Being In God’s Family

As with any healthy family, born again believers need to be active members of God's family. This takes effort and commitment. King Solomon tells us how to do it in Proverbs 4, along with some warnings to heed along the way.

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Podcast 8 Transcript

(This is a computer generated transcript of this podcast.  This is NOT a typed transcript and it has not been edited. Expect grammatical and syntactical errors.)

Welcome to another podcast of God's Family in an Ungodly World I'm your host, B. R. Maul, author, teacher, preacher, but most importantly, a child and God's family. It's so great to have you here with me today. Before I jump in into today's message how was your walk with the Lord this past week? I say past week because Well, hopefully you're joining me each week and it is fun to be able to, well grow with one another.

What we learned from our Lord as we walk with him, as brothers and sisters in the faith.

So Christian, how is your walk with the Lord Jesus, the one who paid your sin, debt, who loves you so much? Have you been able to pray to him daily and read his word daily? Well, maybe I should rephrase that, that have you remembered. Not if you were able to because yes, as I have spoken before, we all are able to.

It is just a matter of what is near and dear to our heart, right? What we decide what each and every day that the Lord has given us, how we are going to spend that time that he has given us. And it took me a while and maybe it has some others as well, listening to my voice. to truly learn that since time is a gift from our Lord, well, it's only fair, well, probably beyond fair that we give back to him our time.

And as I asked in the last week, so have you had a chance to find a group of people, brothers and sisters in Christ who meet on a weekly basis, coming together just to enjoy some fellowship and making sure you open God's word. Now, I do owe it to you to take one of these podcasts soon and go over more detail what these small groups that I have talked about each week, or at least have mentioned what they look like. So I will do that. Not today, bear with me. But I will do that in the coming weeks because our time together with one another is important and I'm not really sure how to measure that. I would say equally as important as being in God's word by ourself and that prayer. Because the Lord, didn't design us to be alone, to be lone slingers or the lone wolf.

No, we are meant to be together. That is one reason we are referred to as the Body of Christ.

So with that said, why don't we go ahead and get started in today's message. No news that I want to share. So we'll jump into the message. I had a message laid out, but. It dawned on me as I was reading the proverb for today. Now, today is the fourth of the month, and so today reading Proverbs four, it sure does work in perfectly to the last few weeks as we have talked about the importance of walking with the Lord, and what that looks like, because that's much of what this podcast is about. We don't do so much Bible study here, although Bible study is very important, but this is a place to talk and share about how God has worked in our lives.

So until I hear from more of my listeners where you too can share how the Lord has worked in your life, I'll continue to share how he has worked in mine. And with that said, I do encourage you go to my website, brmaul.com and there of course, with the podcast, there's also a place to sign up and that's just a weekly reminder of the next week's podcast will be sent to your email box automatically as a reminder, and you can get to it whenever you would like. And if there is ever any announcements, I don't do much of them, but if there is, I will share that as well through that , but on the website there's also a contact page.

Click on that and get ahold of me. Make sure you fill out the information and if there's anything that you would like to share that God has done in your life that I can turn around and share with others please do. So. It's exciting. Each week this podcast continues. . So that's pretty fun and that's pretty exciting and such a wonderful blessing.

Also use that if you have any questions. So today I am going to read and discuss as I read Proverbs chapter four. And yes, we'll just go through the whole proverb. There is only 27 verses and I'll stop when necessary. Let us begin. It reads, hear my Children, the instruction of a Father, and give attention to know understanding for I give you good doctrine.

Do not forsake my law when I was my father's son tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, he also taught me and said to me, let your heart retain my words, keep my commands and live. I'll pause there. That's verse four. So already King Solomon is sharing as he is sharing his instructions to his children.

It is also the Holy Spirit, of course, sharing the instructions to all of God's children. , and it's interesting because there's a lot of action words, things that we should pay close attention to. The first word in Proverbs four is hear, that's h e a r. Hear my children, the instructions of a father and give attention to no understanding.

So we are to listen with our ears and hear, and we are to give attention, right? So we're not just hearing for the sake of hearing. It's not a radio that we have on the background that fills in the noise. No, this is different because we are also to give attention. We do that so we can know under.

He goes on for, I give you good doctrine, give. It's not selling. We don't have to earn it, but our father is giving us, and it's good doctrine.

