Whoever Hates Reproof

Proverbs 15:3,8-10 ESV

 

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place,

    keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

 

“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

    but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.

The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

    but he loves him who pursues righteousness.

There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;

    whoever hates reproof will die.”

 

There are many professing Christians here in America who are following after an altered gospel message which makes room for them to continue in deliberate and habitual sin while promising them full forgiveness of all sin, and heaven guaranteed them as their eternal destiny. They are being told that all they have to do is repeat some words after someone else in a prayer, or that they just have to make a verbal confession of Christ as Lord, or merely acknowledge what Jesus did on that cross, and they are saved.

 

So, we have many people who are claiming Jesus as their Savior and Lord, and heaven as their eternal destiny, who are still living for themselves, and who are still doing what their evil hearts desire. They have not been crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, because they are not being told that faith in Jesus Christ involves death to sin and living to God and to his righteousness, or if they have, they have ignored that truth to follow after the lies, instead.

 

And so many of them are professers of faith in Jesus Christ, but their lifestyles speak the opposite. For many of them are the self-indulgent who are still living in addiction to sin. And sexual sin appears to be at the top of the list, especially pornography addiction and all that goes along with that. And thus many of them are living dishonest, immoral, corrupt, vile and wicked lives as a matter of habit. And they are claiming the blood of Jesus covers it all, or God’s grace covers it all, and so they have no fear of God.

 

So when they “sacrifice” anything to God, it is an abomination to the Lord because they honor him with their lips but by their actions they deny him. And a sacrifice can be a good deed or reading the Scriptures, or even teaching a Bible lesson, etc. Their worship of God is in vain for it is not based in truth but in a lie. And although they profess to know God, they don’t know him because they will not obey him, and they will not forsake their sinful practices, so he does not know them. They are not his sheep.  

 

Proverbs 15:29,31-33 ESV

 

”The Lord is far from the wicked,

    but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof

    will dwell among the wise.

Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,

    but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.

The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,

    and humility comes before honor.”

 

So, the Lord is far from the wicked who are living in deliberate and habitual sin, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. And the righteous are those who are making righteousness and obedience to the Lord their practice, by the grace of God (1 John 3:4-10). So, if you are habitually and deliberately engaged in sinful practices, the Lord does not listen to your prayers, for your prayers are not really to him, for you don’t honor him with your life. So, turn from your sins, die to sin daily, and follow Jesus in obedience, in his power.

 

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

 

Near the Cross 

 

Hymn lyrics by Fanny J. Crosby, 1869

Music by William H. Doane, 1869

 

Jesus, keep me near the cross;

There a precious fountain,

Free to all, a healing stream,

Flows from Calvary's mountain.

 

Near the cross, a trembling soul,

Love and mercy found me;

There the bright and morning star

Sheds its beams around me.

          

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day

With its shadow o'er me.

 

Near the cross I'll watch and wait,

Hoping, trusting ever,

Till I reach the golden strand

Just beyond the river.

        

In the cross, in the cross,

Be my glory ever,

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5gong-PNmY

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