proverbs 20e

1

Gospel Baptist Tabernacle781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741

Where the Love of God abounds, everyone is

welcome.

Children’s Church taught by Paul and Marsha

Davis during preaching.

www.rossvillechurch.com

August 6, 2014

2

Fifth Sunday

August 31, 2014

Celebrating 55+ years as a church.

Morning service and afternoon cookout

No evening service

3

Proverbs20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

(NIV) 27 The lamp of the LORD searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being.

We only know people by what they do.

Their actions reveal their heart and mind.

If they go to church regularly, we believe that they are loving God and living for Him.

If they speak kind and gentle words, we believe that they are a kind and gentle person.

4

God sees their hearts and knows their

motives.Do they go to church to worship, or to see and be seen; for something they get out of it.

Do they speak kindly because they are kind, or because they are fearful of what people might do.

We can only be suspicious, but God sees their heart and

mind.

5

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

(TLB) 28 If a king is kind, honest, and fair, his kingdom stands secure.

Honest people will support an honest ruler.

That’s why I say that in general a nation gets the leaders the people deserve.

Dishonest people support a crook.

6

29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.

Both young and old have their advantages; and let neither despise or envy the other.

Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.

Young strong men may be tempted to despise the old.

The old may be tempted to envy the young.

Both can be blessed of God.

7

The stages of life are all blessed by the Lord.

Only sin can break that blessed cycle.

Wherever you are, be content.

8

30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.

Severe rebukes sometimes do a great deal of good. But such is the corruption of nature, that men are loath to be rebuked for their sins.

Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary

I’ve seen people get very angry about a Bible lesson that rebuked them.

Even though to hear it and heed it would bless their

lives.

9

Mild punishment seldom corrects behavior.The punishment should fit the crime, and the

harm done to the victims.

Murder, rape, assault with a weapon

These are serious crimes, and should be punished severely; even unto death.

10

Lesser crimes such as theft, pornography, drunkenness, and such should have less severe,

but still serious punishment.

The harm done to the victim should be considered, and recompensed.

11

Exodus 22:1 (KJV) If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

You see, God considers the victims of crimes, and demands restoration of their losses with interest.

Any just government would do the same.

It’s not enough just to give it back.