Tag: Lying

TODAY’S DAILY BIBLE VERSE

April 7, 2025

Colossians chapter 3 verse 9:
Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds:

Verse Context

The Apostle Paul, writing from a Roman prison around AD 60–62, addresses a small congregation in the city of Colossae, located in the region of Phrygia in Asia Minor—modern-day southwestern Turkey. The church was under a subtle but dangerous threat from a blend of false teachings. These included Jewish ritualism, mystical asceticism, and early philosophical errors that would later develop into full-blown Gnosticism. Paul’s answer to all of these corruptions was not debate, but the preeminence of Jesus Christ. He declares that in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians chapter 2 verse 9), and that believers are complete in Him.

In chapter 3, Paul shifts from doctrinal foundation to practical transformation. He opens the chapter by commanding the Colossians to “seek those things which are above,” and to “set [their] affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians chapter 3 verses 1–2). This heavenly mindset is not wishful thinking—it is rooted in the fact that the believer is spiritually risen with Christ, and is now called to live in a way that reflects that new life.

By the time we reach verse 9, Paul has already instructed them to put off several sins that defined their past lives: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy communication (Colossians chapter 3 verse 8). Then he gives the command, “Lie not one to another.” This is not mere etiquette—it is a theological imperative based on the truth of conversion. Paul grounds this command by stating, “seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” This “old man” refers to the former, sinful identity of the believer prior to salvation.

The 18th-century Baptist theologian John Gill taught that this “old man” is the “old Adam, the old self, the sinful nature,” and he emphasizes that putting off the old man happens in union with Christ’s death. According to Gill, just as Christ died and rose again, so the believer must die to the old nature and rise to newness of life. Therefore, lying is not just a bad habit—it’s an offense to the resurrected identity of the Christian. It drags the believer back into the grave of the old life they have already left behind.

In harmony with this, Matthew Henry, a Puritan commentator, explains that lying not only “corrupts communication,” but it also “destroys love and dissolves society.” In other words, deceit undermines the very relationships the gospel came to redeem. The Colossian church, like all Christian communities, was called to unity. Falsehood fractures the body of Christ. Truth binds it together.

The warning deepens when we consider Albert Barnes, a 19th-century Presbyterian theologian, who writes that truth is “essential to religion,” while falsehood is of “the very essence of depravity.” Barnes notes that to lie is to betray the holy calling of the Christian. It reveals not spiritual growth, but the rotting remnants of the old man still clinging to the heart. Therefore, Paul’s instruction in verse 9 is more than a behavioral correction—it is a spiritual diagnosis. If a person claims Christ but habitually lives in falsehood, it reveals that either they are resisting sanctification, or worse, they have never put off the old man at all.

Broader Context

Colossians chapter 3 verse 9 sits within a deeply practical section of Paul’s epistle, where he calls believers to live out the transformation that has taken place within them through union with Christ. The first two chapters focus on doctrinal correction—defending the full deity and sufficiency of Christ. Paul labors to dismantle false philosophies (Colossians chapter 2 verse 8), legalistic shadows (Colossians chapter 2 verses 16–17), and mysticism that claims hidden spiritual knowledge apart from Christ. The Colossians were at risk of trading the substance of Christ for religious systems that looked holy but lacked saving power.

In contrast, Colossians chapter 3 begins with a powerful call to focus on heavenly priorities: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above…” (Colossians chapter 3 verse 1). This isn’t poetic language—it’s a doctrinal claim: believers have died with Christ and are now spiritually alive with Him. Their identity is hidden in Christ, and they await the day when that reality will be revealed in glory (Colossians chapter 3 verse 3–4).

That identity demands a new way of living. So beginning in verse 5, Paul tells the Colossians to mortify (put to death) sins like fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection (disordered passions), and covetousness. These are not personality flaws—they are called what they truly are: the “members” of the old man that must be slain. Paul is teaching that Christianity is not about merely adding religious practices to your life. It is about putting off the old life altogether and putting on Christ.

That’s what makes the command in verse 9 so significant: “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” This verse sits right in the middle of this “change of clothing” metaphor. Paul is describing a spiritual wardrobe exchange. The old man—filled with deceit, anger, lust, and idolatry—is to be discarded like a rotting garment. The new man—created after the image of Christ—is to be worn with humility, kindness, and love.

