S159P6 – Warnings against foolishness: wasted oil

Pro. 21:20 There is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it. When a person first starts living for the Lord, he or she will be taught how life changes because of what God gives us.  That moment of justification is about the transformation of the individual…

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S159P5 – Warnings against foolishness: well-chosen words

Pro. 15:1-2 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.  The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. The scriptures tell us quite a bit of how we are to speak.  These instructions guide us on how to address authority figures with…

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S159P4 – Warnings against foolishness: keep good company

Pro. 13:20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. Influence can be a great battle of wills.  This is particularly the case when one is outnumbered.  If you have one child behaving badly and one behaving well, and you pair them together, it will be…

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S159P3 – Warnings against foolishness: every fool revealed

Pro. 13:15-16 Good understanding gains favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard.  Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool lays open his folly. The world is full of charlatans, and we know this.  We have heard of and maybe even have experienced false teachers who eventually are unveiled as such.  Perhaps…

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S159P2 – Warnings against foolishness: each is accountable

Pro. 9:10-12 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you.  If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, and if you scoff, you will bear it…

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S159P1 – Warnings against foolishness: the danger is real

Pro. 17:12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly. The metaphor of a mother bear fearlessly protecting her cubs is a commonly used one.  It paints a picture of an animal who is big, strong, wild, and angry.  She will do whatever it takes to…

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S158P6 – Harvest imagery: the two harvests

Rev. 14:14-20 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.  And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud,…

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S158P5 – Harvest imagery: the workers and the field

1 Cor. 3:7-11 [N]either he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.  He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.  For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.  According to the grace…

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S158P4 – Harvest imagery: first things first

Jer. 2:1-3 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, thus says the LORD, ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.  Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits…

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