Welcome to Wisdom Today with Bill Kelley. On today's podcast we will be going over Proverb 6. I will then be going over verses 16-19. These are the seven things that God absolutely hates. In order to truly understands these things you need to go in reverse order from verse 19, 18, 17, 16. On today's lesson I will begin in the 2nd chapter of Genesis, beginning in verse 8. We will go through verse 20 & then look at the 8th verse of Chapter 3 as well. By the end of this lesson there are three things I ask that you consider:
1. The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
2. Whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.
3. God walks in your garden in the cool of the day.
Scripture referenced in today's lesson: Genesis 2: 8-20; Genesis 3:8
Call to Action - Do you ever sow discord among these? (your family, your co-workers, your friends).
[00:00:04] Welcome to Wisdom Today. My name is Bill Kelley and I'll be your host. In this podcast we will be exploring the book of Proverbs.
[00:00:21] Let's open in prayer. Father God, I thank you for anyone listening to this podcast today.
[00:00:27] I pray that you would reveal to everyone listening how much you truly love each and every one of them.
[00:00:33] I ask this in Jesus' name, amen. This is Proverbs 6 beginning in verse 1.
[00:01:03] Go and humble yourself, plead with your friend. Give no sleep to your eyes nor slumber to your eyelids.
[00:01:14] Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
[00:01:22] Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest.
[00:01:40] How long will you slumber, oh sluggard? When will you rise up from your sleep?
[00:01:46] A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler and your need like an armed man.
[00:02:00] A worthless person, a wicked man walks with a perverse mouth. He winks with his eyes. He shuffles his feet. He points with his fingers.
[00:02:11] Perversity is in his heart. He devises evil continually. He sows discord. Therefore, his calamity shall come suddenly. Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.
[00:02:27] These six things the Lord hates. Yes, seven are an abomination to him. A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies and one who sows discord among brethren.
[00:02:55] My son, keep your father's command and do not forsake the law of your mother. Bind them continually upon your heart. Tie them around your neck. When you roam, they will lead you. When you sleep, they will keep you.
[00:03:14] And when you awake, they will speak with you. For the commandment is a lamp and the law a light. Repruths of instruction are the way of life to keep you from the evil woman from the flattering tongue of a seductress.
[00:03:32] Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids. For by means of a harlot, a man is reduced to a crust of bread. And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
[00:03:50] Can a man take fire to his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be seared? So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife, whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
[00:04:09] People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. Yet, when he is found, he must restore sevenfold. He may have to give up all the substance of his house. Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding.
[00:04:32] He who does so destroys his own soul. Wounds and dishonor he will get, and his reproach will not be wiped away. For jealousy is a husband's fury. Therefore, he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
[00:04:51] He will accept no recompense, nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.
[00:05:00] Friends, today I'd like to take a closer look at four verses, verses 16 through 19. These verses talk about the seven things that God absolutely hates. And we will revisit those prior to closing today.
[00:05:18] But what I'd like to do today is to go back to the very first book of the Bible. And we're going to begin in chapter two, beginning in verse eight.
[00:05:33] And this passage of scripture is entitled, Life in God's Garden. And what I'm going to title this message today is you need to tend your garden.
[00:05:47] I hope you'll enjoy this lesson today. The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed.
[00:06:01] And out of the ground, the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.
[00:06:08] The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
[00:06:16] Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden. And from there it parted and became four river heads.
[00:06:25] The name of the first is Pai-shon. It is the one which skirts the whole land of Habala where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good.
[00:06:39] Badillium and the Onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gai-hon. It is the one which goes around the whole land of Kush.
[00:06:52] The name of the third river is Hedekal. It is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
[00:07:05] Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
[00:07:15] And friends, that is my first point of the day. The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
[00:07:28] Now friends, what I'd like to do is to go over the commentary for verse 15. And as many of you know, I am reading out of the Nelson Study Bible.
[00:07:41] But my commentary begins with this. The garden was perfectly prepared. It was man's home and he had to tend and keep it. Even the biblical paradise required work.
[00:07:58] Now friends, when I talk about tending your garden, I am not necessarily talking about a real garden.
[00:08:09] Now in my case I am. I have a half acre property and at least half of that acreage is garden. A lot of it is grass.
[00:08:20] But I also have about half of the garden is not grass. And I have all what I call islands. So I think I have about seven islands in all.
[00:08:33] I have one huge island. I have two that are quite spacious. And then I have three or four small gardens, but you still can have a small garden out of it.
[00:08:45] And what I'm trying to say is your garden, you may not even have a house. Some of you may live in a condominium or rent an apartment.
