No matter how crucial it is to a life of faith, the Law (the Torah) is not itself the source of life. On the contrary, the law points out sin, and sin leads to death (see Rom. 7:7–13). Instead, what makes the Torah effective is that it comes from God. Apart from God, the Torah … Continue reading –>
Keep the Law Out of 13 occurrences of the word Torah — law or teaching — in the book of Proverbs, four are in Proverbs 28 (Prov. 28:4 [twice], Prov. 28:7, Prov. 28:9). Although this use in Proverbs applies normally to the teaching of the wise man (Prov. 13:14), in the Israelite tradition the word has a spiritual … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Prov. 28:4; Prov. 28:7; Prov. 28:9; Rom. 1:16-17; Gal. 3:24; Prov. 28:5; 1 John 2:15–17; Prov. 29:13. Memory Text: The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe (Proverbs 29:25, NKJV). So many voices call to us from so many directions. How do people know what … Continue reading –>
Further Study: The agency of the Spirit of God does not remove from us the necessity of exercising our faculties and talents, but teaches us how to use every power to the glory of God. The human faculties, when under the special direction of the grace of God, are capable of being used to the … Continue reading –>
When I was a soldier I met a guy named Kenny. He smoked, drank, slept with different women all the time and got kicked out of the Army for doing drugs. However, according to Kenny, he was saved because four years before he had prayed a prayer at a youth rally. He didn’t do anything … Continue reading –>
In Bridgeport, West Virginia, the only Adventist church in Harrison county meets each Sabbath in the local Presbyterian church. Although they don’t yet have their own building, members of the Central Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church are certainly building relationships. In response to the Discover Bible School mailings, the Central Hills church has received more than … Continue reading –>
An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.. Proverbs 27:5-6 NLT When I was about 9 or so I was playing soccer (football to most of the world) with my neighbor. We had an argument about what the out-of-bounds markers were. It … Continue reading –>
The Enemy as Friend Read Proverbs 26:17–23. On the lines below, summarize what is being said. Proverbs, again, gets into the power of words, this time dealing with the harm caused by slander and quarreling. Those who slander your enemy before your face, to make you think they’re on your side, are really like charcoal: … Continue reading –>
“Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of the great.” Proverbs 25:6 This lesson fits one of my favorite Bible characters perfectly! Not because he was guilty of deceit or of being a sluggard. To the contrary, he was the model of transparency, humility and diligence. … Continue reading –>
[Thought questions for Behind the Mask March 3, 1015] 1. Introduction. Can people exalt themselves? Isn’t the approval of the other people needed for exaltation to happen? But what about Satan? Did he win a heavenly election? And don’t all of us, at times anyway, wish we could have more honor than life deals us? Stay tuned to see what … Continue reading –>
The Friend as Enemy If we are more disappointed by our friends than by our enemies, it is because we expect good from our friends and evil from our enemies. It doesn’t always work out that way, though, does it? That’s why Proverbs warns us that sometimes a friend behaves like an enemy, and an … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : Moral situations that humans face do not change over the years. The book of Proverbs is an ethical textbook that fits our situations today. [Lesson plan for Behind the Mask March 2, 2015] 1. Have a volunteer read Proverbs 25:2-7. a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important … Continue reading –>
