Proverbs 27:1-12

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend," says the Holy Spirit in Proverbs 27:6. And lest we imagine that the preacher is the one who does the wounding, I want to read Job 5:17,18: "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: for he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole."

You see, the one who does...

Paul's experience with the Christians in Galatia reminds us that we often make enemies of our friends when we tell them the truth. The apostle had introduced these people to the Lord and nurtured them in the faith. But later when false teachers infiltrated their Christian assemblies, Paul had to warn believers that they were forsaking Christ for the law. That caused them to become hostile toward their father in the faith.

It was also true in Old Testament times. Elijah was always...

How surprising the infatuation of man, in that while he despises and abuses the gifts of God actually bestowed, he makes sure of gifts to come. He makes havoc of to-day, as a child makes havoc of some valuable book fallen within its reach, and confidently expects that there shall be given to him a morrow, and a long series of morrows. While he, on earth, is busy with the transgression of God's commands, and with casting contempt on the authority of God, God, in heaven, is to be busy in...