In the verses that follow, Paul expands the picture. In Colossians chapter 3 verse 10, he says the believer has “put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” This is a direct echo of Genesis—God is restoring His image in fallen man through Christ. In verse 11, Paul emphasizes that this new identity transcends race, culture, class, and background. In Christ, “there is neither Greek nor Jew… but Christ is all, and in all.” That unity depends on truth. Without truth, there can be no trust. And without trust, there can be no unity in the body of Christ.

This emphasis on truth in speech and conduct is not isolated to Colossians. Paul echoes the same theme in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 25, where he writes: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” The same pattern appears there—put off the old, put on the new. And in both letters, lying is exposed as a sin that tears at the very fabric of the Christian community.

It is also worth noting that this practical teaching flows directly out of the Christ-centered theology Paul has built. Colossians is not a “rule book”—it’s a Christology. The only reason believers can “put off the old man” is because they have been spiritually raised with Christ. And the only reason we can live differently now is because we have been made new in Him.

Therefore, lying is not a mistake—it is a theological contradiction. It denies what Christ has done. It speaks the language of the old man while claiming to wear the garments of the new. Paul’s message to the Colossians—and to us—is that such hypocrisy has no place in the lives of those who have been truly transformed.

Application

Appreciating God’s Greatness

Colossians chapter 3 verse 9 reminds us of the transforming power of God’s grace. The fact that believers are commanded not to lie is not merely a moral expectation—it’s a celebration of divine change. God does not leave us as we were. He doesn’t clean up the old man; He kills him and creates a new man in Christ. This is a display of God’s greatness not just in creation, but in re-creation.

It reveals that God is truthful by nature. He cannot lie (Titus chapter 1 verse 2), and His Word is truth (John chapter 17 verse 17). When He saves a person, He imparts that very nature into them—not in perfection, but in growing likeness. We serve a God who not only tells the truth but makes people into truth-tellers. That is greatness worth revering.

For the Believer

Paul’s command—“Lie not one to another”—is not optional for Christians. It is a non-negotiable expression of the new life we’ve received. Lying is not just a bad habit that hurts relationships. It is a sin that slanders the name of Christ and misrepresents who we now are. When we lie, we are speaking with the voice of the “old man,” a man who should no longer be walking among the living.

Believers must recognize that lying, in all its forms—half-truths, exaggerations, convenient omissions, false impressions—is a violation of our identity in Jesus. It does not matter whether the lie is told to protect feelings, save face, gain advantage, or avoid trouble. Christ died to make us truth-bearers, not manipulators.

Call to Action

Examine your speech. Are there areas where deceit still lingers? Do you find yourself adjusting the truth to avoid conflict, impress others, or hide weakness? The Holy Spirit calls you today to repent of every lie—spoken or unspoken—and walk in the integrity of the new man. Confess your sin, and ask God to conform your heart more fully to the image of His Son, in whom is no lie. Then go and make restitution if needed—truth heals, but only when it is spoken.

For the Unbeliever

If you do not yet know Christ, Colossians chapter 3 verse 9 speaks to more than just morality—it exposes your need for a new identity. Lying is not only wrong; it is a symptom of spiritual death. According to Jesus, the devil is “a liar, and the father of it” (John chapter 8 verse 44). If your life is marked by deceit—whether small and subtle or bold and blatant—it reveals your true spiritual condition: you are still living under the rule of the “old man,” which is the rule of sin.

But there is hope. God offers more than forgiveness—He offers transformation. You can be made new today. You can put off the old man, with all his lies and lusts, and put on the new man, which is created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians chapter 4 verse 24). That transformation begins with repentance—turning away from sin—and placing your trust in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again to make you new.

If you’ve been living in lies, even pretending to be religious when you know your heart is still unchanged, today is the day of salvation. Come to Christ—not to become a better person, but to become a new person.

Final Encouragement

Lying is not a harmless flaw—it is a spiritual fingerprint of the old man we once were. But the beauty of Colossians chapter 3 verse 9 is in what it assumes to be true of the believer: “Ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” This is not just a command—it is a reminder of who you are now. In Christ, you are not a liar. You are a new creation. The old life of deceit, manipulation, and falsehood no longer defines you. So when the temptation comes to protect yourself with a lie, or bend the truth for personal gain, remember this: That’s not who you are anymore. You’ve put that man in the grave. Speak truth, walk in truth, and reflect the One who is the Truth. Let your mouth agree with your heart—and let your heart be rooted in Christ.

