March 30, 2008

Today's Reading - Proverbs 30
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Following Scripture Verses

1. The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2. Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4. Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
5. Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7. Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8. Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9. Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
10. Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11. There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14. There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
15. The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
16. The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18. There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19. The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
20. Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21. For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
22. For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23. For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24. There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
25. The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26. The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27. The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28. The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.
29. There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30. A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31. A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32. If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
33. Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

Today's Pathway:
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"Every word of God is pure" - Proverbs 30:5

The simple phrase written above is the greatest source of comfort and conviction that any believer could ever have. It says this: when I read the Bible, every word in It is exactly what God wanted to say. God never mis-spoke, nor did those whom He inspired write the words down incorrectly. If God had it recorded, it is just the way He gave it.

This is an important doctrinal issue today, particularly in the English language. Many theologians and pastors, some of whom are professing evangelicals and fundamentalists, are advocating that the believer is free to use any Bible that he desires to. These men teach that it does not matter which English translation you use, nor even which Greek and Hebrew texts should be used as a basis for translation. These men have rejected the principle found in today's verse. If every word is pure, then two texts which contain different words can not both be the inspired Word of God. If one English Bible contains a verse of Scripture, and another one leaves that verse out, can they both both be the Word of God? Not if "every word of God is pure".

From a practical standpoint, the fact that God's Bible is true down even to the words themselves should be life-changing for us. If the Bible says that there is a Hell, then it exists. If It says that the only way the Heaven is through repentance and faith in Christ alone, then that is the only salvation message. If It tells the believer that Jesus will never fail him, and that everything that happens in his life is a fulfillment of God's purposes for him, then we can rest assured that is the case.

Everything God says is absolutely true. How does our doctrine and practice line up with His words?

Pastor Mark J Montgomery