Series in Proverbs - The Lamp That Shines

                   

The Lamp That Shines

Proverbs 6:20-29

Jesus spoke a parable about not hiding the truth but let it be exposed to all people. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.(Matt. 5:14-16 ESV) The same is true of parenting, parents need to have the truth and speak it to all in their home. Setting the lamp of truth so that all may see (or hear). 

The proactive teachings of the father and mother are important, because they teach the children the correct ways, manners, and rightness of life. I wished this were true for every family, but truth be told, a great majority of today’s families don’t talk with each other, the children don’t see their parents but for a few hours during the day. In those few hours, there is very little instruction on right living, and for many it is reactive to a troubling situation. Solomon and his wives didn’t have to contend with technology in their time, and the direct communication between father, mother, and children seems proactive from the text and based on one of the commandments from God. “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. (Ex. 20:12 NIV)

So let’s look at the first portion of our text, “My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life…”

Solomon picks up talking directly to his son again, they are sitting down with the children and exhorting them compassionately of the truths of scripture. The keeping of the commandments was of top priority in any Jewish home, and the fifth commandment was strictly adhered to because it was a commandment with a promise of long life attached. The children understood the showing of respect, reverence, and obedience to their parents that God required of all His people.

Solomon’s emphasis on the commandments of God also went for the commands of the parents to the children and the parents to God. He enforces the concept of good principles and morality, the keeping and not forsaking of the parental teachings. Solomon goes to the extent of wanting them to bind them to their minds and heart, the sources of life in a person. 

These commands will be a light in their life, guiding them wherever they walked and lived. The guidance of these commands even affected the sleeping times so that the mind, body, spirit, and soul can be at peace and rest. And as the Word of God they are divinely given to lead them in God’s pathway. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path…The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” (Ps. 119:1-5,130 NIV)  The Word of God brings correction and instruction to a person who will heed it and yield to it. 

Application - Spending time proactively teaching the timeless Truth of God’s commands should be a priority in a home, but again not every home is being led by Godly parents. I know of what I say because for a portion of my children’s lives I wasn’t living for God nor was I honoring Him by training my children in His ways and His Word. I come back to a turning point in my early life in Christ, where at an altar service at church I sobbed in repentance because I hadn’t been the Godly leader in my home, and that I had three precious children that needed the wisdom, guidance, and knowledge from God, and Godly parents. I repented and began to be proactive in my children’s lives. 

And like Solomon, I wanted them to hear the word and also heed and yield to the Word of God. In their younger years, we instilled the importance of following and obeying Mom and Dad’s teachings. They memorized scripture and learned to apply it to their lives, binding the teachings to their heart, mind and life. It wasn't until the testing of the teenage years that we reaped the blessings of being proactive in their younger lives. But there were many bumps and stumbles but God is faithful to keep them even when they went astray. “Train up a child in the way he should go,

and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Prov. 22:6 NKJV)

I remember one of the verses that they learned in their younger years was Psalms 119:105. Even my oldest son who was mildly autistic and could barely speak could recite this verse from memory.

Now they are all in their forties and living for God with their own children and one with grandchildren to train in the ways of God and His commands.

Next, Solomon again warns his son to stay away from the tempter and temptress, the schemes and wiles that they use to try to trip up people’s lives. So let’s read the last portion of the text. “…keeping you from your neighbor’s wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman. Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man’s wife preys on your very life. Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.”

If there was anyone who was familiar with the consequences of adultery it would be Solomon, for his dad and mother were both guilty of the sin. But Solomon probably had other people in mind when he contemplated the sin of adultery. First, Solomon knew the commandments and their absolute abstinence on immorality. The seventh and the tenth commandment explicitly forbade these acts of the flesh and heart. “You shall not commit adultery…“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife…anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Ex. 20:14-17 NIV)

Solomon drew a clear list of the wiles and schemes of the temptress: smooth talk, and the lusting of the eyes because of physical features, and all of this is from a wayward straying spouse. 

Solomon describes the effect of the sin of adultery as walking on scorching hot coals. He said won’t the feet be burned and affect walking correctly in the future, or won’t the clothes catch on fire because of the intensity of the fire and heat? In the end, the ramification of the act of adultery goes way beyond the ensuing couple and many others (family and children) are wronged and generational troubles become the lasting results. As Solomon remembers from his own life.

Application - In short answer, the whole effect of adultery is being seen amongst a great many in the world today. The sin of adultery is clearly visible in the destruction and the breaking up of the family unit which are devastating children and others in the family. 

Solomon again personally knew of the heart ache and mind numbing effect that adultery had. But God also knows the end from the beginning and is the author of reconciliation. Not only with Himself but among those guilty of the act of adultery and the healing of the catastrophic results of sin on the family members. God loves His creation, but He hates sin with a passion. Today, if you have been affected by an act of adultery, by choice or by association, God desires that you come to Him. Just as David wrote in Psalms 51, there is restoration and reconciliation for the adulterers and for the fractured family.

As always, I want to end with presenting the gospel in the form of the ABC’s of salvation for all those who have not yet received Jesus Christ for salvation. For Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I have revised my webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. Thank you. 

http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com