family weren’t liars -- they were concerned reborn Christians with faith in God and a deep love for the Jews as we all should have. 

Corrie and her family had been hiding Jews away from the Nazis for a long time until they were betrayed by a fellow (hardhearted foolish) countryman. 

And Corrie also spoke of some German people in Deutschland who were doing this for some Jews too. Lives were being hid and saved. 

Corrie's godly sis, Betsy Ten Boom, was a very honest believer in the Netherlands where they had their watch shop. She was extraordinarily sincere and had long decided, years earlier that she would never tell a lie. It this became for her an unbreakable principle of life. 

One day some German soldiers came by unexpectedly to the door and burst in to the house to search the whole home, diligently looking for Jews to arrest. 

The legs of the table there had been nailed down to the kitchen floor inside of the home. And beneath that table was a carpet concealing a small trap door. Lifting the table up would open the door to that secret basement where people were hiding. 

Yes, there was one family of Jews hiding in that chamber under the carpet and floor. The Jews had gone down through that trap door and were hidden under the table.

One German soldier asked “Are there any Jews hidden in this house?” And Betsy Ten Boom had no time to think really, or even to pray out-loud, about what she should respond. So, she just acted on instinct? Wsas the Holy Spirit leading her with those words. Did He give them to her? This was in accordance with her ingrained habits that she had built up over many years. Betsy just blurted out “Yes, they are hiding underneath the table”. 

Did God want Betsy to say that? She could have remained silent, but she didn't. She had no biblical duty to say it. And those Nazi Germans had no right to even be in there, let alone to ask them their question. Moreover, their purpose in asking it was abominable because they hated the Jews. And they were proactively seeking to gain favor from their leaders (murderers) by arresting and killing God’s chosen people, the Jews. That's the reason why the Ten Boom family was hiding the Jesus for so long. So, Corrie’s family members were probably feeling horrified by what Betsy had just said to those Nazis.

However, God was there. His heart was evidently touched by Betsy’s sincerity and honesty. So God blessed and intervened. The Lord must have planted a thought into the German soldier’s mind, because he immediately got the wrong end of the stick it would seem. He assumed that Betsy was making fun of him and that she couldn’t possibly have meant what she had just said. He mistakenly took it as sarcasm from her, which is the exact opposite of what it actually was. He therefore must have became red-faced and foolish. So he felt that if he looked under the table everybody would laugh at him. They could already see under that table. So, he turned and left that room disgusted. The Germans then searched the whole of the rest of the house, i.e. pretty much everywhere except under the table, but they came up with nothing and nobody Jewish.

It all ended happily that day. There would be other days much harder just ahead for the family, but those Jews who had been under that table all survived the entire war. God preserved all their lives. In part, I expect He did so in honor of what Betsy had just done as she simply applied the1 Scriptures. 

Praise the Lord Jesus a thousand times -- no far more than that for all eternity! It was due to her honesty, the strength she received by grace, and the sincerity of her conviction.

God rewarded Betsy Ten Boom for doing the very opposite of what Rehab did. I like how both ladies really wanted to protect the innocent -- "love.. always protects". And that's what we, in love, are to do as well!

The Bible says that, "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection (selfless flawless sinless Jesus) comes, the imperfect disappears." 1 Cor. 13:6-10 niv #emphasis.mine

Will God always always preserve the physical life of people here when you tell the truth? Perhaps not, and we need to be ready for that. Many martyrs from the time of the Early Church were killed for sharing the truth with accuracy. But God will hear every prayer, and He will intervene with grace, with the right words and wisdom when needed. We have two fairly similar situations that where handled in totally opposite ways by two different ladies, Rahab and Betsy Ten Boom and yet God rescued people in danger, and He honored both of these women of faith.

Betsy Ten Boom didn’t reveal how far beneath that table they were in hiding there. She didn’t elaborate at all to those cruel Nazis. 

I don’t believe you always need to say everything that could be said at every point and at every moment of your life. Do you? There is some virtue in keeping your mouth shut. My dad always told me, "Kurt, God has given us two ears and one mouth so we will listen more. I find that it's when I am listening -- that's the time when I am learning."

We can listen, gain and grow the easy way via percept-learning, instead of the hard way from ignoring God's precepts. 

For witnessing-sake, I remember taking my German Gospel tracts with some Luther Scriptures on into the DDR in East Berlin before the wall fell. At Checkpoint Charlie, I was nervous a bit but wasn’t asked about any literature on me at all so I proceeded into East Germany. 

What about Brother Andrew and other believers who have smuggled Bibles into Communist Lands before (they are my heroes, the ones who are really brave. I didn't take in much)? Do you ever consider how they did their work? In the purposes of God, the Chinese authorities at different entry gates, didn’t always stop and question these Christians bringing in the Bibles.

