The Devil's Puppets

July 26, 2013

The devil’s puppets:  Busybodies, flatterers, lazy people

Proverbs 26 breaks down into three sections:

(1st section) verses 1-12 shows us how to relate to fools

(2nd section) verses 13-16 shows us how to relate to sluggards

(3rd section) verses 17-28 shows us how to relate to gossipers

Proverbs 26:17, 28, 16

New King James Version (NKJV)

17 He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own

Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.  (Keyword: Mind your own business)

28 A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,

And a flattering mouth works ruin.  (Keyword: Flattery is of the devil)

16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes

Than seven men who can answer sensibly. (Keyword: The lazy man thinks he is smart.)

Commentary:  

God has appointed certain people with power and authority to maintain peace, like the police.  And only these people have the power to meddle.  We are to mind our own business when it comes to other people’s affairs.  To stick our nose where it doesn’t belong is to ask for trouble. That is a foolish thing to do.   Busybodies are notorious for sticking their noses in other people’s business.  They seem to have too much idle time on their hands, so they create drama.  

A wise person will observe and listen to what is going on around him.  He will keep quiet and not react hastily.  He will discern every situation and transcend it into the kingdom realm.  A fool, on the other hand, is quick to vent his unsolicited opinions and comments.  He usually thinks that he knows exactly what is going on and has an answer for everything.  Dumb, dumb, dumb !!  

May we be forewarn by verse 17 to mind our own business.

Verse 28 states that flattery works ruin.  This is because the person who flatters you does it for his own selfish gain.  He wants to get on your good side.   A person who pays you a genuine compliment does so to edify you.    And we must discern the spirit behind the compliments that we receive.  Prideful people who are full of themselves will respond to the praise of man by basketing in the glory.  They cannot get enough of it.  And they eat it up every time.  A wise and humble man will respond to the praise of man  by deflecting the glory back to God.  He will say things like “praise the Lord” instead of sitting there and basketing in the glory and agreeing with the other people that he is something wonderful to behold.  

Verse 16 talks about the lazy man who is wiser in his own eyes than seven who can answer sensibly.  That means, he thinks that he is smarter than everyone in the room.  He justifies all of his behaviors and he cannot be taught.  In his mind, he knows everything.  Beware of people who has an excuse for everything.  

Conclusion:   We need to discern and be wise in our dealings with fools, lazy people and gossipers.  Never become close friends with them.  If so, you are asking for trouble.  

Poem:

Beware of those who behave as fools

Who exists on this earth without rules

And the sluggards who thinks that he is wise

and will justify everything in his eyes

Stay far away from the gossipers

They are only mere trouble makers

These are all puppets in the devil’s hands

for they operate in the carnal man

Byword: When you are lazy, when you meddle in other people’s business, when you flatter with your mouth,  you are being used by the devil because all of these ways are of the flesh, not of God.  

Aldwin and Wendy Naruse

The Body of Christ Jesus Fellowship

Makaha, HI USA

Feeding Your Enemies

July 25, 2013

Feeding your enemies

Proverbs 25:11, 21-22, 6-7

New King James Version (NKJV)

11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold

In settings of silver.

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;

And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,

And the Lord will reward you.

6 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,

And do not stand in the place of the great;

7 For it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,”

Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,

Whom your eyes have seen.

Commentary:

There are three categories of enemies.  

(1) satan and his demons who seeks to destroy our souls

(2) the world and its system

(3) the flesh and its lust

Proverbs 25:21 tells us to feed our enemies.  Is it talking about just physical food and water?  It is saying more.  We are to feed our enemies with the Word of God.  Jesus is the word of God.  If the flesh is hungry, feed it the word of God.  Miyagi shared with us today that one day, he was hungry and wanted to eat something.  Instead, he opened up the word of God and starting meditating (eating) on the word of God.  Moments later, his hunger left him and he was full.  This is because he filled himself with Jesus, which is the Word of God.  How awesome is that !!

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

Verse 11 talks of a word fitly spoken.  The word of God brings encouragement and edification and comfort.  Thus, it brings life.  Criticism and judgemental words brings discouragement and condemnation.  Thus, it brings death.  When we speak the Word of God to others and to ourselves, we are bringing life.  Parents, be careful how you speak to your kids.  If you are not blessing them with your words, you are probably killing them with your words.  If you are not encouraging them and edifying them with the Word of God and words of encouragement, you might be feeding them poison through criticism and excessive condemnation.  And those words will have damaging effects on your children in the long run.  

Verse 6-7 talks of being humble before leaders and authorities.  It is always better to humble yourself and take the place of low position then parade yourself as if you are someone great to behold.   For a long time, Miyagi chose to wear his hair long, grow out his beard and mustache and dress down.  He looked like a mountain man.  I asked him one day why he chose this look. In my finite mind, I am thinking wouldn’t it be better to be clean shaven with short hair like everyone else.  He knew that when he looks like a mountain man, people will judge him.  People always judge the book by its cover.    He told me that God told him to dress down.  God told him to be a nothing and a nobody in the eyes of man.   This way, God gets all the glory.  Wow !!

I wonder how many people in this world will choose to be a nothing and a nobody in the eyes of man.  I know several thousand who seek to look good, smell good, sound good and be heard and seen and be noticed by the world.  How wonderful to know that someone will “decrease that God may increase.”  (John 3:30)  

Conclusion:

We are to be humble just like Jesus.  We are to feed our enemies with Jesus, which is the Word of God.  We are to be encouraging and edifying in all that we say and do to others and ourselves.  

Poem:

When your enemy is near, what do you do?

Do you lash out at him with anger?

Or do you feed him the Word of God, the Lord Jesus

and doing so in a humble manner

I learn so much by watching Miyagi

and seeing him respond in humble ways

I pray to imitate him as he imitates Christ

So that I can glorify God all of my days.  

Byword:  Humility leads us to feed our enemies with the Word of God.  

Aldwin and Wendy Naruse

The Body of Christ Jesus Fellowship

Makaha, HI USA

P.S. Please feel free to share any thoughts, feelings or questions that you may have from these posts. We will respond to them as the Lord leads us to.