Do not forsake my law.

And that's interesting. Why would we have to be reminded not to forsake his law? Well, I don't know about you, but there are times when it is easy to want to forsake the law. When our heart, when we listen to our own heart and our heart is selfish, or when we listen to the enemy , Satan and his minions, the fallen angels.

So do not forsake my law. That takes effort, right? A lot of relational stuff in, in the Bible. And verse three, when I was my father's son tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, four, he also taught me and said to me, let your heart retain my words. It's passing on from generation to generation. It is making sure that we teach our kids

and that we learn God's commands for us. And he's, he says There, let your heart retain my words. Isn't that interesting? . I first wondered why he didn't say like, remember my words like in our brain, but he says, let your heart retain my words. Because the stuff that we store in our heart is a part of who we are.

I mean, we can remember things. That really is not who we are. It's just stuff that we know . But things that we keep in our heart becomes a part of who we are. Personality. It has an impact. Things in our that we keep in our heart impact the decisions that we make in life and keep my commands and live. Keep is something that we have to be aware of.

We have to be conscious of the fact that we are keeping God's commands. And when we do that, we live. We live freely in so many ways because we're not having to hide our evil doings. We have the blessings of the Lord and we look at life as we live a righteous life with the help of the Holy Spirit, much differently than we did before we were born again.

The world is a different place. So moving on verse five, and listen to these action words, get wisdom, get understanding. So we can't just sit around, we got to go get it. Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her. Her being wisdom personified. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you.

Love her wisdom and she will keep you. And of verse six, see again a lot of action. Get wisdom, get understanding. What do we do when we get something? There's action. We act, we have to do something. If I'm going to go in my kitchen and get a glass of water that takes action on my part, I can't sit and just will it to happen.

And eventually the water will fill itself up in the glass and hover into my study. No, I need to go get it . And once we get it, it says, do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. So once we get wisdom and understanding, we don't forget it, which means we continue to return to it. We keep reading God's word and by not forsaking wisdom.

Wisdom will preserve us when we love wisdom. Love her. So love wisdom. Wisdom will keep us, will preserve our life. Verse seven, wisdom is the principle thing. More action, therefore get wisdom. And in all you're getting, get understanding. So he repeated that. Verse five, get wisdom, get understanding. Verse seven get wisdom, and in all you're getting get understanding. He repeats that.

Remember Christian, the Bible doesn't waste any words. All right. The Holy Spirit did not have to try to impress anybody by writing so many papers as we did in college or in high school when we were told to make sure we write an essay with so many words in it. So we stretch out our words and sometimes repeat.

I think, you know, I remember some of my early writings in high school. You know, if I was describing something and I had to use so many words, I might say something along the line of this was a really, really, really cold, cold, cold day. Well, for, for me, I was just using up words. God doesn't do that. So when he says to get and to get wisdom, to get understanding and repeats it, that's important.

And verse seven, when he said, wisdom is the principle thing. And if you look up the word principle, p a l principle.

It's most important or the main thing, so we could read it as wisdom is the most important.

He goes on to say in verse. Exalt her. Again, still referring to wisdom personified. And she will promote you. She will bring you honor. When you embrace her, she will place on your head an ornament of grace, a crown of glory. She will deliver to you. Verse 10, hear my Son and receive my saying and the years of your life will be many again.

He repeats because he starts out this chapter with here my children. Now he's saying here my son and received my sayings. A consistent and constant reminder that it is up to us to listen and to receive it.

Verse Levin, I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered. And when you run, you will not stumble. 13, take firm hold of instruction. Do not let go. Keep her for she is your life.

stop right there.

13. That's pretty strong there. Take firm hold of instruction. See, it's not just listening and it's not just receiving, but taking firm hold, hanging on. with your strength, do not let go. He's saying of this wisdom, which is of course right in front of us, if your Bible is open right in front of you as it is mine, it is right in front of us.

We must only go back to it, revisit it, and not. do not let go. Well, what would be letting go? Why? Like, let go of the Bible. Like, oh, don't drop your book. No, no, no. Do not let go. Keep her. Which means, again, there's that keeping, taking firm, hold, keeping, but letting go of it. Like letting go in your life.