What a wonder God is -- I praise His Holy Spirti and His awesome Name! Jesus still works in amazing ways and always achieves His long-planned sovereign purposes. My love for Him, for His truth and convictions concerning Bible truth are still intact. You and I daily should honor truth regardless of the sweat or situation. We are to wisely live spiritually uncompromising lives -- no excuses. We are to call upon His Name (silently or out-loud) in a tight or tough spot. There's no time for a lukewarm faith, or some worldly, religious, or carnal lifestyle. Too many believers compromise in foolish ways. How can they expect to be blessed and rewarded? Want to stay blessable? Then tell the truth right there in God's will for you. If you are out of His will, then repent, trust Jesus as Lord, and pray your way on into His will. Honestly go the distance with Him as your Shepherd in His will for you!  

So back to Rahab’s story, her lie was never thee point of the story. There is no need for clever rationalization to justify her lie. Scripture never commends her lie. Rahab is never applauded for her ethics. Rahab is a positive example of faith. In fact, Hebrews 11:31 explicitly commends Rahab’s hospitality to the spies and nothing more.

In the moment she lied, her faith was newborn, weak, and in need of nurture and growth. Her knowledge of Israel’s God was meager. It is likely that she had never met worshippers of God before that night. She probably had no understanding of the value He put on truthfulness.

On top of that, she was a product of a corrupt culture where ethics were virtually nonexistent. Lying was a way of life in her society—and especially in her profession. The way she responded is just what we might expect from a brand-new believer under those circumstances.

The main point is that Rahab’s new faith was commendable, as undeveloped as it was. Her faith immediately bore the fruit of good actions. What did she do in faith? She “welcomed the spies in peace” (Hebrews 11:31)—meaning that she not only hid them, but also implicitly embraced their great Cause as they obeyed the Lord. 

She thereby entrusted her whole life and future into the hands of their loving God. And the proof of her new faith was not the so called white lie she told, but the fact that “she received the messengers and sent them out by another way” (James 2:25)—when she might have asked for some money and then handed them over instead. The lie was not at all what made her actions commendable to anyone. It was the fact that she turned down an easy reward, she actually put herself in jeopardy, and thus staked everything on this God of Israel. Smart move! Nothing but biblical faith could have made such a dramatic, instantaneous change in the character of such this great woman. Follow the lead of the Lord, tell the truth and just keep your mouth shut when it's time for that. 

Q: What about when the teller of white lies along with other big fat lies is like "empowered by their group identity today?"

Then what? How do you befriend the person, how do you share the Gospel, and how do you pray effectively for, and win that person? Can God give you wisdom for that? Sure. Ask believing.

If the believer with that popular lie of the day has "a group identity' today, I mean that's supporting their specific lie, how then can you convince them of the truth of the Gospel and there need for a Savior?

Befriend them over time -- a level of relationship (time) can be a powerful witness. Focus on Jesus and Bible truth in what you prayerfully say to them.

If he or she is emboldened by a whole lot of other people who are also saying the same exact wrong thing. Look up, look out, walk wisely. Yes, if there’s a whole collection of people highly committed to their lie, and liberal lawyers, the news media, and the State backs them up with it then they’re sort of “empowered” aren't they (with that popular error). But Who is enough for you to deal with it all? Who is there for you? Who told you to go share the Gospel Message (remember the Great Commandment and the Great Commission)? Who will you pray to that can save anyone if they become humble and open to what's so? Who is the most powerful Person in the whole universe if they are sort of "empowered"? Yes, it's Jesus we go to. Facebook.com/shareJesus

::: Knowing God well and Making Him well Known! Need some help with that? Yep, gobs! :::

Hey USA, it's time to wise up and reject the lies. Let's turn back to the God of truth.

“A righteous man hates lying, but a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.” Prov. 13:5 nkjv

“A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin.” Prov. 26:28 nkjv

We need a great awakening of truth here, and a truth-based renewal for believers! God loves all people, but you know God hates a lying tongue (Prov. 6:16-19). The enemy of our souls is described as the “father of lies” (Jn. 8:44). The Devil tries hard to pull each of us away from Jesus by distorting our realities in order to steal, kill, and destroy our lives.

When our lives are stuck in the mire of fake-news (falsehoods) we cannot experience all of who God is. We need the truth of the Gospel at work in our lives to live as free people. Yep, real freedom and the piercing power of God’s truth go hand in hand.

If truth is a fundamental part of who God is, it simply follows that lying is naturally something that He is totally against. God desires us to see the world system clearly. He does not want us to get ensnared by wrong thinking and the brokenness that comes when falsehoods enter our relationships.

Has He, can He twist what's really so? No, never. "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.." Titus 1:2 kjv #emph.mine

See John 1:14, Jesus Christ was God in human flesh, full of grace and truth. And John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Scripture calls God the God of truth, Psalm 31:5. It says in Exodus 34:6, He is abundant in truth. It says in Psalm 108:4, His truth reaches to the clouds; that is to say, He is universally and limitlessly true. John 17:17 says His Word is truth. Psalm 119:160, “Your Word is true from the beginning,” and 2 Samuel 7:28, “You are God and your words are true.”

