Take keer of yourself, kid. Watch your cinches!”
                    –Eugene Manlove Rhodes  (The Trusty Knaves)

       “Do not deceive yourselves.  If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a ‘fool’ so that he may become wise.”
                    –1 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)
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               “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!”  –Isaiah 5:21 (NKJV)
               “Woe to those who are wise in their own opinion and clever in their own sight.”  –(HCSB)

     This is the fifth “woe,” a pronouncement against what we would call “secular humanism” (postmodernism can be added to it).  “Humanism is belief in humanity,” simply stated by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.  Man can do all things.  He can go to the moon, he can do magnificent surgeries, he can split an atom (hmm, can he put it back together?)  “It is interested solely in men and women without God.  It banishes God because it believes that human beings are sufficient in and of themselves.” (Lloyd-Jones)  My hasn’t he done a great work?  Pestilence, famine, war, creation in crisis, water shortage, and on we could go.  I like the CEV on this, very blunt, but to the point.  “You think you are clever and smart!”
     Shakespeare gives one of the best definitions and viewpoints of man:  “What a piece of work is a man, now noble in reason, how infinite in faculty, in form and moving how express and admirable.  In action how like an Angel.  In apprehension how like a god, the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals.” (Hamlet)  Yes, man was created a marvelous being, a little lower than the angels, with dignity and in the image of God.  But he threw it away, right from the start he was deceived into thinking he could be like God.  Instead of walking and trusting God he turned to self:  the cosmic humanist to the occult, the secular humanist to science.  Lloyd-Jones says this of the humanist belief, “By delving into the mysteries of the universe and its constitution you discover the scientific truth about life, and from that you proceed to work out your whole scheme of living.”  Woe!
     Man’s greatest gift is that of the mind.  The problem is that people’s minds have gone wrong, “they do not know how to use them properly” (Lloyd-Jones).  Look at your social media or the news and you can quickly see where the mind of man without God has taken him.  As Paul wrote, “Professing to be wise, they became fools…” (Romans 1:22, NKJV)  To misuse this wonderful gift of the mind is one of the most blatant sins of man; it is a blasphemous action against God.
     Given this wonderful gift, they took it and became fools.  Mark 8:36 asks a pertinent question to all, but especially the humanist.  “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world [of knowledge and of wealth], and lose his own soul?”  Perhaps, this is the time to ask, what is your view of yourself?  Are you in need of a Savior or are you wise in your own eyes?  In the movie, “Shenandoah” we see a very humanistic prayer by the father, Charlie Anderson (played by Jimmy Stewart).  “Lord, we cleared this land.  We plowed it, sowed it, and harvested it.  We cooked the harvest.  It wouldn’t be here and we wouldn’t be eatin’ it if we hadn’t done it all ourselves.  We worked dog-boned hard for every crumb and morsel.  But we thank You just the same anyway, Lord, for this food we’re about to eat.  Amen.”  Me, I, we, or we’ll give a token “thanks” to God.  Self-confidence, self-righteousness, pride, doing what they deem right in their own eyes, self-sufficient–this is nothing but rebellion.  “Who needs God?” they flaunt.  Woe!  Paul writes, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” (Romans 8:7, NKJV)
     Man in all his greatest inventions, construction, building magnificent monoliths of steel will weep because it cannot stand before Almighty God.  John writes, “Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:  ‘Woe!  Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power!  In one hour your doom has come!’  In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!  With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.” (Revelation 18:10,16,21, NIV)  Only what God has made will last.  Who can stand before the Almighty?  Certainly not man–woe to those who think they can.

Anger and outward elation and cursing all gushed from the same fountain of weakness.”
                    –John Deacon  (Justice Returns)

       “Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.”
                    –Psalm 141:3 (NIV)
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               “The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, But the perverse tongue will be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.”  –Proverbs 10:31-32 (NKJV)

