Trying to Appease Critics? ~ A Devotion from Proverbs 5

January 20, 2009 | By: Stephen Black

I originally posted this on Saturday, April 5^th, 2008 after I read and listened to Proverbs 5. I could not stop thinking about it. It was an unusually experience. I read it in eight versions of the Bible. I was in my car listening to the audio in the NET version of the Bible. My spirit was stirred and the Lord gave me the following for me personally, but also for anyone who reads this, especially for those entangled with debating those in opposition to the Gospel. (Read Proverbs 5 first).
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Read Proverbs 5

My dear friends, you are like my child to me. I have the Father’s heart in speaking with you. I am gravely concern about you. Please listen to me very closely, make your ears to hear what I have to say. I have a warning from God. This warning comes from ancient wisdom, God’s Spirit; therefore this wisdom is from the mind of God. If you will heed my warning then you will operate in discretion and you will have God’s wisdom. Beware of the soothing words of the immoral person. The deceived person’s words can feel so good, just like soothing oil. The immoral man or woman speaks with words that are kindly seductive. They will manipulate you, trying to draw you into sexual immorality. They are corrupt. They secretly hope for your down fall. However, when they fail at drawing you into sexual immorality, they will draw you further into controversy. Their deceptive goal is to snare you into sin; the core sin of unbelief. They are deceived by their own trickery. They are so deceived they have no understanding. If you remain in the counsel of the immoral, before you know it; you will compromise the wisdom of God. The immorally deceived person says, “bitter is sweet, and sweet is bitter.” Beware my child! The end thereof in listening is worse than wormwood. It is poison. Their words are like a two-edged sword, it will destroy you. The path of the immoral will actually lead you to the door of hell; they are ever drawing you to violate your relationship with King Jesus. They sow discord between you and your other brothers and sisters. I beg you my child, meditate on the wisdom from above, on the very word of God. Do not be enticed by worldly debates and human intellect; those soothing words of the immoral. It is very harmful. It will steal your life away. It will take your strength and your wealth. Your wealth will be taken from you and given to another. Beware of these immoral people and their false teachings. It will alienate you from God. You cannot be a friend of God and a friend of the world. Friendship with the world and immoral people is spiritual adultery. Do not let human compassion and the soothing words of the immoral deceive you. They will accuse you falsely. They will say all manner of evil against you. They will betray you. They will ironically accuse you of the very thing they are doing. They will say, love is hate and hate is love. Beware! If you listen and are attached to the immoral you will have your life strength removed. You will be the one mourning in the presence of the King. You will have rejected the King’s reproof. This poison of compromise can ruin you life. I passionately want to spare you my child, because I love you.

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I am blessed and sobered by this warning. What about you? I realize that I can only try to please the Lord. When I am trying to please Him, I will please some people, some of the time, but I will never please everyone. Jesus is enough, to Him be all the glory!

Trying to Appease Critics? ~ A Devotion from Proverbs 5

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