Encouraging Prayer

Father, thank You for making us new in Christ. Thank You that we no longer have to live in the shadow of the old man, chained to lies and sin. Help us today to speak truth in love, to walk in integrity, and to reflect Your holy character in every word we say. Where we have fallen short, convict us. Where we are weak, strengthen us. And may our lives speak louder than our lips—testifying that Jesus is Lord, and we are His. In His name we pray, Amen.

Closing

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You are loved—so much in fact, that we want you to know and be Believers of Biblical Truth.

Shalom Shalom.

The Brain is The Hub,The Tongue is The Sword Part 2

I continue to examine the wisdom packed into Proverbs, the 21st chapter. King Solomon is giving us insight to righteous behavior, comparing good to bad. We as Christians are called to be separate from the world. This, by design, calls us to produce different fruit, to behave differently. We continue to break down the verses, moving on to verse 13- Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

John Gill

“A deaf ear will be turned to him by both: the same measure he has measured shall be measured to him again; no mercy shall be shown to an unmerciful man, either by God or man”

I can say simply that it would do us all well to look at a situation and instead of seeing someone else in it, see yourself. I know that a lot of people want money, and there are deceivers out there who look to steal from you. But if we use that blanket to justify miserly ideology, denying those in real need, what good is our heart, where is our compassion? Not all giving has to be money. We really can give food, and if in the right space, we can give work. Did you know that the original welfare system was the church? I personally do not believe in any of the non-profits out there. I think most churches have, long ago, closed the doors. They used to be out in the communities. But they retreated and closed the doors behind them. Now a days, the only time we see churches in the community is holidays. Other times, you must be a member. Now, this is not all churches. There are some that have many programs to help those down and out. Not all churches have abandoned the principle that we are our brother’s keeper; not all have turned their ears from hearing the cries of the poor, but many have. This caused a black hole, a vacuum. This need was then filled by the government and the non-profits. Have you ever heard the saying, give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime? We need to get back to teaching men to fish? A hand out is a hand out, its value is short lived. The value of a hand up is immeasurable. When it comes to salvation, no matter who we are, what we do, we all need that hand up. We are all in a hole. Without Christ, we are doomed. And if John Gill is right, ask yourself, do you simply get the hand out, or do you get the hand up?

16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

In order to wander away from understanding, you must first have the understanding. This verse should make every believer understand that the devil is out there searching the earth to and from for those whom he may devour. Satan is not just trying to interfere with your rewards, He is trying to devour you. IF all he wanted was to make you stumble and to interfere with your rewards in heaven since you are now saved, that would make your salvation and all of Satan’s efforts about you. That is a very arrogant and misguided approach to both sin and salvation. You chose to wander. No one makes you do it. Satan tempts you and you agree to follow. It happens to the best of Christians. When you do, you will remain in the congregation of the unsaved, the dead. J. Vernon McGee comments, and I paraphrase, We have glorified the theater, they provide our morals and today things are upside down. Jesters were called fools and to this day he doesn’t believe it has changed, entertainers today are sacred cow. I totally agree with him. It is a profession where, because they can act well, we somehow believe they are an authority on everything else. God is to be our idol, He is to be our moral authority, after all, He is the creator of morals to begin with.

Adam Clarke

“That follows gaming, fowling, hunting, coursing, etc., when he should be attending to the culture of the fields, shall be a poor man; and, I may safely add, shall be so deservedly poor, as to have none to pity him.”

20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.

23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

Albert Barnes

“Spendeth it up – literally, swalloweth it. The wise man keeps a store in reserve. He gains uprightly, spends moderately, never exhausts himself. But the proverb may have also a higher application. The wise man stores up all “treasure to be desired” of wisdom, all “oil” of divine influence, which strengthens and refreshes, and so is ready at all times for the work to which the Master calls him.”

Be aware, and ready. Earn and work honestly. Save and rest often. Spend and work prudently. These behaviors are of a Christian who has something else in mind, something other than the amount. There is an end coming. That end will not care about your possessions, nor your bank accounts. Faithfulness is the bounty to be measured. I was once told that God did not call us to be successful, he called us to be faithful. I think we, me included, sometimes get sidetracked into the success part. We measure the success by different standards. God might want us to go through a thing where the reward is wisdom. We go through it and we are thinking substantial tangible rewards, money or prizes. But as it continues, if we follow after Christ, if we obey, and we recognize that we are not worthy of His mercy and yet be so eternally grateful for it, we find life. If we can understand that if we remain under the care of our LORD, our wisdom will provide us victory over the confidence of the enemy. Verse 22 reminds me of the picture of David and Goliath. David was wise to pick the weapon he was most proficient with. He did not seek a big weapon for the big giant. He used his talent and wisdom, and defeated the giant. We can too. Verse 23 is the stumbling block for me. To know when to speak and when not to speak, a gift that the elders of a church should hold seminars on.

