08/26 Compass Guide Comments By Dr. Daniel Daves

26-Aug Song Of Songs 3-4, Titus 1-2, Psalms 136-140, Proverbs 26

Proverbs 26:24-26 (NIV) 24  A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. 25  Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. 26  His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

MALICE: noun - 1.desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness:  Synonyms: ill will, spite, spitefulness; animosity, enmity; malevolence; venom, hate, hatred; bitterness, rancor. See grudge.  Antonyms: benevolence, goodwill.

It's important for the Christian to look beyond the words of people, and search for something deeper. Why? Because malicious men and women are everywhere, deceiving and being deceived, using their lips for cover.  These people are like hurt, ravenous, bitter and scared dogs who are protective, defensive and afraid of anyone who draws near.  They have allowed hurt to fester and poison their hearts.  At some point, many of them have decided that they will play the devils game and become the injurer rather than allowing themselves to be injured. Vengeance fills the heart of a malicious person and they believe that they have legal authority to plan and carry out harm of another person, whether by using their skills in language, using the spirit of control, or by planning actual events that cause physical, psychological or spiritual damage to another person.  These people have seven abominations inside of their heart, and these abominations will leak out of them, leaving a wide swath of bad fruit in their path and their past.  It's easy to see the fruit if you will look and discern.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV) 16  There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17  haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18  a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19  a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

The seven things that fill the heart of a malicious person are pride, lying, handiwork that hurts others, and a creative capacity to invent ill will and things opposed to love and good will. They are quick to jump on any evil opportunity, their testimony is false and not truthful, and they seem to always bring trouble, division and dissension among the people of God.

Dissension: noun 1.strong disagreement; a contention or quarrel; discord. 2.difference in sentiment or opinion; disagreement.

While there are many scriptures and biblical commands that give us insight and instruction on dealing with divisive, malicious people, Jude pretty much says it all.  I have chosen particular verses specific to these types of people:

Jude 1:4  For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
5  Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.
6  And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
7  In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
8  In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings.
9  But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
10  Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals--these are the very things that destroy them.
11  Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.
12  These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm--shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted--twice dead.
13  They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
14  Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones
15  to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him."
16  These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
17  But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.
18  They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires."
19  These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
20  But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
21  Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22  Be merciful to those who doubt;
23  snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

Jude clearly indicates that men and women who possess these seven abominations have chosen the darkest of paths, akin to Satan and the fallen angels.  If they don't find a way to recover themselves, they will surely meet their demise in the judgment.  Meanwhile, they attempt to infiltrate, to do their evil in plain daylight, and to harm others while building themselves up.   Know them and mark them.

The good news in this horrible scenario is that these people can be recovered.  While we must know whom we are dealing with on the earth, we also know that they can be gloriously saved from their grave errors.  

Jude 1:14  Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15  to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him."

Jesus Christ died for these people and His blood has been spilled for their forgiveness.  His spilled blood brought forgiveness to the entire world, including you, me, and them.   There is still time, still hope, and still possibility of recovering these "unrecoverables".  I was once an unrecoverable.  I was such a bad guy in high school that the school prayer club had me at the top of their student list through my Freshman, Sophomore and Junior years of school  On my Senior year, they took me off of the list as an "unrecoverable".  But God took me and my horrid lifestyle as a personal challenge.  He won!  I am now His.  And you are now His.  And because of this great gift of mercy, they too can be His.  I take these types of people as a personal challenge - just like the Lord took me as His personal challenge.  Will they turn? That's up to them responding to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  Some actually will turn. Some might not.  

Know them that walk among you.  Don't listen to lip service.  Look for fruit.  The fruit of the Holy Spirit is clear.  And the fruit of the seven abominations is clear as well.      

Tomorrow's Reading:
27-Aug Song Of Songs 5-6, Titus 3, Philem. 1, Psalms 141-145, Proverbs 27