Proverbs 12:5-8 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 12:5-8, which read,

v.5 - The thoughts of the righteous are just, but the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

Look at the depth of the actions of the righteous.  Their thoughts, not just their words and actions, are just.  Remember the verse to take every thought captive to Christ?  As a young person and being raised in a Christian home I knew what was unwholesome talk and what wasn't and I had self-discipline to not participate in it but my mind was another story.  I remember many times crying out to God because even though I didn't say the words I was thinking those words over and over again in my mind.  They had to be taken captive and before the cross of Christ for victory to happen.  I thank God for the victory over that sin.

I guess the counsel of my sin would have been that it was okay because at least I didn't say the words.  I am sure that I could have found many to say that it was just a phase I was going through or that I should not beat myself up over it.  Those counsels would have downplayed the sin and also downplayed the value of the sacrifice of Christ.  A counsel of excusing sin instead of repenting of it is deceitful to the Word of God.

v.6 - The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright will deliver them.

How are words are used for good or for evil.  The wicked use their words to take others down while the upright use their words to speak of the One, Jesus, who can lift up those very ones being taken down by the wicked.  We have gone from our thoughts to our words and so if our thoughts are just then our words should follow suit.  The opposite, if our counsel to our thoughts rest in deceit instead of truth then our words will cause harm rather than good.  

To examine our words is to first examine our thoughts.  Back to my illustration, my words were coming out with the approved language but my thoughts were another matter.  Eventually those thoughts would win out over the words and the words would reflect the thoughts if not acted upon by the counsel of God.  I would and did at times act sinfully against others because my ungodly thoughts became ungodly words.

v.7 - The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand.

In the end, the wicked who seem to rule now will be overthrown or receive what is due to them and the righteous will stand forever in the presence of God.  The wicked will not be before God and not in the house of the righteous for that is reserved and sealed by the Holy Spirit for those who follow after God's call.  The wicked are ruling in this world but that is not the final outcome.

Another way to look at this is that the house of the righteous will get hit at times but it will stand.  The house of the righteous will feel the consequences of the wicked but it will not crumble under it.  The wicked world will display all of its deceit and deception but the house of the righteous is put together with God given bricks and mortar that can withstand the hurricanes, tornados, floods, and earthquakes of evil.

v.8 - A man will be praised according to his insight, but one of perverse mind will be despised.

We are back to the thoughts again.  If we take our thoughts captive to Christ so they can be just by His blood and also dealt with with repentance if they are sinful then our insight will come out in our words and actions that bring praise.  If we do not take our thoughts captive to Christ but allow them to be guided by the counsel of excuses and allowed to linger in our lives and grow then our perverseness will come out in our words and actions that bring despise.

Take a step back this day from your words to your thoughts.  How clean and holy are your thoughts?  What thoughts have you not been taking to the foot of the cross of Christ but allowed to linger?  Those lingering unrepentant thoughts will turn into words and actions at some point if not dealt with and that is the truth that God is giving us here.  Take the unseen sin by man at this point before a seeing God and allow Him to cleanse your thoughts so your words and actions truly reflect a submitted servant of God, with thoughts, words, and actions.  Let's pray.

"Lord, when I gave my life to you it wasn't just what is seen on the outside by man but also the inside which is seen by You.  Help me to see the progression of thoughts to words and deeds that can land us doing wicked rather than being a tool in Your hand for righteous.  May I take my very thoughts to You to be conformed and transformed to be Christ like today.  Amen."

Pastor Adam