John Gill

“Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue,…. Guards the one and bridles the other; is careful of what he says, that it is truth, and without dissimulation and guile; and is not injurious to the characters of men, and is not offensive and provoking; who abstains from ill and wrathful language, and which tends to stir up wrath and contention.”

Ephesians 4:29  29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

James 3:8   But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

The bible, Jesus himself, could be quoted over and over when talking about speech. In today’s culture we understand this to mean that we must dilute the truth because the tongue “cuts to and fro”. The words that come from the brain and then out of the mouth can kill. Jesus stated that it is not that which goes into a man’s mouth that defiles him, but that which comes out. He also said that what comes out of the heart, which is the brain, reveals who the man is.  Without the spirit, we are told that our brains can only imagine wickedness. Wait….WHAT!?!?!?!?! Yes, even those who spend their whole life doing great things and inspiring others are wicked if their service is not for the glory of God. It is all idolatry if they are not inspired by God and give glory to God for all the blessings from their words. The wisest man that has ever lived is telling us that the man who learns to watch his words, tells the truth without omitting the hard stuff, the fine or minute stuff, and does so not to cause injury to the listener, but to grow and disciple the listener does well. Be mindful, therefore, in the thought to withhold truth or soften the truth so as not to offend. Truth is easily lost in the weeds of fluff.

Proverbs 21:28 A false witness shall perish:

Joseph Benson– one who is forward to swear or speak false things, or such things as he hath neither heard nor seen, but devised in his own heart

 

John Gill By telling lies in trade; by bearing false witness in a court of judicature; or by preaching false doctrines in the church of God: such treasures, though ever so great, are like any light thing, smoke or vapour, straw, stubble, chaff, or a feather, tossed about the wind; which is expressive of the instability uncertainty of riches ill gotten; they do not last long, but are taken away and carried off by one providence or another; and they are likewise harmful and pernicious; they issue in death: and those that seek after them, and obtain them in a bad way, are said to “seek death”: not intentionally, but eventually; this they certainly find, if grace prevent not;

We see again that words contrived in our hearts, not based in truth are wicked, telling lies and making up stories that harm others. Additionally there is no watering down of the consequence. A liar shall perish. That’s pretty simple to read and understand. God wants the truth. There is love in the truth. We are a society that has become afraid of the truth. We would much rather hear a lie that makes us feel good than the truth which heals us, completes us, makes us whole. Again, God does not want the truth used as a weapon. But it is an agent for change; change that is for the better.

The 21st Proverb is filled with wisdom for the ear that is willing to hear. The truth can be hard to hear sometimes. It can hurt, it has a sting. But the great thing about those who tell the truth with love is that they remain to walks us through that pain and help us endure that sting. Love is not disguised, it is not covered in balls of cotton so thick that it cannot be seen or heard. The truth just is, and that is why there is no escape from it. The bible itself has been attack for thousands of years, including this year. And yet it stands just as truthful today as it was the day they penned it, or chiseled it. It is always important to be led by love. Let the Holy Spirit take control and guide your tongue. Let the spirit tell you when you should speak and when to remain quiet; when to be gentle and when to be direct. At the end of the day, however, I would rather be alone on an island in communion with almighty God, than to be seen as a Saint by a million dear friends and relatives because my words simply make them FEEL good.

If you stand in the mirror what will the reflection tell you about yourself, and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your house, straight from the cross to the Christian!

 

The Brain is The Hub and The Tongue is The Sword, Part 1

So many times I have heard how the Old Testament (OT) has no meaning in today’s life. I have heard that once Christ came on to the scene all that was, is no more. All things are made new. I even have heard people, in the same sitting, tell me that Christ changed all that, and then used the OT to validate their thought. In Jesus fulfilling the law all that is left is faith in Him. In some ways, this is absolutely true. We no longer offer the annual blood sacrifice for the covering of our sin. Christ’s blood sacrifice was the completeness of the sacrifice. There is no other sacrifice that can do anything more than that which Jesus dying on the cross has already done. But the New Testament does not negate the Old Testament. There is so much that is alive and just as effective in the application to our doctrine and daily lives. As I read the 21st Proverb, I was overcome with this feeling. Every single instruction of how to live and every example of God’s view of right and wrong are just as true today as they were when King Solomon wrote them.