[00:08:56] And if you do that, obviously you don't have a garden. In that case, what I'm telling you is everything that God has placed in your hand is your garden.
[00:09:11] Okay, it could be let's say for instance, it is an apartment that you live in. That is yours. So what I'm saying is you should take the best care of it that you can.
[00:09:24] Okay, you should keep it as clean as you can. You should, you know, don't let things, you know, get out of control.
[00:09:34] You know, if you put some on the floor, pick it up. You know, if you spill something, clean it up. You know, disinfect your apartment from time to time, make it smell clean.
[00:09:46] So if you have guests, you know, that they'll think, wow, you know, he has a clean place or it could be to your car.
[00:09:54] Or it could be your clothes. You know, you want to take good care of your clothes. And if you take good care of your clothes, they'll probably last you twice as long as if you don't take care of your clothes.
[00:10:07] But basically God has placed certain things in our hands and we basically are to be good stewards.
[00:10:13] Let's go to verse 16.
[00:11:02] So friends, my second point today is whatever Adam called each living creature that was its name.
[00:11:14] So let's go there and listen to the commentary for verse 19. This is really pretty elaborate.
[00:11:23] The same verb for formed used here for God's creation of animals is also used for his creation of man.
[00:11:33] Again, the verb suggests a potter at work casting his pots. But now the pots are a lion and a raccoon, a raven and a stork.
[00:11:48] It appears that God created each animal or group of animals for the man to observe, study and classify to see what he would call them.
[00:12:04] In giving each animal its name, Adam demonstrated his right as God's regent.
[00:12:12] He was Lord over all created order. Furthermore, Adam's name stuck. That is, he demonstrated perfect insight in the names he used for the animals.
[00:12:27] They were more than tides. They were terms that described the animals accurately.
[00:13:02] Now let's go to verse 20.
[00:13:09] So what I'd like to do is jump to chapter 3 verse 8.
[00:13:33] My third and final point of today's lesson is that God walks in your garden in the cool of the day.
[00:13:42] Now friends, the reason why I am going over this subject today is because God has been impressing upon me quite a bit the past week or two weeks is that we need to be good stewards of everything that God has given me.
[00:14:01] I really like it when it says that God communed with Adam in the garden.
[00:14:08] Now before Eve was made, I want you to think about this.
[00:14:13] Now God and man, God created Adam and he loved Adam.
[00:14:21] And so he walked in the garden with Adam.
[00:14:25] I want you to think about that because I believe that God still walks with us today.
[00:14:33] And if you want to commune with him, you can.
[00:14:37] It doesn't matter. You don't have to be walking in your garden.
[00:14:41] You could be driving in your car.
[00:14:44] You could be playing golf on a golf course.
[00:14:47] You could be taking your walk with your dog and waiting for your dog to go to the bathroom.
[00:14:56] We can talk with God at any time.
[00:14:59] God is open. God wants us to commune with him.
[00:15:04] In my particular case, I have quite a bit of property as I mentioned earlier on this podcast.
[00:15:13] And I talk to God all the time.
[00:15:15] You know, when Paul says, pray without ceasing.
[00:15:21] When I'm in the garden, it's like I'm having an open discourse with God.
[00:15:26] I'm talking about what's going on.
[00:15:28] I'm asking him, what do you want me to do about this?
[00:15:32] How do you want me to handle this?
[00:15:34] And I'm like buds with God.
[00:15:37] I am in close communion with him.
[00:15:41] Now, I really want to go to the third chapter of Revelation.
[00:15:47] Of course that is the last book in the Bible.
[00:15:50] But if we go to the third chapter of Revelation and we go to verse 20, these are Jesus's words.
[00:15:58] So let's go there right now.
[00:16:00] Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
[00:16:03] If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
[00:16:06] I will come in to him and dine with him and he with me.
[00:16:14] Now friends, whether you're talking with God or whether you're talking with Jesus, his son.
[00:16:21] And remember, Jesus said, Jesus is the perfect representation of his Father God.
[00:16:28] Jesus said when he was on earth, I don't say anything that I don't hear my Father in heaven say.
[00:16:34] And I don't do anything that I don't see him doing.
[00:16:38] So if you want to know what God is like, just simply look at what Jesus did when he was on earth.
[00:16:48] And you can find out the answer to basically anything you want to know in the four Gospels.
[00:16:53] We have the Gospel of Matthew and then we go to Mark and then we go to Luke and then we go to John.
[00:17:00] And friends, any words that Jesus spoke are usually depicted in red.
[00:17:07] And friends, if you don't have a Bible that has red letters, I suggest you get one.
