King
Proverbs 20:2, 5-5, 8-10, 18, 23-24, 26-28, 30 ESV
The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
[Remember your creator, Almighty God, and submit to His will. Do not provoke Him to anger, nor whoever has authority over you in this life. Do not cause them to grumble or become angry with you — but be a blessing and a help. If you have been unfaithful, come to Him, chines your rebellion, repent, and choose to love and serve the Lord God Almighty. If you have forfeited your life in rebellion against the king, it is He who has the power to see that justice is done. Seek His mercy while it is still available to you.]
A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes. The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord , searching all his innermost parts. Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war. A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them. Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts.
[Remember our need for wise and discerning counsel, that will examine and bring into light any areas where we have been deceived (or even deceived ourselves). Find godly counsel and treasure it, especially the kind of counsel that sees into the innermost areas of your life and is bold enough to wound you and tear down that which needs to be rebuilt. Trust in the Word of God and love it’s wise counsel. Examine all things by what is breathed out by God for equipping and preparing and fishing you in all areas of your life.]
Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord . Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord , and false scales are not good. A man’s steps are from the Lord ; how then can man understand his way? Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.
[If you think yourself wise and discerning enough to teach or counsel others, be very careful. Be sure that you are steadfast in your love and faithfulness. Understand that God has purpose in every step of a man’s way. Do not lift heavy burdens upon others, but be equal in your weights and measures. Can you say that your own heart is pure without your pride or your deceit being revealed to you – or is the false light of your own darkness so deep that the blindness has brought you to madness? Be careful that mercy does not escape you. We all fall short of glory, but be sure you have not fallen short of His grace and mercy, you who think yourselves wise. ]
Hear and receive the Word of God:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. – John 15:1-17 ESV
Harold J. Ballinger 