The Path You Are On is Not Going to End Well Instruction

 

The Path You Are On is Not Going to End Well

Instruction

If Proverbs 16:20 is true, than why do we hate instructions?

Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,

and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

Proverbs 16:25

There is a way that seems right to a man,

but in the end it leads to death.

We all need instruction to keep us from life that does not end well

We are all condemned without hearing and following instructions

 God’s approach to a world full of sin and life not ending well

is found in John 3:16-17

 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Beware of condemning instruction

With the greatest example of love, God sent His Son

Not to condemn but to SAVE

To give us instructions so our lives will end well

Instruction

 

If Proverbs 16:20 is true,

than why do we hate instructions?

 

Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,

and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

 

Reasons why we hate instructions…

 

Our heart is not right.

 

Numbers 22 gives us a story

of a prophet named Balaam.

 

Balak, King of the Moabites, summoned Balaam

in order to get him to curse God’s people.

 

It angers God that Balaam would go.

 

God saw Balaam’s heart was filled

with love for wages of wickedness.

 2 Peter 2:15  

 

Balaam did not follow the instruction of the Lord

and the Lord told him to go

due to what Balaam wanted to do…

 

But not curse God’s people.

 

God used an Angel and a donkey

to warn Balaam again…

 

 But Balaam still did not heed

the instruction of the Lord.

 

When God told Balaam to go…

 

It was not because God wanted him to go.

 

God told him to go because his heart

was filled with the love of wages.

 

If you are confused about God’s instruction,

 there may be a problem in your heart.

 

If your heart’s desire is keeping you

from listening to God’s instruction…

 

It will not end well for you.

 

Instruction does not always come in pleasant packages.

 

The wise in heart are called discerning,

and pleasant words promote instruction.

Proverbs 16:21

 

Ever been told what to do?

 

We sometimes reject instruction because…

 

 We don’t like the way it is given.

God used a donkey to talk to Balaam.

 

David was cursed by Shimei as he

pelts him with stones and David said…

 

…Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.

It may be that the Lord will see my distress

 and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today."

2 Samuel 16:11-12

 

David was open to instruction even if it came

through a man throwing stones at him.

 

Sometimes instruction does not

come in a bouquet of flowers.

 

Reading the instructions means…

 

 We will need to work on putting things together.

 

Those hard changes and work go better

when compassionate instructions are given. 

 

Foolishness can stop the flow of understanding.

 

Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,

but folly brings punishment to fools

Proverbs 16:22

 

Ever wonder when some people are quick

to understand some things and others are not.

 

We could come up with a number of reasons but…

 

One of the biggest and easiest to fix is attitude.

 

Attitudes like…

 

 “I won’t”

 I can’t”

“I don’t want too”

 

Will keep you from understanding life.

 

God’s Word is the greatest instruction to

understand life and the wise will study it.

 

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,

a workman who does not need to be ashamed

and who correctly handles the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

 

Receiving the instructions from scriptures

will challenge you to change for the better.

 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for

teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

 

Yet, there are those who use the scriptures

for their own purpose rather than…

 

 Seeing the image of Jesus,

the model we are to image.

 

You diligently study the Scriptures

because you think that by them you possess eternal life.

 These are the Scriptures that testify about me,

yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

John 5:39-40

 

What you do with Jesus, the Creator of Life,

will determine your understanding of life.

 

Let’s face it…

 

 We all struggle with reading

and following instructions.

 

We want to quickly get to the finished results.

 

Not reading the instructions has caused me

to have extra parts left over,

the right part in the wrong place,

or worst of all…

 

 I broke the very thing I wanted.

 

If you have gained any knowledge in life…

 

 You have instructions.

 

How you live your life and the attitude you have

will make a big difference in

how people will receive your instruction.

 

Instruction is best applied with wisdom.

 

Wisdom will come from a compassionate heart.

 

Wisdom is more than words spoken from our lips.

 

Words of wisdom are sweet like honey.

 

 They go much deeper than the ears but…

 

 Into the soul and framework

of the body, giving us stability.

 

The listener who recognizes

the taste of healing, health, and freedom,

will willingly swallows the bitterness of medicine.

 

 But it taste better with honey.

 

A wise man's heart guides his mouth,

and his lips promote instruction. 

Pleasant words are a honeycomb,

sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 16:23,24

 

Proverbs 16:25…

 

There is a way that seems right to a man,

but in the end it leads to death.

 

We all need instruction to keep us

from life that does not end well.

 

We are all condemned without

hearing and following instructions.

 

 God’s approach to a world full of sin

and life not ending well, is found in…

 

John 3:16-17…

 

 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

 

Beware of condemning instruction.

 

With the greatest example of love…

 

God sent His Son

 

Not to condemn, but to SAVE.

 

To give us instructions

so our lives will end well.

 

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

Proverbs 16:20-25 NIV

 

20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,

and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

 

21 The wise in heart are called discerning,

and pleasant words promote instruction. 

 

22 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,

but folly brings punishment to fools.

 

23 A wise man's heart guides his mouth,

and his lips promote instruction. 

 

24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb,

sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

 

25 There is a way that seems right to a man,

but in the end it leads to death.