“The wicked are estranged, from the womb. They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.” Ps. 58:3

“If a ruler pays attention to lies or gives himself to lies, all his servants become wicked.” Prov. 29:12

We've had several lying rulers here. In Proverbs 29:12, God says, “If a ruler is given to lies” (this is translated a number of ways, but the basic Hebrew of it goes), “If a ruler is given to lies, all his servants become wicked.” We would put that in the simple category of “birds of a feather” - what? - “flock together.”

“When a heart is untruthful, when honesty has gone from it,” (in other words, when it’s characteristically untruthful, when it is habitually a deceptive heart, when it lies as a pattern of life)..

“then it is prepared to be the seed plot of every evil thing. Any crime is possible to a liar. He who is rotten with falsehood will break at the touch of every temptation.” ~ C.H. Spurgeon

So accurate huh! If you are an inveterate liar, if you are a liar by practice and habit and profession, and if you have trained yourself to be good at it, you don’t ever fear getting caught, you don’t ever fear getting confronted because you’re so adept at lying. And the absence of that fear of confrontation removes a great barrier to temptation. Let me tell you what I mean. If you’re devoted to the truth, if you’re committed to truth and speaking truthfully and being honest, you are restrained in temptations because you’re afraid that somebody might ask you about your life, somebody might ask you about your behavior, and you really don’t want to lie. And so that disdain for lying, that reluctance to be put in a position to have to lie becomes a restraint in the time of temptation. You see, for a person whose heart has been cultivated to being truthful, the thought of lying produces fear, guilt, shame, apprehension, anxiety.

You and I must live with people who lie, who deceive, and people who love to tell the truth too, believer. Spend more time with the latter. Be closer to those who say what's really so. We must spend some time with both types of sinners, with the forgiven and not yet forgiven, with the carnal, and the spiritual believers to know their problems, temptations and fears. Limit your time with those corrupt and not open to learn. Live real close with our God of truth in order to be used of Him to win the open unregenerate and to help solve problems. 

The righteous are honest people--we always need to be that way. They wisely encourage others to live with integrity too, to be truthful inwards, upwards, and outwards.. even in tough situations. They urge others to carefully hear the Word daily and to wisely apply the truth as they each draw nearer to God daily (See Proverbs 4). The Spirit woos us near.

Why draw near? Because in the Lord is the One who can find the best type of wisdom for any culture globally and any life.

The Holy Spirit Can Enable You To Walk Honestly. Read Ephesians 4-5.

There is a pathway set out in the book of Ephesians and in Proverbs about how to walk honestly through the messiness of life while staying primarily focused on the certainty that Jesus is real. In Proverbs the father received wisdom for honest application when he was a boy (see Chp. 4), and then he admonished his children to do the same.

I say, choose godly wisdom like he did. Live honestly today as if it’s your last day, so that all your motives, words and actions remain true. So that your straightforward biblical counsel and godly example will positively impact others. You can influence people towards God to repent, to get and walk right with Him. I say live every day real close to Him, I mean in His will, wisely doing His will as the Spirit of wisdom woos and leads you on. So that you can be used of God to point others in the right direction and help them to live honestly. Living wisely glorifies Him!

 

When you have wisdom, you have protection (Prov. 4:6) and promotion (vv. 8–9) and you will have the freedom to make progress spiritually and in others ways too (v. 12).

As you obey God’s Word, the light of life will get brighter on the pathway of life (v. 18). But this is not true if you are on the pathway of the wicked. That route is of darkness getting darker.

King Solomon emphasized having your whole person controlled by God’s Word (vv. 20–27; Col. 3:16). This will guide you on the right path and keep you from lame detours and distractions.

Sadly this era is one of many leadership lies, election lies, news lies, false teacher lies in so called churches and cult groups -- all kinds of lies, all over the place! Many lies are from the father of lies. They just tear down and destroy a country. 

Proverbs is about advisory precept learning. It's there to apply God's wisdom instead of learning the hard way. I mean if you want to grow, if you want to know Him, and if you want to become a blessing for others. 

I prefer good advisory "precept learning" rather than "pain learning" .. cuz the tuition with the later is high! Yet I prefer some learning over no learning.

An honest lifestyle can be learned. Need some examples of learning the hard-way option?

Potential learning via personal pain as the tutor..can happen..but there is a better way to learn. Today you and I can avoid a lot of heartache and other pain through taking heed to the many decent precepts in God's Word. 

Or we can ignore those advisory precepts of warning like in Proverbs and learn the hard way through personal pain. Why do that, the cost is very high. 

Learning what's true to wisely apply sure beats not gaining it. 

Hymenaeus and Alexander were given chances to learn. And there's a second occasion of this same painful type learning in Corinth where a man was sleeping with his own step mother. (Man, sounds like the serious perversion that goes on with people in our day huh). 

Paul said (in 1 Corinthians 5:5, esv): "You are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord." 

The pervert was put out from of the loving, nourishing, caring, sound Scriptural teaching at the local church. Out into the dark world where he could have an opportunity to learn that second way. Yes, their own freedom away from the Scriptural input and God's church ..in both cases.. would become their disciplinary tutor "for learning sake".. hopefully would. Can the second type of learning from experiencing pain happen with a culture? Yes it can read Romans 1. 