Unfortunately, it's sad when a believer. Decides this is just too much. I can't handle it. I'm referring to life not the Bible. Because yes, there's parts of God's word that is complicated and complex. Nobody will ever completely understand God's word, and we should be okay with that because that just means our heavenly Father is just so much more than we are, he is nothing like us. His ways are not our ways, right? I'm talking about life and without that wisdom and understanding, so many give up before they truly start to understand and that the Holy Spirit begins to fill them with wisdom, and so they let go , they just let go.

Verse 14, and here's why.

Do not enter the path of the wicked and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it. Do not travel on it. Turn away from it and pass on. End of 15. Now let's take a look at some of the action in this one here, there's a warning. Do not enter the path of the wicked. So that's the first step. A person can quickly enter the path of the wicked.

Maybe it's curiosity.

what the world is doing. Maybe it's just a false sense of control. I'll just do this one time.

Maybe it's just a bad call and I'm just sick of it. I'm, I'm going to just fine. I'm going to just take a break. , oh, Christian Life. I need to just have some fun and just join in the worldly party that's entering the path of the wicked and do not walk in the way of the wicked or of evil, sorry. So we go from entering the path of the wicked to walking in the way of evil . So not just entering the path and when speaking of a path and a way, the path or the way, it's a direction. So one of the same thing, path and the way.

So first you enter the path of the wicked. Next, you walk in the way of the evil. So you're not just looking around the path. Now you're starting to walk down it.

Verse 15, avoid it. Do not travel on it. See how that continues to progress. We go from entering the path of the wicked to walking on the path to traveling it. You see the symbolism there?

I mean, just kind of looking around, seeing what's going on to walking on it, to being so comfortable on what you're doing with the evil that now one is traveling on it, making progress, heading down it at a pretty good rate. He says, then instead of doing that , turn away from it and pass on. What's it the evil, that evil path, whatever evil that you're thinking of doing.

I mean, is it just one more pornography site?

One more hit of doing drugs. One more lie.

whatever it might be, but that's how it gets worse and worse and worse. Turn from it and pass on. In other words, pass on staying on the path of righteousness. Why is that? Verse 16 we learn what evil is like for they do not sleep unless they have done evil. Who's they? Well, the wicked. Those who are unrighteous, those who are not born again, those who are of the world, beloved.

So 16 again for they do not sleep unless they have done evil and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall for, they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

So that's interesting. Well first of all, their sleep is taken away. They have restless nights unless they cheat someone else. So now I feel better because, well, you know what? I pulled one on ya . Good for me. I'm going to sleep just a little better tonight. But verse 17, for me, every time I read it, it just sends this little quiver in my spine for they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. I have not studied in depth if there is a lot more to that, but it certainly draws up the image of evil communion as we commune, we share communion with our Lord, our heavenly Father, when we remember our Lord Jesus.

And we are, we are coming together. And that's something we do together. And that's a good thing. This here draws this, this image of coming together to do evil and wickedness. verse 18. But the path of the just is like the shining sun isn't that spectacular. That shines ever brighter onto the perfect day and perfect not being like a sinless day because anytime that we're, we're talking about perfection of our.

on this side of eternity before we are glorified, and I'll speak to that someday. The justification, sanctification and glorification mentioned it before, but I'll take time to dive even deeper into that as well as until we reach that glorification on the other side here into eternity, I should say, a perfect day isn't sinless. But it is following God. It is following his commands and being, we are in the church age. It is believing on Jesus Christ. We have then repented turned away from our sin and to God in believing in his son That died for us. Verse 19, the way of the wicked is like darkness. They do not know what makes them stumble.

There's an image of moving around in the dark. The path of just we are just told is like the shining sun. One can see the path they're on. One can know where to step and how to stay on that path of, of righteousness because it's, it's like the shining sun. It's not hidden from us, but the way of the wicked, it says it's like darkness.

They do not know what makes them stumble. Can you imagine a life of tripping up over and over and just not getting it? What is it that is getting in my way? The person says, not understanding the evil that they have brought upon themselves by not believing in the Lord Jesus. by living wickedly, by taking the path of darkness and stumbling and not knowing what is it that is tripping me up. What a horrible life. Just horrible. Verse 20 Son, give attention to my words. Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart. That was verse 21. So verse 20 and 21. Once again, wow.