Proverb 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

The very first verse pierces my heart as it tells me that my God has every heart in His hands. First, we must understand that the word “heart” here really means the mind of man. I have said over and over, the true heart is just a muscle that pumps blood throughout the body. It does not create feelings and thoughts and words. The heart does not control our behavior. It is a vital organ, and we should care for it. But the brain is the hub of where we generate our behaviors. God controls even the King’s mind. I think of all the times that we read about how God hardened or softened a heart (mind). How much further do you have to go than the story of Joseph who was sold into slavery and ended up in the house of the Captain of the Pharaoh’s guard, Potiphar. God had Potiphar’s heart in his hand and cause him to have favor for Joseph. He made Joseph the superintendent of his house. Because he would not lay with Potiphar’s wife, she makes accusations against Joseph and he ends up in prison. God had the Warden’s heart in his hand and caused him to have favor on Joseph. He made Joseph the jail keep. There he interpreted dreams of a baker and cup bearer. The baker was reinstated and after 2 years of forgetting about Joseph, the Pharaoh was having bad dreams that no one could understand. The baker remembered Joseph and told the Pharaoh of the dreams Joseph interpreted and how he predicted rightly that the cup bearer would be executed but that the baker would be reinstated. The Pharaoh called for Joseph. After interpreting the dreams, the Pharaoh did not let Joseph go, but God had the Pharaoh’s heart in his hand, and God directed it like the waters of rivers. He directed Pharaoh to make Joseph the Vizier, the second in command of all of Egypt. The most powerful thing is that the Pharaoh was not a believer. Being a sinner is no match for my God. Let us not forget, that the most evil of all evil, falls in the end. In the hands of the evil and wicked Pharaoh, Joseph went from slave to convict to Second in charge of all of Egypt, and having great influence on the Pharaoh as well. Make no mistake, these simple words, the introductory declaration, are simple, but carry great power when you stop and ponder that the God who had the Pharaoh’s heart in his hand and cause great things to come upon Joseph is the same God who sits on the throne and can be in charge of your life if you believe that He still has man’s heart in his hand. And that sets the tone for this proverb. It is one of wicked compared to righteous. There is no gray area in obedience to the LORD. Either you are living a life serving the Master, or you are living a life serving satan. There is no third party. There is no gray area.

2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.

3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Most of us, if we are being honest with ourselves, think we are right about a lot of things. Some of us are good at admitting that we are wrong about something, but only after being shown that we are wrong. Most of us start off by thinking we are right. Our faith is no different. Those who reject God think they are right. Those who accept Christ but twist the word of God to suit their own flesh think they are right. There are so many different ways to take this, all ending with the same, we really do think we are right in our behavior. The real story is in the proverbial heart, or literally the mind. That is where God does the examining.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee says, and I am paraphrasing here, Jesus is the great physician, and a heart specialist. Jesus was the first in the heart transplant business. He was the first one to take the old heart and replace it with a heart that is obedient to him.

Matthew Henry states,

“Man is right in his own eyes. The proud heart is very ingenious in putting a fair face upon a foul matter, and in making that appear right to itself which is far from being so, to stop the mouth of conscience…..  God looks at the heart, and judges of men according to that, of their actions according to their principles and intentions; and his judgment of that is as exact as ours is of that which we ponder most, and more so; he weighs it in an unerring balance.”

I do believe that the one thing that Christian behavior has gotten far away from is principle. I think today’s society has convinced even the strongest of Christian that independent and free thinking is best. Being empowered to be you is better than compliance to any norm, including the biblical living Christ calls us to embrace when we accept Him. I fear that we have gotten away from things like principled living, and things like reverence. We have diminished God to someone we can take off a shelf when we need him, and put him back on the shelf whenever we are moved to be empowered or free thinking. We can truly see this as church after church, denomination after denomination allow the unrepentant sinner to enter the pulpit, behind the sacred desk (if your church even has a pulpit or a sacred desk anymore) to lead others. Think about weddings. Most of the Christian Faith have an objection to same sex marriage. But at the same time, the church that refuses to marry a same sex couple will marry two drunks who never attend church or even make confession for Christ. Think about that for a second. The idea of justice is righteousness or holiness. What is righteous about marrying one pair of sinners, but not another. Either we observe God in the boundaries of marriage or you do not. Of course, anyone behaving like this will open the scriptures and find something they will use to justify their position because they are right in their own eyes. But read what the king wrote here. To be just is acceptable to the LORD. Meaning the LORD is watching. We can explain our sin to each other all we want. Explain it to God; give the LORD all the excuses and let’s see how he judges us in return.

