THE SCHOOL OF DO NOT'S
Posted by: preacher30673 <preacher30673@...>
THE SCHOOL OF DO NOT'S
Proverbs 3:24‐31
The negative word “NOT” is found 5 times in 5 verses.
These verses abound with sound and practical advice in FIVE areas of our lives.
I. Don’t DENY (3:27)
We ought to be PUNCTUAL IN THE PAYMENT OF THAT WHICH IS DUE another. The dues may be in the form of the wages of the workman or the debt contracted with the merchant. Pay your creditors when the bill is due.
To evade or elude is not worthy of a godly Christian.
"When it is in the power of thine hand," shows that the ability is present but not the will or interest to do so .
Through thoughtlessness in some cases, through deliberate callousness in others, many people postpone the payment of their just debts as long as possible, though they have the money by them, and are perhaps using it to their own advantage.
The businessman is often accused of greed, dishonesty, deceit, while little is said about the conduct of the customer. However, here is an instance where the sin, lies with the buyer.
Most of us know little how much the business owner suffers from delay and difficulty in collecting the money that is owing to them; how often do they suffer in silence for fear of losing a customer by giving offence in pressing too much for our payment.
This deferral is grossly unjust to more conscientious people who pay promptly, and yet are made to suffer from the high prices necessitated by the bad debts and postponed payments of others.
As believers, we have a holy responsibility to be prompt in our obligations.
I. Don’t DENY (3:27)
II. Don’t Delay (3:28)
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due. Do not delay, but do good promptly. See Galatians 6:10.
"But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" (1 Jn 3:17).
This is not a failure to know of a need, but a failure to address a need which is fully known. Likewise, James in his usual concise and incisive manner writes, "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" (James 2:15, 16).
A danger in good intentions is our slowness to perform. When the means of doing good is already in your hand, use it!
Be PROMPT in giving. A cheerful giver will give the first chance he has.
The Good Samaritan did not delay to help the man who was beaten and robbed.
"Do not defer till tomorrow what you can do today."
"A slow-footed favour is a favour without favour."
To give promptly is to give twice, and if some deeds are not done quickly they will never be done at all.
Keep as few good intentions hanging around you as possible.
Scripture never instructs believers to give what they do not have, but the Bible repeatedly charges us to willingly give what we can to help those who have need. This verse directly addresses the temptation to send away those who need our help, asking them to return the next day, in the hope that they will find help elsewhere and not come back. The person who puts off giving secretly hopes the neighbor will go elsewhere and get what he needs.
The Bible instructs God’s people not to employ this delay tactic. We should never force a neighbor to remain in need or to seek help elsewhere when we have the means to meet the need. The wise understand what Scripture says about helping the needy, and they believe the promises of God for those who are generous:
“Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away” (Mt.5:42).
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate” (1 Ti.6:17-18).
“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again” (Pr.19:17).
“He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse” (Pr.28:27).
I. Don’t DENY (3:27)
II. Don’t Delay (3:28)
III. Don’t DEVISE (3:29)
The thought in devising is from a word which means to plough. It is the planning and sowing of evil against another.
Your neighbor dwells unsuspecting and confidently by your side. How can you abuse such trust?
You should never betray another's trust. This principle is far reaching and extends beyond merely the plotting of evil against another. Confidences given, and trust bestowed, should never be violated.
Evil growing out of a betrayal of confidence is one of the worst forms of evil.
It is a most base ungrateful thing, if our neighbors have trust in and of us, that we will do them no harm, and do not seek to take advantage to cheat and injure them.
One example of this is David devising evil against his good neighbor, Uriah, who dwelt securely by him (without care or suspicion). Uriah was a loyal soldier who was away fighting David’s battles. After committing adultery with Uriah’s wife, she became pregnant with David’s child. David decided to cover his tracks. He ordered Uriah back from the front, treated him with flattering attention, and sent him home to spend the night with his wife. The reason of course is transparent.
However the scheme didn't work. Uriah's sense of loyalty to his comrades at the front was so strong that he refused to go home to be with his wife while they were roughing it in the trenches. David then tried to make Uriah drunk to make the scheme work, but even a drunken Uriah was more honorable than a devising David.
David's last device was to write to Joab, commander-in-chief at the front. The letter outlined a plan to get Uriah killed in battle. Uriah was David's neighbor and one of David's most loyal soldiers. He dwelt securely in the knowledge that David was the Lord's anointed and a just man. Not for one moment did Uriah suspect what was going on. He headed back to the battlefront, confidently carrying David's letter to Joab. Few scenes in Scripture are more tragic.
David thought he had gotten away with his sins, but before the episode was over, God saw to it that David's sin did indeed come home to roost.
I. Don’t DENY (3:27)
II. Don’t Delay (3:28)
III. Don’t DEVISE (3:29)
IV. Don’t DEBATE (3:30)
This verse warns against picking a quarrel where no cause for quarrel exists.
Some people just love to argue. Some are just contrary.
Don’t waste time and energy on needless fights, arguing about trivial matters or personal inconvenience. Save your energy for the real battles against sin and God’s enemies.
Wise people want to live peacefully with others. They are not contentious; they do not stir up trouble. They do not manufacture problems, and neither do they go looking for something that will result in conflict.
Don' be like the man of whom it is said that if left alone in the world he would fight with his own shadow.
Romans 12:18 – If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
It is not always possible to live peaceably with all men, but the initiative in disturbing the peace should never lie with the Christian.
I. Don’t DENY (3:27)
II. Don’t Delay (3:28)
III. Don’t DEVISE (3:29)
IV. Don’t DEBATE (3:30)
V. Don't desire (3:31)
¨ See 23:17; 24:1, 19
"Envy" comes from a word which means to burn; "choose" from a word which means to take a keen look at something. We are not be occupied with what others have or their seeming prosperity. It will make you covet and lead to a fall.
Envy is simply discontentment with God's arrangement.
The proverb advises us to beware of seeing anything glamorous or desirable about an oppressor's lifestyle. The word translated "oppressor" means "the man of violence."
One of the greatest oppressors in history was the pharaoh who ground the Hebrew people beneath his heel. Moses, who grew up in the royal courts as the adopted son of this pharaoh's daughter, had every opportunity to enjoy the fruits of oppression. The finest education, treasures, and pleasures Egypt could offer were available to him, but none of these advantages tempted him. His birth mother had done her work too well during the early days of his life (Exodus 2:1-10). Consequently when he was grown, Moses turned his back on the ruling Egyptian elite who had done their best to initiate him into their fold. Moses was not interested in further oppression of the Hebrews. On the contrary he deliberately renounced all that his foster mother offered him and threw in his lot with the downtrodden nation of slaves.
See Proverbs 14:30.
See Romans 13:13.
Conclusion
HERE ARE FIVE NOT'S TO UNTIE.
Don’t DENY doing good for someone, you may need help yourself soon.
Don’t DELAY ‘til tomorrow the good you can do today.
Don’t DEVISE evil against your neighbor—Love your neighbor
Don’t DEBATE issues that really don’t matter.
Don’t DESIRE what can be had by oppression.
IN HIS ETERNAL GRIP,
Pastor Jimmy Chapman
Victory Baptist Church
706-678-1855
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