So who was Alexander the coppersmith in the Bible? A fool. 

I say hang tight with the people of God given to the truth instead of with hardhearted fools. Hymenaeus and Alexander were fools in the early church in Ephesus. They had “suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith” and so were “handed over to Satan” by the apostle Paul (1 Timothy 1:19–20). Hymenaeus and Alexander became examples of those who reject the true doctrine and follow the false. Examples of what not to be! Later on, Hymenaeus is mentioned with Philetus, another false teacher (see 2 Timothy 2:17). An opponent of Paul named Alexander the metalworker is mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:15–16, but whether or not this is the same Alexander mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:19 is unknown.

Paul writes to his young truthful apprentice, Timothy, for the express purpose of exhorting him to “fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience” (1 Timothy 1:18–19) while pastoring a church. Paul began his epistle with a warning against false doctrine and myths (verses 3–4) and a charge to remain true to “sound doctrine that totally conforms to the Gospel” (verses 10–11). Paul then provides the names of Hymaneaus and Alexander as examples of what can happen when someone does not fight the good fight and keep the faith and a clear conscience.

And where is that passage mentioning Hymenaeus and Alexander? Here: “Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1:18–20).

Paul does not expound on the error of Hymenaeus and Alexander. Why? Cuz Timothy obviously knew who they were and he well knew their situation. Second Timothy 2:18 gives more detail, saying that Hymanaeus and his new buddy in sin, foolish Philetus, “have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.” Paul likens their lie (false doctrine) to a gangrene that quickly spreads corruption and destroys life (verse 17).

What have you believed? What's off, or half-true? Deliver yourself (See Prov. 6:1–5) cuz lies only take a person downward. Wicked works will ensnare you (see Prov. 5:22), but can reckless words do that. You and I must be careful when we make any promises. If you and I do not learn to say "no", we will end up in bondage. We might possibly have an opportunity to learn from the pain and consequences, but the tuition cost is high.

Reminds me of an old Chinese proverb that I tweaked little bit: “There is a man who does not know and does not know that he does not know.. and ain’t even hungry to learn yet. Please pray for that poor man.

There is an honest man who does not know, but knows that he does not know and yet he is open to learn what to know. Want to even. Please teach that man what’s really so.

Q: Who are typically the best students in a University? I say they are the 40 year olds give or take a few years or people, cuz they typically aren’t in there merely for the credits, but they are motivated and open to learn what to know. They want to learn for where the rubber meets the road. Yes, it’s those students that know that they don't know as much as they need to, but they honestly want to learn and know.

There is a man who knows, but doesn't know that he knows. Please encourage him in the truth.

And there is a man who knows and knows that he really knows because he’s asked, and honestly questioned, and listened, and studied well. Please follow him as He follows Christ, and as he wisely applies God’s true precepts.

But whenever you get around somebody with dishonest questions—someone that does not know as they should, and is NOT OPEN to learn cuz they’re thinking they already do know. Just pray for them to become open, honest, hungry but if they won’t.. then just run from that guy. Spend your time with the growing, with the honest learners who are humbly open to what’s so.”

It’s better to humble yourself, to learn and pray, and to properly act on God’s precepts. It’s better to keep on with that and live free, seeing others freed. That’s far better than to let your pride run you and ruin you. Why lie to yourself, why wander and flounder deceived and then suffer if you don’t have to? Learn the easy way instead of the hard way.

Please un-deceive yourself in the Word and learn of Him. Stop lying to yourself once and for all.

Only take in and embrace what’s a hundred percent so (true). Yes, filter out that nice sounding music that’s connected to lying lyrics. You know, stuck with worldly (worthless) chaff that the worldlings love to hear and consume. Teach yourself well (vv. 6:6–11).

And learn truth from the world of nature (Prov. 30:15–31). The ant makes good use of opportunities to prepare for the future, rather than suffering hunger at that time, but the sluggard is aimless, foolish, lazy and ends up in poverty.

Live spiritually well, rather than spiritually sick and off. Guard your eyes, your mind, your attitude, yes your heart—guard family too (12–35, Prov. 24:3, 4:23).

Watch out for the worldly and carnal people who would be your closest of friends. Watch out for that lying, perverse, selfish, wicked spiritually dead man (vv. 12–19) and the evil deceitful woman too (vv. 20–35). Influence for the Lord instead of becoming negatively influenced downwards.

Learn to hate what God hates, and why He does, and to the same degree that He hates it. Learn to love what and who God loves, to the same degree that He does, and then you will enjoy what God enjoys.

Listen to what is true. Discern which parts are true of what you hear. Read the truth, meditate upon it, wisely apply and memorize Bible truth. Walk in it daily—walk in the word (see Prov. 8)! Wisdom’s first call was from the crowded city square and streets (see Proverbs 1:20-33) -- she is “where the paths meet” (see v. 2).