4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

 

Charles Ellicott States,

The plowing of the wicked.—i.e., their work, all they do; for it is not done to please God but themselves; nor carried on in His strength, but in reliance upon their own, and therefore it is “sin,” not pleasing to Him.

How we live is important. In the four verses above we see pride of man being brought to light. A high look, a facial expression that has your nose high in the air, a look that says that you see me but you turn your head from me as if I am not worthy of your acknowledgment. When God looks into our mind and He sees us, He sees the sinful pride. There are many things to be proud of, to be pleased with. The way to know the difference is to compare your thoughts to God. Jesus would never look down on anyone. Jesus would never allow His joy, pleasure, or simple contentment in any accomplishment to lead to the pain of another. He came as a humble servant, not as one who thought he was better than anyone else, or that their children are better than your children, or my home is better than your home, job than your job, paycheck/bank account than your paycheck/bank account. We see that God certainly did give us brains so that we can ponder life, and temptation, and think about them righteously. Jesus was tempted. It is not a sin to be tempted. There was nothing that satan had that Jesus did not already have. This is not true for us. Sometimes the temptations look so good, they smell, taste, feel and sound so good. To have diligent thoughts is to take into consideration God’s will. To do so leads to abundance. It may not be abundance of what your flesh wants, but it is the abundance that God wants you to have. Quickly, lets examine sexual sin. I am a heterosexual man. My flesh loves beautiful women. My lust desires them. Satan offers me all the women I can have. My God has already blessed me with a beautiful and wonderful wife. I have a choice to make. To be diligent in thinking about it, if I take all the women I can have, I might think that to be a great abundance. But an abundance of what? Pain, sickness, divorce, poverty, loneliness, and a great big hole where true companionship once lived? I had an abundance of women that led to death. Yet, if I diligent consider the gift God has given me, I have a life filled with love, companionship, peace, joy, and a life after death because my behavior was pleasing to God for bringing Glory to Him. That is the abundance He wants us to have. So as His, as a follower of Jesus, it is my responsibility to align my wants with His wants. I do not want, nor need the life of abundant women. I need abundant love.

9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.

Albert Barnes

“The flat roof of an Eastern house was often used for retirement by day, or in summer for sleep by night. The corner of such a roof was exposed to all changes of weather, and the point of the proverb lies in the thought that all winds and storms which a man might meet with there are more endurable than the tempest within.”

Whom we chose to spend our time with in important. I believe that the command to not be unequally yoked is not just a command for marriage, but also close friendships. We should be a friend to all, and we should always be prepared to let the light of Christ shine whenever darkness knocks on our doors. But when it comes to who we allow into the sanctuaries of our homes, and in the case of marriage into our own bodies as we become one, we should be certain to be equally yoked. Having said that, a brawling man is unbecoming. But I believe that men and women were designed for two totally different purposes. I believe that men are the hunter gatherers. They were designed to be the rugged piece. The woman however is the nurturing piece. For her to act like him is highly unbecoming. The bible does not refer to the woman as the weaker vessel as a testimony of a lack of strength, but of pricelessness. Again, a biblical principle that satan has used society and very determined sinners to destroy. Here, the bible is saying that it is totally unacceptable to be with a brawling woman. Brawling meaning loud and storming voice, violent, filthy mouth, and prone to verbal arguments/fights. God is saying that it is better to be exposed to the scorching sun, violent wind and sand storms and torrential rain storms on the roof of a house, where there is no cover, than to endure this type of woman in a luxurious home, with all the amenities. This behavior is not Christ like from male and female. But again, there should never be any mistake that, while man and woman were both made in the image of God, and that in the pure spirit form all will be equal, there was a specific and real difference between man and woman. I truly wish the church would do more to preach the difference between man and woman. Especially in the home. We are truly off the mark.

When I was not walking with God, thus called wicked, I focused only on what I wanted. This came to a great expense for others, as I would violate others during my quests to satisfy myself. Christians are command to love our neighbors. We ourselves are to be good neighbors. The wicked have no such principle. It is only about their gain. No matter what the behavior, a wicked man does it for his own good, even if it seems to suit the neighbor.

If you stand in the mirror what will the reflection tell you about yourself, and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your house, straight from the cross to the Christian!