Archives: Pastors' Corner

Let’s read Proverbs 17:15-16: He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.  16 Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Since he has no heart for it? Verse 15 is a very interesting verse to me.  We often see people who choose to justify the wicked…they make excuses for others or for themselves when they choose the path of sin.  I think we’ve all done this at some time or another.  But the more subtle warning is found in the second part […]

Let’s read Proverbs 17:13-14: Whoever rewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.  14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water;
Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts. My focus this morning is on verse 14.  I think the imagery that Solomon, the writer of this proverb, uses is right on target.  When you release water, it runs in all kinds of places and can do all kinds of damage.  Many of us have seen footage of a dam that cracks and breaks.  The water goes everywhere and really cannot be controlled.  But it can be controlled if it […]

Many of us know the phrase “stranger danger”.  It is a phrase which is meant to remind us that strangers can be dangerous.  Children need to be very careful around people they don’t know.  The Bible warns us of “fool danger”, the potential of danger that comes from hanging around fools.  Let’s read Proverbs 17:10-12:  Rebuke is more effective for a wise man
Than a hundred blows on a fool.  11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.  12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly. […]

Let’s read Proverbs 17:6-9 with an emphasis on verse 9: Children’s children are the crown of old men,
And the glory of children is their father.  7 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
Much less lying lips to a prince.  8 A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.  9 He who covers a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter separates friends. The counsel of God’s word here is very clear and forthright.  Whenever possible we are to cover a transgression.  We are not to repeat it and not to tell others about […]

We all enjoy tests don’t we?  Well, most of us don’t really enjoy tests but we at least acknowledge the benefit of tests.  Tests reveal the knowledge that we have…both to our teachers and to us ourselves.  God tests His people.  He doesn’t test us to reveal our knowledge to Him.  He already knows that.  But he does test us to reveal something about ourselves to each of us.  Let’s read Proverbs 17:2-3:  A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame,
And will share an inheritance among the brothers.  3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace […]

Proverbs 17:1 sets up a very interesting contrast.  Let’s read it: Better is a dry morsel with quietness,
Than a house full of feasting with strife. What do you think?  Do you agree with Solomon (the writer of Proverbs) and with God on this one?  I think I agree with this proverb.  What we really have here is a contrast between two different “things”.  The first part of the contrast relates to “stuff”.  The dry morsel is contrasted with feasting.  I think that all of us would choose feasting over dry morsel.  Restaurants advertising “all you can eat” tend to do […]

Have you ever heard anyone say, “I have no luck”.  If you’ve ever said that I have good news for you…your statement is 100% correct.  But even if you found a $20 bill on the ground or won the lottery (don’t recommend playing the lottery by the way), you still have “no luck”.  What is “luck”?  Is it some kind of force or energy that comes your way every now in some sort of haphazard way?  Can you bend this energy or force to your will by wearing the cut off foot of a dead rabbit (hopefully cleaned up a […]

Let’s read Proverbs 16:32:  He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,  
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. The word of God has much to say about anger.  Anger is a very dangerous emotion that God’s word cautions us against many, many times.  In this proverb we are told that someone who is slow to anger is better than the mighty.  Is that what we would intuitively think?  If you’ve ever seen the “Incredible Hulk” you see how anger turns into great strength…and green skin…and the need for new shirts and […]

Silver is “Golden” Today we are just going to take one verse, Proverbs 16:31:  The silver-haired head is a crown of glory,
If it is found in the way of righteousness. In the time when Solomon wrote this proverb, I doubt that many people had access to Grecian Formula or “Just for Men” hair coloring.  I’m sure there were some hair dyes available but for the most part, I think that people displayed their natural hair color.  The graying of your hair is mostly linked to genetics…and for most people the older they get, the more gray hair they get.  Yet, […]