When you are confronted with truth, then you are at a place of decision, and the decision you make will have inevitable consequences. You are where you are now according to the decisions you’ve thus far made. Keep your ears open and listen to God’s wisdom (vv. 6, 32, 34). Love Him who is the truth more than any and everything else! Yes, love Him the most among all there is. Wisdom says, “I love those who love me” (v. 17).

Love wisdom rather than wealth (vv. 10–11, 18–21), for wisdom will enrich your life for eternity. Verses 22–31 make you think of Jesus Christ, who is the Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 2:3). To love the true words and message of the 66 Bible books means you will love God to that degree.

To love wisdom is to love Christ, and when you love Christ, you will live for Him. Linger in the places of truth, not at the places of fake news!

Spend time with growing people who love the truth. Yes, be daily at wisdom’s door as you read God’s inerrant Scriptures. Never stop meditating upon His truth. According to verse 14, God will give you true counsel (on what and when to do), true wisdom (how to do it right), true understanding (why you do it right), and true strength (the ability to 100% do it right for His glory). Instead of serving as a fibbing slave, you will reign as an honest king (vv. 15–16).

The honest person is wise and takes advantage of God-given opportunities (see Prov. 10:5) and will obey authoritative orders (v. 8). Wise people gather knowledge (v. 14) and boldly share it clearly with others so they can understand (vv. 13, 21, 31). They also know when to be quiet (v. 19). They do not jest about sin (v. 23), but are serious about obeying the Lord 24/7/365.

The righteous people have God’s protection and provision (vv. 2–3, 24–25), and God blesses them in life (v. 6) and after physical death too (v. 7). Their true words give life to others (vv. 11, 20–21, 31–32), and their works will be blessed and they’ll prosper (v. 16). Their future is secure (v. 30) and joyful (v. 28).

If you are wise, prayerful and righteous, those good traits will be revealed by your good conversations (vv. 6, 11, 14, 20–21, 31–32) as well as by your works.

The wise person’s words are sincere. They are honest. They are like silver (see Prov. 10:20), a tree of life (Prov. 15:4), food (Prov. 10:21), refreshing water (Prov. 10:11; 18:4), and medicine (Prov. 12:18). They should be well seasoned with salt (Col. 4:6) and must never become destructive (James 3:1–12).

Opt to stop lying because the Lord is the God of truth. Yes, the Lord hates a lying tongue (Prov. 6:17; 12:22). With lies, people cover their true feelings up (Prov. 10:18) and they promote hypocrisy (Prov. 26:23–26). Liars do not last (Prov. 12:19), but lies can go on for years and do so much damage. Wealth gained by lies is fleeting away (see Prov. 21:6), and all liars will one day be punished for their sinful habit (Prov. 19:5, 9). If God hates lies as He does, then we too must hate them like He does or learn to (Prov. 13:5). Ponder and re-ponder Ephesians 4:17–32.

God uses the honest lips of the righteous to bring deliverance (see Prov. 12:6), but the mouth of the wicked brings bondage (12:13).

Tell it straight all nine yards of the truth so to speak, yes, the message of Life. Do you have friends that need His salvation, then go tell? Right words must begin with right thoughts, right motives (v. 5) and a love for learning (v. 1), and this is where the ungodly person fails. Truthful words bring good to others and false words don’t (Prov. 10:21) and also to those who speak them (v. 14; Prov. 13:2). With your words, you can help to heal those who have been hurt (v. 18) and who have suffered because of lies (vv. 19–22). You can bring joy to those who are depressed and worried (v. 25). Be alert today for God-given opportunities to speak healing words to hurting people.

Listen to honest rebuke and instruction based on truth (Prov. 13:1). Learn to take honest advice (13:10) and true discipline (13:24).

Wisely walk with the saved honest people (v. 20) and listen to their conversation (v. 14), and you will become more like them. As you meditate on the Word of God, you walk with the wisest of the wise, so do not neglect the Scriptures (v. 13).

This chapter also offers counsel concerning wealth. Diligent people will work and gain wealth (v. 4) and not get it dishonestly (v. 11). verse 7 cautions you not to be rich in the things money can buy while you ignore the things money cannot buy. The rich are often poorer than the poor when it comes to what really counts!

Watch out for lyin’ fools! Their speech can misinform and tear you down (see Prov. 14:7), for their words are like a rod that hurts (v. 3). You cannot trust what they say – fake news, sometimes all the way (v. 8); they mock at sin (v. 9); and they rage in their self-confidence (v. 16). Be sure to watch out for their temper (vv. 17, 29); it can get you and them into trouble. When you fear the Lord, you say what’s so and your walk is marked by uprightness (vv. 2, 16), confidence (v. 26), and protection (v. 27). The fear of the Lord is better than the folly of fools.

Be wise instead of old-foolish or young-foolish (Prov. 19). Wise people tell the truth, confess their sins, submit to the Lord and walk a straight way, but fools lie. They argue with the Lord and twist the truth and their way (19:3). Wealth is no evidence of wisdom (v. 10); in fact, a fool only wastes wealth. Sincere people daily look to God for His wisdom (see Prov. 20) and choose to remain honest. They consider the consequences of their thoughts, decisions and actions. It’s far better to stop lying and troublemaking at the beginning and just repent (v. 3).