Get a load of more of these actions that we must take as children of God. Give attention. Incline our ears. Let them not depart from our eyes. It's almost a funny if you think about it, because let them not depart from your eyes. I mean, it's like, you know, you basically would have to not open God's word and not read it for them to depart from your eyes.

And keep them in the midst of your heart. I mean, there's that, keep again, that holding onto that, that keeping it safe. When we keep something, we protect it.

Verse 22, for they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh.

They are life to those who find them. Find them. Well, beloved, can you find something if one is not looking for it? Of course not.

and this is why Proverbs four. I just wanted to read and share with you today because it applies so much to what I share with you on this podcast about reading God's word, being so active in God's word.

I know it can be intimidating. I have those who tell me. It just seems to be so much, Bruce. I don't, there's so much I can't understand it all so much is confusing to me. There are things I don't understand.

Well, Christian, that's okay. That is okay. Just keep on reading. Keep reading and the Holy Spirit will reveal to you what you need to know. When you need to know. A Few podcasts ago, I shared a discovery that for years didn't quite make sense to me, and then wow.

Suddenly the Holy Spirit made it very clear and it made perfect sense. It's like, wow,

He will do the same for you.

That's not my promise. That's his verse 23. There's 27 verses.

These last five verses, I have circled the number and underlined the verse itself. Because they all just seem so important. Verse 23, keep your heart with all diligence for out of its spring, the issues of life. Do you hear how important that is? Keep your heart. Another way we could read that is protect your heart with all diligence.

Being very careful, right? And why? Because for out of it spring the issues of life, what we feel about life, our thoughts and our emotions come right from our heart.

And if we let anything into our heart that affects how we see things and how we respond to things and to people events around us. What do I mean by that? Well, in my younger days I used to watch movies and TV programs that I shouldn't have. I remember as a boy, there were times that Oh, sure, be able to watch a rated R movie.

Well, I shouldn't say was able to, I took the opportunity, whether it was at a friend's house or someplace else, knowing my parents would never allow it, but you see, what I didn't understand then, that I do now is that watching these horrible things, these images, it stays in my heart. People can become more violent by watching violence.

People can start acting much like. Actors in a movie, for example. I've seen some pretty crazy things.

But what we listen to, the music, we listen to, the books that we read, the programs that we watch, all of it that we led into our heart impacts us. Whether it's positive or negative , keep your heart with all diligence for out of its spring the issues of life. Verse 24, put away from you a deceitful mouth and put perverse lips far from you.

So a deceitful mouth, right? We, we are not to lie and we are not to accept whys. Us people who intent intentionally lie.

We don't want to live in an environment where that just continues to be the case and we don't want to continue to be deceitful as well. We put away a deceitful mouth and perverse lips. Cussing and swearing. Yes, I was certainly amongst those . There was a time in my teenage years sure. The dirtier joke seemed to be the best joke.

Well, my heart is heavy when I think about that now, and I can really see now how that did affect me. I can speak for boys and for young men, being one myself at one time growing up , it seemed like swearing was entry into manhood. That's not the case. That's not the case at all. Verse 25, let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids look right before you.

And what does that mean? Let your eyes look straight ahead. Well, we can go back to that. The path of the wicked. If we are staying on the path of righteousness. What he's saying here is keep looking straight ahead. Don't look to the left or to the right where things may not be good. Things are going on that can be evil and can take us off of that path of righteousness, and suddenly you find yourself back in verse 14, entering the path of the wicked.

 And your eyelids look right before you. Perhaps if it's that bad , if the evil is on both sides , then close your eyes and keep moving ahead until you're a few steps away from that, and then open your eyes and stay on that path of righteousness.

That's what I think.

 Verse 26, ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established. That's the beauty of being on the path of the just like the shining sun, because we can ponder the path of our feet. It means be aware of the path you're walking on. Be aware, Christian, of the decisions that you are making, are you making decisions that glorify our Heavenly Father? Are you making decisions to what you bring in to your heart?

When we watch a movie or shows, are we watching things that are good for us to be watching? Things that really build us up in a world that just wants to continuously tear us down. Men and women are, were being shown to be looking and acting in certain ways that isn't even human. That really is unrealistic that sure some obtain in their prime of youth at their best physical physique, but even then, it seems to be nearly impossible these characters are portrayed in movies because with obviously computer animation and computer graphics now perfection to the T in every way and we can't do that. That is so unhealthy.

