Provérbios 4

Provérbios 4:23

Barnes warns us… A wicked plan or purpose is thus represented as having a tendency to fasten itself on a man, or to "stick to him" -- as pitch, or wax, or a burr does. Here are C H Spurgeon's comments on Ps 101:3: I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes. I will neither delight in it, aim at it or endure it. If I have wickedness brought before me by others I will turn away from it (Pr 8:13, Ro 12:9), I will not gaze upon it with pleasure. The psalmist is very sweeping in his resolve, he declines the least, the most reputable, the most customary form of evil -- no wicked thing; not only shall it not dwell in his heart, but not even before his eyes, for what fascinates the eye is very apt to gain admission into the heart, even as Eve's apple first pleased her sight and then prevailed over her mind and hand. I hate the work of them that turn aside. He was warmly against it; he did not view it with indifference, but with utter scorn and abhorrence. Hatred of sin is a good sentinel for the door of virtue. There are persons in courts who walk in a very crooked way, leaving the high road of integrity; and these, by short cuts, and twists, and turns, are often supposed to accomplish work for their masters which simple honest hearts are not competent to undertake; but David would not employ such, he would pay no secret service money, he loathed the practices of men who deviate from righteousness. He was of the same mind as the dying statesman who said, "Corruption wins not more than honesty." It is greatly to be deplored that in after years he did not keep himself clear in this matter in every case, though, in the main he did; but what would he have been if he had not commenced with this resolve, but had followed the usual crooked Policy of Oriental princes? How much do we all need divine keeping! We are no more perfect than David, nay, we fall far short of him in many things; and, like him, we shall find need to write a psalm of penitence very soon after our psalm of good resolution. It shall not cleave to me. I will disown their ways, I will not imitate their policy: like dirt it may fall upon me, but I will wash it off, and never rest till I am rid of it. Sin, like pitch, is very apt to stick. In the course of our family history crooked things will turn up, for we are all imperfect, and some of those around us are far from being what they should be; it must, therefore, be one great object of our care to disentangle ourselves, to keep clear of transgression, and of all that comes of it: this cannot be done unless the Lord both comes to us, and abides with us evermore. Eyes for the Worthy (Inspired by Psalm 101:3) I will set no worthless thing before my gaze, No fleeting shadow, no empty praise. For what I behold shapes the heart within, Drawing me closer—or leading to sin. Why dwell on idols that rust and decay? Why fix my eyes where temptations play? The Lord has called me to things divine, To seek what’s holy, His truth to find. The glitter of gold, the lure of the vain, Cannot compare to His lasting gain. So I turn my eyes from the fleeting show, To the light of His love, where blessings flow. Let my vision rest on what is pure, On treasures eternal, steadfast, and sure. For the heart follows where the eyes lead, Planting the harvest of every seed. I will fix my sight on the righteous path, Shielding my soul from the tempter’s wrath. With eyes uplifted to heaven’s throne, I find my joy in God alone. MAKE NO PROVISION TO COMMIT SIN But (for contrast see Ro 13:13-note) put on (aorist imperative = command to do this now!) the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision (present imperative = a command which is coupled with a negative particle giving the sense of "stop making provision" implying they were already doing so) for the flesh (the fallen flesh) in regard to its lusts (strong desires in this case for evil ends). (see note Ro 13:14) Comment: The order is critical. Jesus first. Say "Yes" to Jesus (and the Spirit of Christ) before you say "No" to the flesh! Then you will be motivated and empowered to carry out the command to make no provision (see same order and principle in Gal 5:16-note). Don't turn it around and say "I'll make no provision and that way I will clothe myself with Christ and be like Christ." You have just fallen into the trap of the flesh (fallen, sinful, evil flesh, not flesh and blood), which rises up when placed under "laws" or "restraints". Spend time at the foot of the Master, listening to His voice (Lk 10:39, 40, 41), speaking with Him, asking the Father to strengthen you with His Spirit in your inner man (Eph 3:16-note), etc - Then you will be forearmed and ready to carry out the task of not making provision for the strong desires to gratify self that emanate from your fallen flesh. Remember - Jesus first! Then you are clothed and armed for the battle that each new day brings! How is your quiet time lately beloved? I'm not trying to motivate you from a sense of legalism but from an heart attitude of love for your best Friend and Counselor. Spend a few moments with Him each day before you head off to the office, to the school, to the taking the kids to school, etc. Then you are much more likely to go through the day as more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus our Lord. TAKE "ANTI-GOD" THOUGHTS CAPTIVE USING DIVINELY POWERFUL WEAPONS For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking captive (present tense = continually, making this one's practice) every (Gk word means all without exception) thought to the obedience of Christ (See notes 2Cor 10:3-5) Comment: We live in a fallen world and face 3 mortal enemies, the world, the devil and the flesh, and all three are sources of anti-God thoughts. Applying the truth of this passage, Paul is saying it is possible for believers to take captive these anti-God thoughts that come to corrupt and defile our heart. The better we know God's Word of Truth, the easier it is for us to recognize the lies, deception and "half-truths" with which we are assaulted on a daily basis. For example the writer of Hebrews says that… solid food (cp 1Ti 4:6, Titus 1:9-note, 1Pe 2:2-note, Job 23:12-note, Je 15:16, Mt 4:4) is for the mature, who because of practice (speaks of that which is a habit) have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (Heb 5:14 - see note) Oswald Chambers writes that taking thoughts captive … means the harnessing of impulse. We have the power in our hearts to fix the form of our choice either for good or for bad. (Chambers, O. Biblical Psychology. London: Simpkin Marshall) A W Tozer wrote that… What we think about when we are free to think about what we will—that is what we are or will soon become… Anyone who wishes to check on his true spiritual condition may do so by noting what his voluntary thoughts have been over the last hours or days. What has he thought about when free to think of what he pleased? Toward what has his inner heart turned when it was free to turn where it would? When the bird of thought was let go did it fly out like the raven to settle upon floating carcasses or did it like the dove circle and return again to the ark of God? Such a test is easy to run, and if we are honest with ourselves we can discover not only what we are but what we are going to become. We'll soon be the sum of our voluntary thoughts… The best way to control our thoughts is to offer the mind to God in complete surrender. The Holy Spirit will accept it and take control of it immediately. Then it will be relatively easy to think on spiritual things, especially if we train our thought by long periods of daily prayer. Long practice in the art of mental prayer (that is, talking to God inwardly as we work or travel) will help to form the habit of holy thought. (Born After Midnight) ><>><>><> As the needle of the compass has an affinity for the north magnetic pole, so the heart can keep true to its secret love though separated from it by miles and years. What that loved object is may be discovered by observing which direction our thoughts turn when they are released from the hard restraints of work or study. Of what do we think when we are free to think of what we will? What object gives us inward pleasure as we brood over it? Over what do we muse in our free moments? To what does our imagination return again and again? When we have answered these questions honestly we will know what kind of persons we are; and when we have discovered what kind of persons we are we may deduce the kind of fruit we will bear. (The Root of the Righteous) C H SPURGEON ADDS "THE PEACE OF GOD… SHALL GUARD YOUR HEART" Spurgeon used this text in Philippians 4 to explain how one could fulfill the exhortation in Proverbs 4:23. (See full sermon How to Keep the Heart). And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7-note)