Sleep is essential to good health, but the afterward of too much sleep is poverty (vv. 4, 13). A dishonest business deal may be profitable to crooks financially, but they will not enjoy the aftertaste (v. 17). Don’t be like them. You may enjoy getting your inheritance now, but afterward it may do you more harm than good (v. 21). Remember what happened to the prodigal son (Luke 15:11ff.).

Rash promises have an afterward of regret – be very careful to be honest (verse 25; Eccles. 5:1–7), but loving discipline has an afterward of positive reform. Ponder Hebrews 12:3–11, and especially note v. 11. 

God wants faithfulness and fruitfulness from you (see Prov. 21). He wants full honesty from you, and righteousness and justice in our lives, not simply empty religious ceremonies (v. 3; 1 Sam. 15:22; Mark 12:38–44).

Think on the emphasis of justice (vv. 3, 7, and 15). God sees the wicked—their pride (v. 4), violence (v. 7), evil desires (v. 10), false confidence (v. 12), sinful sacrifices (v. 27), and hardness of heart (v. 29)—and He will judge them in due time.

The wicked may try to outmaneuver God, but God will have His way (v. 30; Prov. 19:21).

The wise person builds while others tear down (see Prov. 24:1–4) and is strong for the battles of life (vv. 5–6). There is no need to faint (v. 10); and if you fall, you need not stay down (vv. 15–16 and Ps. 37:23–24.)

The wise person seeks to deliver people who have been unjustly condemned (vv. 11–12). If you hide your head and fail to help when you can, God will judge you (James 4:17). At the same time, be careful not to rejoice when an enemy falls (vv. 17–18), fret when the wicked prosper (vv. 19–20), or pay back those who may have hurt you (vv. 28–29).

The wise person labors while there is opportunity (v. 27) and does not live for ease and pleasure (vv. 30–34; 6:6–11). Follow the example of your Master (John 9:4).

You should limit your time with the lyin’ fool (see Prov. 26:1–12). Don’t take heed to what they say, but witness to them in love.

Influence for God or avoid. You cannot change them by promotion (vv. 1, 8), correction (v. 3), or admonition (vv. 4–5). If you answer a fool, do not stoop to his level of folly or you will make him think you have elevated him to wisdom. If he becomes open to spiritual things the lead him in prayer.. to the Son of God. Otherwise no matter how much you correct him, he goes right back into folly (v. 11; 2 Pet. 2:22).

The second is the sluggard (vv. 13–16) who has excuses for everything. He has motion but no progress (v. 14) and is even too lazy to feed himself (v. 15)! You are wasting your time trying to help him (v. 16; 27:22).

The troublemaker (vv. 17–28) is the third problem person. This category includes meddlers (v. 17), pranksters (vv. 18–19), talebearers (vv. 20–22), and deceivers (vv. 23–28). Where are you? Are you anywhere in these chapters? 

Photo by Jon Tyson

The honest person is wise and takes advantage of God-given opportunities (see Prov. 10:5) and will obey orders (v. 8). Wise people gather knowledge (v. 14) and share it with others (vv. 13, 21, 31). They also know when to be quiet (v. 19). They do not jest about sin (v. 23) but are serious about obeying the Lord.

The righteous have God’s protection and provision (vv. 2–3, 24–25), and He blesses them in life (v. 6) and after death (v. 7). Their words give life (vv. 11, 20–21, 31–32), and their works prosper (v. 16). Their future is secure (v. 30) and joyful (v. 28). If you are wise and righteous, those traits will be revealed by your words (vv. 6, 11, 14, 20–21, 31–32) as well as by your works.

The wise person’s words are honest. They are like silver (Prov. 10:20), a tree of life (Prov. 15:4), food (Prov. 10:21), refreshing water (Prov. 10:11; 18:4), and medicine (Prov. 12:18). They should be seasoned with salt (Col. 4:6) and must not become destructive (James 3:1–12).

Liars need to get real, because He is a God of truth, the Lord hates a lying tongue (Prov. 6:17; 12:22). With lies, people cover their true feelings (Prov. 10:18) and promote hypocrisy (Prov. 26:23–26). Liars do not last (Prov. 12:19), but lies can go on for years and do great damage. Wealth gained by lies is fleeting (Prov. 21:6), and all liars will one day be punished (Prov. 19:5, 9). If God hates lies, we must hate them, too (Prov. 13:5). Ponder Ephesians 4:17–32.

God uses the honest lips of the righteous to bring deliverance (see Prov. 12:6), but the mouth of the wicked brings bondage (v. 13). Tell it straight the message of Life, do you have friends that need His salvation? Right words must begin with right thoughts, right motives (v. 5) and a love for learning (v. 1), and this is where the ungodly person fails. Truthful words bring good to others and false words don’t (Prov. 10:21) and also to those who speak them (v. 14; Prov. 13:2). With your words, you can help to heal those who have been hurt (v. 18) and who have suffered because of lies (vv. 19–22). You can bring joy to those who are depressed and worried (v. 25).