     Much of Proverbs deals with wisdom.  There is much foolishness, evil, and mockery in the world in which we live, therefore wisdom is needed as never before.  However, there is more to wisdom than just the sayings.  Bob Beasley points out, “It’s not just what we say that shows forth wisdom, it’s how we say it, when we say it, where we say it, and to whom we say it.”  The Scripture reminds us that “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” (James 1:26, NIV)  I often cringe when I’m out in public at the terrible language that flows from the mouths of people, and even on social media, the verbiage is garbage.  Luke speaks directly to this issue, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (6:45, ESV)  That which fills his heart will come forth from his mouth.
     The righteous man speaks properly and truthfully, his opposite, the perverted person speaks profanity, foolishness, and blasphemy.  The righteous will praise God in all he does, including what he says, the perverted will be “cut off” (or have his tongue “cut out”)  The perverted heart is warped and full of deception.  It is at war against the kingdom of God and the righteous and will do what it can to stop or mock it, whether it is a corrupt lifestyle, confusion and chaos, or false ideologies including that of twisting Scripture.  The perverted tongue can cause the righteous to “feel dirty” and in need of a spiritual bath.  We live in the world, and it dirties up (note the laver in the tabernacle), thus we need to be cleansed and being with the community of believers helps to do that.
     Righteousness, as is perversion, is an attitude, a lifestyle.  Both know what is acceptable–one purposely speaks what is evil, the other what is good.  Know this, the perverse will be cut down, “There shall, at last, be the silence of shame and confusion” (Edward Plumptre)  The righteous knows what words are acceptable to God; they know how to approach Him and how to represent Him.  The Ephesians must have had a problem with their mouth, for Paul sends them two direct messages,  “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (4:29, ESV)  The NKJV translates it this way, as “is good for necessary edification.”  He then pens again in 5:4, “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” (ESV)  Paul reminds the church at Colossae, that they must “put away…slander and obscene talk from their mouth.” (3:8, ESV)  
     One time I was with a group of boys going on a campout.  One of the kids had a loose mouth and the man in charge took out one of those little bars of soap found in motels and stuck it in his mouth with the wrapping on, not wanting to alarm the kids too badly, and left it there.  The leader forgot and the boy sat there with the bar in his mouth until the paper began to dissolve and suds began to appear.  Needless to say, he watched his words (I wonder if he watched his heart?)  Perhaps, no, we need some “spiritual soap” placed in the mouths of so many in today’s world for they cannot speak without some kind of filth spewing forth.
     A good tree will bear good fruit.  Are you watching your words, your attitude, your actions?  Are they pleasing to your Lord and Savior?  Michael Jermin said, “The righteous man speaketh that which pleaseth God and pleaseth man, and he speaks it in a pleasing manner.”

No new land is gained without blood and suffering.”
                    –Louis L’Amour  (How the West Was Won)

       “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.”
                    –Philippians 1:29 (NIV)
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          “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  –Matthew 5:10-12 (NASB)

     We need to understand, as John Stott reminds us, “Persecution is simply the clash between two irreconcilable value systems.”  Light versus darkness, the kingdom of God versus the world system, Christ versus Belial.  Know this, the more conformed to His image the more persecution.  Since you are living right, the evil of this world despises you.  “Those who hunger for righteousness will suffer for the righteousness they crave.” (Stott)  The reason being is that you affect those around you; you show light upon their dark world, and the Spirit within you condemns their actions.  Arthur Pinks says, “Those who perform their Christian duty condemn those who live to please self, and therefore, evoke their hatred.”
     Most of us in the United States will not face the persecution of torture and death as in some countries.  The attack is severe in many countries and we need to be praying for our family in the Lord.  History has also shown us the persecution of the past.  William Barclay tells us of Nero’s persecution:  “Nero wrapped the Christians in pitch and set them alight, and used them as living torches to light his gardens.  He sewed them in the skins of wild animals and set his hunting dogs upon them to tear them to death.  They were tortured on the rack; they were scraped with pincers; molten lead was poured hissing upon them; red hot brass plates were affixed to the tenderest parts of their bodies; eyes were torn out; parts of their bodies were cut off and roasted before their eyes; their hands and feet were burned while cold water was poured over them to lengthen the agony.  These things are not pleasant to think about, but these are the things a man had to be prepared for, if he took his stand with Christ.”  Mercy….the Lord had to give them the gift of martyrdom to accept such torture in His name.
     That is why we are told to “count the cost,” when we accept Christ.  We are so blessed in our wonderful country, but there is a time when the whole world will wage terror against those who claim the name of Christ.  I read from Acts, “Strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.  ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.'” (14:22, NIV)  The early church father, Tertullian tells the story.  “A man asked, ‘What can I do?  I must live!’  Tertullian’s answer, ‘Must you?'”  In the midst of persecution we see, “The way to heaven is by way of thorns and blood.” (Thomas Watson)  
     No matter the type of persecution, no matter the era in which we live the question remains–Christ or Caesar!  Or, in our safe lives, it might be Christ or career.  Christ or wealth.  Christ or …?  As a soldier of the cross we should not get comfortable in worldly comforts.  There is the choice; it may not be live or die, at least physically, but it is whom or what do you live for?  Arthur Pinks says, “Let not the soldier of the cross be dismayed because the fiery darts of the wicked one are hurled against him.”  And I will remind you we are to pick up our cross daily.  It may be one of martyrdom.  We say we believe, then “put a cross in your creed.” (Watson)
     Persecution means “to vex or molest.”  It can come in many forms, some which I have mentioned in torture and death.  However, most of what we face in our country is that of verbal abuse.  Yes, in some places, and for some people it comes in the form of harassment, troubles, and actual molestation of some sort.  The murder and slicing of a person’s character is often the target.  Perhaps we ought to be more proactive in our witness.  I recall the words of Sitting Bull when he went into battle, “Today is a good day to die.”  Spiritually we have already died to the old life, so expect to face new battles, new foes, new enemies.  Today, you may die, so I would ask, are you ready?