So be aware, Christian of, of your path, and let all your ways be established. Well, who should establish your ways? Well, we should be letting our ways be established by God, by the words that he has provided us. When we read His Bible daily and we bring those words into our hearts and we let our way be established by that.

And verse 27, do not turn to the right or the left. Remove your foot from evil.

So like I had said just moments ago, not looking to the left or to the right, but looking straight ahead, keeping on that narrow path, right? . I say often brothers and sisters stay on that narrow path. Eh? If you get bumped off it, you get bumped off it. The last part of 27 that the second part says, remove your foot from evil.

Hey, if you get knocked off the path of righteousness and you step on that path of evil, well remove your foot from evil, and that should bring some hope. That should really give you hope, that by staying in God's word, and by praying to our Lord, and by coming together with your brothers and sisters in Christ on a regular basis that you know what?

Yeah, you can remove your foot from evil. A born again believer is given the power and the ability to do it in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, because the same power that Jesus had access to when the devil was tempting him when he raised Lazarus. That same power dwells in us.

And maybe next week I'll stick to what I was going to do for this week because there's verses upon verses in the Bible, especially coming from the mouth of Jesus Christ, just how we are one with him and he is one with the Father, which makes us all one. That's something for you to hang onto until next week.

We as born again, believers are intertwined with the Triune God. How awesome is that ? It is wonderful. It is glorious. So to remove your foot from the evil path from doing something wrong as a born again believer is not a problem, and the more you do it the easier it.

And why is that? Because as you walk with the Lord and you continue to mature in that walk, and you lean on him and you realize, wow, he helped me again. Wow. He helped me yet again and again, and again and again. And after a while, a believer can look back in their life and go, it's amazing how much God has helped me.

And what's even more mind blowing is from time to time when I, when I get a glimpse of just how much he has helped me that I don't even know about.

It's just crazy. It's just magnificent. So that is Proverbs four. Read it for yourself. It is a wonderful reminder that it is upon us to get wisdom to get understanding. But Christian isn't that wonderful news though that we have, that we are blessed in the church age, the age that we live in, to have the Holy Bible and so readily available, especially for those of us in the United States.

I know missionaries who, that's part of what they do. Their main work is smuggling Bibles into countries that, well Christianity is illegal.

So once again, so great to have you here with.

I hope you do open God's word if you haven't done it, but I betcha by now you're doing that. Each day you're just opening God's word and just reading what you can. And in time you'll start reading what you want and in time it just won't be enough, and I pray that that moment comes, it is wonderful. So Heavenly Father, I pray for all who are listening to this message.

Help them Lord, give them wisdom and understanding as they read your Word, guide their heart.

Help them to understand that the whole Bible that reveals your son to us is all available to all those who have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, who are born again. Who are your children. Because on our own we really can't understand your word. Someone who does not believe, and they just want to memorize the Bible intellectually.

They really don't know your son, and I pray that for those who are listening to this message, that they know your son and that may their thirst grow strong.

And for anyone who's listening, Lord, who does not know your son as their savior,

may they come to know him. We thank you for your grace. We thank you for your wonderful mercy, and I pray in Jesus' name.

And before I let you go, if you are one, who's not born again, or maybe you just don't know if you're born again, but you want to, it's not a magic in the prayer at all, but just pray with me like this. Jesus, I want to know who you are.

And I believe in my heart that you did die for me.

That you lived a sinless life and that your sacrifice paid my sin debt.

I look away from my sin, and I look to you. Take away my heart of stone. Crush my pride, and Lord, give me a heart of flesh and pour your love into it.

In your name, Jesus I pray. Amen. And if you prayed that prayer and in your heart, believe it, welcome to God's family. Get ahold of me, email me and I would love to talk to you.

Well, with that said, it's about time for me to go. I'll see you next week. Remember, brothers and sisters, stay on the narrow path and until next time, God bless. 

Songs

“Heroes Inspire Hope” and “Mountainscape” by Humans Win

“Positive Vibrations" by Boris Skalsky / "The Raising King" by Michael Vignola

"Piano Poem" by Bruce Zimmerman

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