Be alert today for God-given opportunities to speak healing words to hurting people.

Listen to honest rebuke and instruction based on truth (see Prov. 13:1). Learn to take honest advice (v. 10) and true discipline (v. 24). Wisely walk with the saved honest people (v. 20) and listen to their conversation (v. 14), and you will become more like them. As you meditate on the Word of God, you walk with the wisest of the wise, so do not neglect the Scriptures (v. 13). The chapter also offers counsel concerning wealth. Diligent people will work and gain wealth (v. 4) and not get it dishonestly (v. 11). verse 7 cautions you not to be rich in the things money can buy while you ignore the things money cannot buy. The rich are often poorer than the poor when it comes to what really counts!

Watch out for lyin’ fools (Prov. 14)! Their speech can misinform and tear you down (v. 7), for their words are like a rod that hurts (v. 3). You cannot trust what they say – fake news, sometimes all the way (v. 8); they mock at sin (v. 9); and they rage in their self-confidence (v. 16). Be sure to watch out for their temper (vv. 17, 29); it can get you and them into trouble. When you fear the Lord, you say what’s so and your walk is marked by uprightness (vv. 2, 16), confidence (v. 26), and protection (v. 27). The fear of the Lord is better than the folly of fools.

Both wise and foolish people will give an account. Wise people tell the truth, confess their sins, submit to the Lord and walk a straight way (Prov. 19), but fools lie. They argue with the Lord and twist the truth and their way (v. 3). Wealth is no evidence of wisdom (v. 10); in fact, a fool only wastes wealth. Honest people daily look to God for His wisdom (Prov. 20). They consider the consequences of their thoughts, decisions and actions. It’s far better to stop lying and troublemaking at the beginning and just repent (v. 3). Sleep is essential to good health, but the afterward of too much sleep is poverty (vv. 4, 13). A dishonest business deal may be profitable to crooks financially, but they will not enjoy the aftertaste (v. 17). Don’t be like them. You may enjoy getting your inheritance now, but afterward it may do you more harm than good (v. 21). Remember what happened to the prodigal son (Luke 15:11ff.).

Rash promises have an afterward of regret – be very careful to be honest (verse 25; Eccles. 5:1–7), but loving discipline has an afterward of positive reform. Ponder Hebrews 12:3–11, and especially note v. 11. 

God wants faithfulness and fruitfulness from you. He wants full honesty (see Prov. 21), righteousness and justice in our lives, not simply empty religious ceremonies (v. 3; 1 Sam. 15:22; Mark 12:38–44). Note the emphasis on justice (vv. 3, 7, and 15).

God sees the wicked—their pride (v. 4), violence (v. 7), evil desires (v. 10), false confidence (v. 12), sinful sacrifices (v. 27), and hardness of heart (v. 29)—and He will judge them in due time.

The wicked may try to outmaneuver God, but God will have His way (v. 30; Prov. 19:21).

The wise person builds up (see Prov. 24), while others tear down (vv. 1–4) and is strong for the battles of life (vv. 5–6). There is no need to faint (v. 10); and if you fall, you need not stay down (vv. 15–16). (See Ps. 37:23–24). The wise person seeks to deliver people who have been unjustly condemned (vv. 11–12). If you hide your head and fail to help when you can, God will judge you (James 4:17). At the same time, be careful not to rejoice when an enemy falls (vv. 17–18), fret when the wicked prosper (vv. 19–20), or pay back those who may have hurt you (vv. 28–29).

The wise person labors while there is opportunity (v. 27) and does not live for ease and pleasure (vv. 30–34; 6:6–11). Follow the example of your Master (John 9:4).

You should limit your time with the lyin’ fool (see Prov. 26:1–12). Don’t take heed to what fools say, but witness to them in love. Influence for God or avoid. You cannot change them by promotion (vv. 1, 8), correction (v. 3), or admonition (vv. 4–5). If you answer a fool, do not stoop to his level of folly or you will make him think you have elevated him to wisdom. If he becomes open to spiritual things the lead him in prayer..to the Son of God. Otherwise no matter how much you correct him, he goes right back into folly (v. 11; 2 Pet. 2:22).

The second is the sluggard (vv. 13–16) who has excuses for everything. He has motion but no progress (v. 14) and is even too lazy to feed himself (v. 15)! You are wasting your time trying to help him (v. 16; 27:22).

The troublemaker (vv. 17–28) is the third problem person. This category includes meddlers (v. 17), pranksters (vv. 18–19), talebearers (vv. 20–22), and deceivers (vv. 23–28). Think about it, are you anywhere in this chapter?

Proverbs has a lot of helpful advisory precept learning there for you. It's there for you to learn and apply God's precepts (wisdom) instead of having to learn the hard way. I mean it’s there for you if you want to grow well, if you want to know Him well, and if you want to become a blessing for others.