[00:17:13] It's vitally important that if you really want to know what Jesus is like,
[00:17:19] you need to know the words that he actually spoke.
[00:17:22] So if you have a Bible and all you have is black letters,
[00:17:25] you don't know the words that Jesus actually spoke.
[00:17:31] They have red letter Bibles.
[00:17:34] And if you don't currently have a Bible that has red letters,
[00:17:40] I suggest that is one of the first things that I recommend you do.
[00:17:46] Now, as I'm talking with God, friends,
[00:17:51] I think some of you may not know that you guys can be at ease with God.
[00:18:00] He wants to know you personally.
[00:18:03] He wants to be best friends with you.
[00:18:07] He does.
[00:18:08] You know, he doesn't say, oh, Father God, oh, you are mighty.
[00:18:15] That is not what God wants from any of us.
[00:18:19] So guys, when you pray to God or when you pray to Jesus and you just want to like hang out with them,
[00:18:27] just be like you would be with any of your best friends.
[00:18:33] Just talk to him. Hey, Jesus, what do you think about this?
[00:18:37] Let me tell you what's going on in my life.
[00:18:40] You know, I've got a problem going on.
[00:18:43] I'd like for you to discuss it with me.
[00:18:45] You know, what do you think I should do about that?
[00:18:47] Be casual.
[00:18:49] Be normal.
[00:18:50] And friends, before we close today, I would like to go back to our four verses of the day and we are in Proverbs 6 and verses 16 through 19.
[00:19:02] Go over the seven things that God absolutely hates.
[00:19:06] And I really want to stress these.
[00:19:09] Friends, if you were doing any of these, I pray that you stop immediately.
[00:19:17] And look at verse 16.
[00:19:19] These six things the Lord hates.
[00:19:22] Yes, seven are an abomination to him.
[00:19:26] A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,
[00:19:41] a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among the brethren.
[00:19:50] Friends, this is a type of category when actually the last one is the most important.
[00:20:00] So let's go in reverse order.
[00:20:03] So the most important thing that God hates is one who sows discord among brethren.
[00:20:12] In other words, this has to do with gossip.
[00:20:15] God hates gossip.
[00:20:18] Next, a false witness who speaks lies.
[00:20:23] Friends, God hates lying.
[00:20:25] Some of you may casually lie from time to time.
[00:20:30] Some of you may do that on a regular basis.
[00:20:33] Stop it.
[00:20:35] God hates lying and there's no reason to ever lie.
[00:20:39] Feet that are swift in running to evil.
[00:20:44] Friends, God doesn't want anything evil in our lives.
[00:20:50] If you see somebody doing something wrong, you never want to run in that direction.
[00:20:57] A heart that devises wicked plans.
[00:21:01] And friends, that could be any number of things that do not think that way.
[00:21:07] Think about loving every single person on earth.
[00:21:13] Hands that shed innocent blood.
[00:21:18] Friends, you just don't want to do that.
[00:21:19] A lying tongue.
[00:21:21] And this is the second time God has brought up lying and a proud look.
[00:21:27] Friends, God absolutely hates pride.
[00:21:32] God resists the proud but he gives grace to the humble.
[00:21:37] Friends, humble yourself before the mighty hand of God.
[00:21:42] That is when God is going to honor you and recognize you.
[00:21:49] And my call to action today is very simple.
[00:21:52] Let's just key in on the most important thing that God hates.
[00:21:58] Sewing discord among brethren.
[00:22:02] Friends, we are not to gossip.
[00:22:04] We are not to talk about other people if they are not present.
[00:22:09] If they cannot defend themselves, do not talk about other people when they are not around.
[00:22:19] Friends, I will never end a podcast without giving anyone an opportunity to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
[00:22:29] If there is anyone listening to this podcast today and you have never taken that step,
[00:22:33] I invite you to repeat a simple prayer after me today.
[00:22:37] Father God, thank you for sending Jesus to earth.
[00:22:41] Jesus, thank you that you were willing to come to earth and die on a cross for everyone listening to this podcast today.
[00:22:49] Jesus, I recognize that I am a sinner and a need of a Savior.
[00:22:54] I ask that you forgive me of all of my sins.
[00:22:57] I make you, my Lord and Savior.
[00:23:00] Now may the Lord bless you and keep you.
[00:23:04] The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
[00:23:09] The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
[00:23:14] Friends, this is the weekend.
[00:23:16] Go out with your spouse, take your kids along, go out and have some fun as a family.
[00:23:23] Have a great time, let them know how much God loves them and how much you love them.
[00:23:30] And I will see you back on Monday as we further explore wisdom.