Sermon Central
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Wicked Vs. Godly Series
Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Dec 5, 2012 (message contributor)
Summary: So let’s look at what wickedness is promised in Proverbs and see how it’s lies are never going to bring us happiness and contentment in life.
Series: Practical Proverbs
Proverbs main comparison is wisdom vs. foolishness and we learned that wisdom comes from God. Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge correctly and rightly. With wisdom our life is blessed by God but without wisdom our life is cursed and we act and look like a fool to the Kingdom of Heaven.
The second most common comparison in Proverbs is wickedness compared and contrasted with godliness.
Scriptures:
There are 92 verses in the book of Proverbs which reference wickedness and godliness.
Let me read just a few of them:
For the uprights will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.
31 Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, 32 for the Lord detests a perverse man but He takes the upright into his confidence. 33 The Lord ’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. 16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall. 17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. 19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
2 Ill–gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death. 3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.
9 The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. Compare 10:11 with Matthew 12:34 and Luke 6:45.
16 The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.
The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever. Cross Reference: Matthew 13:43
The fear of the LORD prolongs days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.
This comparison in Proverbs is placed there to remind us that our world in which we live is in a war for one of two philosophies of life. One philosophy of life centers on godliness the result of a life which embraces wisdom from God and then applies it to their life and to their knowledge base. On the other side of godliness or the polar opposite is wickedness. This belief does not want wisdom from God because it believes it knows better than God. Therefore they choose what is right and wrong. This mindset is rooted and grounded in evil. It originated in the heart of Satan and it spills into our world from his devices of deception. This comparison is placed in Proverbs to warn us that there are two forces fighting for your spirit, soul and body. One is the Lord while the other is the Devil.
Sermon 3: Wicked vs Godly
Introduction:
Paul Harvey the famous radio voice of news did a program 48 years ago called if “I where the Devil” lets listen to what he points out to be the subtle deception of wickedness.
Listen to the clip http://nation.foxnews.com/paul-harvey/2012/03/21/1965-if-i-were-devil-warning-nation-paul-harvey
His written speech: This speech was broadcast by legendary ABC Radio commentator Paul Harvey on April 3, 1965: 48 years ago!