Personally, I prefer good advisory type of "precept learning" over that "pain learning" .. cuz the tuition for truth with the latter is high! Yet I prefer some learning over no learning. I have had some pain learning too cuz of idiotic choices. 

We all can turn, trust, give ourselves to Him who is the truth. We can learn wisdom and truth from the Lord via praying and wisely applying Bible precepts.

In the church nave and outside of the nave, Proverbs can give prudence to the naive. To any that are. Who is that? That's the young guy or girl in church that needs to be up close where the new hungry converts would sit to learn. My Bible uses that word, which is a good word translated: simple. There’s a positive way to be simple and there's a negative way too.

An immature person is simple. An ignorant person is simple. A child is simple in a good sort of way. BTW Every sound preacher needs the head of a diligent scholar, the heart of a simple child and the skin of a rhinoceros. 

Simple means singular, or a simple number, or a simple element, or a simple chemical -- "that is one singular thing." Yes, for us humans “simplicity” is used in the Bible in both a good sense and in a bad sense. God is jealous in a good way, but we can be in a bad sort of way. Ambition can be good or bad. Are you selfishly ambitious? 

We are to have the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ and not ever become too complex. We're not to be double-minded or with duplicity of motives, but in the area of foolishness you and I are not to be simple. Foolish simpleness is when you always do what you feel like doing, and when you do feel that. It's always doing what people command you to do without testing it against the word. It’s embracing what you externally see when you do see it cuz you saw it. Yes, it’s what somebody tells you to do and then you always do it without thinking it through for yourself. Are you gullible? If you're a foolish dude in the inner city, be not too simple. They often don’t see past the bling, and the women, and the fancy race cars of the drug dealers.

A lot of kids in the inner city struggle because of simplicity. Yes, hose dudes with all the bling and all the "labels and looks" and all the scantily clad women oftentimes are the pimps and drug dealers and yet the simple refuse to look past their facade to the long-term consequences to differentiate and wisely evaluate.

Their path and buddies can take you down. And so Christ would clearly talk about the narrow way and the popular broad way for fools, and the house built on the sand instead of the better house built on the rock. The houses look the same, but they don't end up in the same place. And so wisdom for the godly is when you are not simple in a bad sort of way.

When you can think an antithesis, That's why it has been said that the greatest contribution to the human kind has been made from the believing Jew that taught us how to think an antithesis through. Hey, that is wrong. That is right. That has a few steps that are right, and more that are wrong. I like the "Thus saith the Lord" verses. That is best, that's better for you, but this is best for you -- let the Lord lead you to that Bible teaching church over there. 

And so the ability to have moral discretion is important and so is Proverbs. It is for the simple or in verse 4 for the youth, a child does not have intuitive godly wisdom yet, but he can in Christ. Christ is our wisdom.

That's why children can sometimes embarrass you in public. A child has to learn by what's so in two different ways. They can gain knowledge and wisdom by precept learning or the hard way. Precepts in proverbs go something like: Don't do this and you can learn better. If you don't want to learn by precepts child, you can learn by the pain from ignoring God's precepts -- that's where you experience it firsthand. You can learn by opportunities God gives you too.

Before you do it, please don't do this or that. But if you do what God says don't do then you can learn after you go do it.. where you get your own posteriority kicked by life. Okay, and that's where you violate His Word and you feel the pain of that violation. But God is gracious and often gives us sinners' a second chance. 

And so the book of Proverbs is for the youth to give precept-learning instead of for them to learn the hard way. That's why the Bible teaches us to rise up before the gray-headed, because the gray-headed have already been beaten up in life. The gray head is typically found in the way of righteousness, because if they've been really evil then guess what.. they're probably already dead. 

Do colleges or lower schools teach students moral discretion today? Nope, but they used to. Many (not all) Christian Bible colleges and seminaries do. 

And so if the Bible is not being taught in there, the students won't be given the chance to make moral discernment a priority as they should. So they're going to have to learn two generations later when their civilization collapses, right? It appears to be happening here in the USA. Check out the history of Cuba, and Germany and Russia. All of the foolish leaders and others who have punted biblical truth away. They suffered. It will catch up to you after a while (now see verse 5 and 6).

It's so important to be a righteous, wise man or woman, boy or girl, and to hear the living Word address you. Yes, to hear His voice, to follow the Holy Spirit's lead and to increase in learning Bible truth for wise application. 

It's imperative to be what is called humbly teachable and growing spiritually in Christ. 

“And the serpent said to the woman, you shall not surely die..” Genesis 3:4 (and that from the snake directly went against what God had already told Adam and Eve) 

“You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another." Leviticus 19:11 esv

“I hate and abhor lying: but your law do I love.” Psalms 119:163

"Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit, but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One." Hosea 11:12 esv

“...but Judah still rules with God, and remains faithful, along with the godly ones." int’l.s.v.

“The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” Zephaniah 3:13

“You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and stayed not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” John 8:44

“But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?” Acts 5:3 

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29

“Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds..” Colossians 3:9

“Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron..” 1 Timothy 4:2

“My brothers, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” James 3:1

“For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie.” Revelation 22:15