November 4

Nov 4 - Today from Proverbs 4 we look at verse 2
"I give you sound learning, do not forsake my teaching."

"What do you think?" Jesus asks his audience for their opinion on a matter, and then proceeds to give the details. "There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard."
'I will not,' he answered, but later changed his mind and went.
Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered. 'I will sir,' but he did not go.
Which of the two did what the father wanted?" (Matthew 21:28-31).
Jesus' asks for an opinion that should be obvious to His listeners - and it was. "The first," they answered. Isn't it quite obvious to all of us that we should not forsake the sound teaching of God's Word? Why, this proverb is hardly worth printing it is so obvious. Yet, how many times in a week do we forsake the obvious teaching of our loving Father?
Jesus is teaching that oral assent to the obvious is not obedience at all. It is action that ultimately determines obedience.
"Wow! That sure was some message the pastor gave this morning!"
"Amen brother. He was right on the mark today."
We walk away feeling good about our ability to discern a word from God - and then go right back into our old patterns. If God's Word does not effect some sort of change in our direction in life, it is as dead as if we had never heard it at all. This was the lesson Jesus was teaching the religious leaders that day.
"I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him." (Matthew 21:31, 32).
John the Baptist preached a strong message of repentance. The Word of God that he preached was meant to change the course of direction in the lives of the listeners. All of them. The 'sinners' who once said "No" to God changed their minds and changed their direction. The 'righteous' who constantly mouthed the word "Yes" to God never wavered in their self-righteous course. Why should they? They were already righteous. The problem with the 'righteous' religious leaders in Jesus' day was that they measured themselves by others rather than by God. If the tax collectors and prostitutes were the valley, the righteous were the mountain-top. But when you look at the earth, say from the moon, it is perfectly smooth. The valleys and mountain-tops are undetectable. We will never achieve perfect righteousness in our behavior in this life. We are to always be maturing through conviction, confession and repentance. The next time you sit under a clear and strong word from God, don't give it mere lip-service. Rend you heart before God and let His word do it's sanctifying work. REPENT, you ‘righteous’! Do not forsake His teaching.