PROVERBS 4:10-15, 20-27
THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IS INDICATED BY HIS TEACHING
V.10. "Hear, my son, and accept my sayings, And the years of your life will be many."
NASB
A. "Hear my son"
1. This indicates a personal relationship with the Father
2. This indicates a family relationship.
a. When we accepted Jesus as our personal Savior, it became personal and
we became part of God's family.
B. This is a loving relationship.
1. God's love for us is indicated by the giving of His Word to us; "accept my saying".
2. God's love for us is indicated by the giving of an understanding of His Word.
a. The world is not giving the ability to understand His Word.
b. The world does not have the teacher (Holy Spirit) of His Word.
C. God's love for us comes with promises
1. "Years of life will be many."
2. God's love for us comes with provisions
a. To live long means He will supply our needs.
3. God's love comes with protection.
a. To live long means God will protect us.
V. 11. " I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths."
A. God's love for us comes with guidance and directions.
1. Wisdom is a precious jewel.
a. It cannot be brought.
b. It can only be obtained with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
B. The Bible is a permanent record of God's Word.
1. God's Word is true and unchangeable.
2. If we follow God's Word we will always be on the right path.
3. If we follow God's Word, we will be guided in making proper decisions.
4. We must study and mediate on the Word of God to be ready to apply it to our
daily situations.
V. 12. When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; And if you run, you will not
stumble.
A. One who lives according to the Word of God takes times to consider every action
or decision.
1. He is honest and fair in his dealing with others.
a. When you are honest and fair, you don't have to look over your shoulders.
2. He will not be embarrassed by his decisions because his ways are strait (that is his
ways are strict. wisdom is a narrow way).
B There are times when speed is required.
1. He will not stumble because his actions are according to the Word of the Lord.
2. Because he cannot change the order of things, God will order his steps so he will
not stumble.
V.13. "Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life."
A. Having received God Word, we must make it our business to hold on to it.
1. Because of the trials of life, we must not become impatient or weary.
2. We are tempted most in troubled times to stray away from God's rule.
3. Satan is always busy trying to temp us in straying from God's rule.
4. It is in tough times when what we believe about God is tested.
B. We must at all times let the Word be our hope and encouragement.
1. Jesus is the Word. Because He is, we can't bear to let him go.
V.14. "Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not proceed in the way of evil men."
A. Here is a great caution. If you see evil coming, go the other way!
1. Do not entertain the evil ways of men; you may get comfortable in them.
2. Do not even consider the evil ways of men. Evil ways begin with evil thoughts.
a. Evil thoughts considered, soon become evil ways.
V.15. "Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away from it and pass on."
A. Evil is all around us.
1. The only way to avoid evil is to put on the whole armor of God.
2. We must meditate on the Word of God.
a. God is our path around evil.
3. We must keep evil a distance from us. We can easily be drawn to it.
V.20. "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
A. Hear is our path away from evil. Meditate on the Word.
1. We must listen carefully to the Word of God.
a. Listen as if this is the most important thing for this moment.
2. We must manage our time. No we must manage God's time
3. We could give attention to the world, but world will lead us astray.
a. Attention to the world is a poor use of God's time.
B. Attention to the Word is most profitable.
1. It is a source of comfort.
2. It is a source of hope.
3. It is a source of Joy.
4. It is a source of right directions.
5. It is the only path to heaven.
V.21. " Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. "
A. God gives us directions for handling His Word.
1. We must Keep sight of His Word.
2. The Word is the light of life
3. The Word is the rule of life
4. The Word is the straight and narrow path of life
5. The Word is the only source of good advice.
B. We must keep the Word in our heart.
1. Out of the heart flows the issues of life.
2. The Word must be stored in our heart where we ponder and meditate.
3. The Heart is the door to the soul
4. The Word is food for the soul.
5. The Word is a treasure worth more than all the gold and precious jewels.
6. We must empty our hearts of the world to store up the Word.
V.22. " For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their whole body."
A. The Spiritual life is guided only by the Word.
1. The spiritual life can only grow by the Word.
2. It is the Word that draws us closer to the Father.
3. It is by the Word that we understand the Father.
a. We can't know who the Father is unless we study His Word.
b. We can't know the goodness of God unless we study His Word.
B. Our mental health is based on the Word.
1. Jesus said that Father sent the Holy Spirit to teach us all thing and remind us of
Word (John 14:26).
2. Our mental health controls our physical health.
a. It is our faith in Jesus that makes us well.
b. It is our faith in Jesus that makes us whole.
V.23. " Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life."
A. The Word keeps the mind from vanity.
1. The Word keeps our understanding clear of error .
2. The Word guides our thoughts and clears our mind of bad thoughts
3. It is by the Word that we pray and an sanctify our soul.
4. It is by the Word that faith grows.
B. The heart is the place where all actions of life are derived.
1. The heart is the seat of Spiritual life.
2. The heart guided by the Word springs right principles directed to right ends.
3. Great care should be taken of the heart, because the goodness of life depends on
it.
V.24. "Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put devious lips far from you."
A. A deceitful mouth comes from a heart that is void of the Word or a heart that
ignores God's Word.
B. A heart guided by the Word will not flow devious words.
V.25. " Let your eyes look directly ahead, And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of
you."
A. Our eyes should be focused on the path of truth and holiness
1. We should not look to the right or to the left, but straight ahead to the path of life.
a. To the right or left is the world which distracts us from the path.
B. In front of us is faith, hope, joy and eternal life.
V.26. " Watch the path of your feet, And all your ways will be established. "
A. A Heart guided by the Word will consider what is right or wrong and be
guided in the right path.
B. It is the righteousness of God that establishes our ways.
1. It is the righteousness of God that keeps us steady and constant and
guides us in divine truths.
2. The promises of God are fulfilled in our lives when we focused and driven
by God's truths.
V.27. "Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil."
A. The path of righteousness is the narrow way
1. The path of life proceed on the narrow way.
2. The path of light is the narrow way.
B. Darkness is to the right or left.
1. Evil lurks outside of the narrow path.
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