–Ezekiel 34:2 (NKJV)
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Franklin Graham said on the eve of America’s 250th Anniversary that, “America won’t last another 25 years without Jesus Christ.”  Prophecy or the words of a fanatic?  Time will tell, but the truth being told, America, if there is not repentance and a move back to the standards of God is facing dire consequences.  That is what God was speaking to Israel through His prophet Isaiah.  As we look at the sixth and final woe of Isaiah from chapter five, let’s review the first five:
          1 — Woe against materialism.
          2 — Woe against pleasure and entertainment.
          3 — Woe against deliberate and willful sin.
          4 — Woe of moral perversion.
          5 — Woe of humanism (and I added postmodernism)
As I read over these and review what Isaiah was saying and what I previously wrote I think of my Grandma’s declaration in times of distress and trouble:  “Lord, help us through the jungles.”
          “Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away justice from the righteous man!”
                    –Isaiah 5:22-23(NKJV)
     Again I remind you that the prophecy was directed to Israel, however, as D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out, “Our business is to listen to this message of God through His prophet because this message is always contemporary and as we have been going through it, we have seen more and more clearly that we are listening to a word that is also addressed to us at this present hour.”
     Woe to those who are drunk, to those who pervert justice, to those who have lost their moral sense.  These take advantage of their position to push their evil agenda.  Woe to them…  Sin is powerful and there are those who attempt to exploit it to their own gain.  Look, for example, at the judges, who by the power of their decisions and the position they hold make a mockery of the law and justice, and also God’s moral decrees.
     A person decried the amount of money spent in aid to Israel and said it should be used to help the morally debased (the alphabet group) fund their first home.  Oh, how we have fallen away from God’s standard.  Paul writes that moral perversion, immoral lifestyles, and covetousness should “not even be named among you…” (Ephesians 5:3), and today we have gay ministers and accepting denominations defending the perversions that Paul writes about and adding to that the mockery of God’s standards with government leaders living in that lifestyle.  No wonder the prophet Isaiah says, “Woe!”  No wonder the warning from the minister Franklin Graham.
     Man seems to delight in degrading themselves.  Lloyd-Jones says that “sin makes men and women insult their own nature, their own self, their own true greatness and glory.”  There is so much more to say about this woe, but length won’t permit.  Next week, I’ll follow up, the Lord willing, with a part two.  Now, do your part–make it your priority to keep your eyes upon Jesus.

                    –Kenneth Pratt  (To Kill a Dragon)

       The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.”
                    –Proverbs 15:3 (NKJV)
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We are back to our study in Proverbs.  This week we will look at Proverbs 11:1:  Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.” (NKJV)  If you want to be a “delight” to the Lord, be honest in all your dealings, in all your work–in other words in your life.  “One of the greatest mistakes we can make in our Christian walk is to compartmentalize life.  We must take the ways of God into every detail of our work and leisure activities, and not just into our time of formal worship, study, and prayer.”  This is a great and important truism written by Bob Beasley.  It is the old saying, “He is Lord of all, or He is not lord at all.”
     This verse speaks to dishonesty, greed, and cheating.  For what–just a little more money, a little more gain, a little more advantage, a little more prestige, a little more pleasure?  You’ve seen the cartoons of the butcher who weighs meat with his thumb on the scale where the customer cannot see.  Just a few more cents out of your pocket.  Perhaps you’ve been involved in a group project at work or at school.  There is one person who cheats for his grade by allowing you and the others to do the work and to carry them along.  Dishonest welfare, taking from those who pay by those who could work, but won’t.
     One day the score will be settled, the scales will be made just.  God will even the score.  Dan Dick says, “Those who live by deception will find themselves outside of the grace of God.  No one who makes their living by the blood, sweat and tears of others can be numbered among the children of God.”
     Honesty!  What a delight in the day in which we live.  A handshake used to be the sign of a contract.  Your name, your character, was your bond.  At one time I offered to support Fred Deaver, a lay minister and artist.  He refused.  However, he said he would make a painting for me and I could pay monthly.  That way, he said we both received something.  All he needed from me was a handshake saying I would pay so much per month.  My character was on the line…and no way was I going to miss a payment.  With a handshake all there is to the contract then is trust–honesty.
     A “just weight” is a true standard.  You get what you paid for.  A criminal is someone who has not fulfilled the requirements of the law.  As Judge Parker (the “Hanging Judge’) said, “I never hung anyone, the law hung them.”  A transgressor of the standards must face the consequences of those standards.  One reason there is so much confusion and chaos today is because people think they are a law unto themselves; that truth is relative.  Know this–God hates a false balance.  Notice the term:  it is an “abomination”.
     Melancthon tells us that all “ordinance of Divine wisdom and justice are effectively superintended by God.”  He sees all, and He will judge all.  I’ve heard people say on many occasions that if you don’t get caught you didn’t break the law.  Hmmm, tell that to the Almighty Judge of the Universe.  That is a lie straight from the pit.  The writer of Hebrews says, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (4:13, NKJV)  The Living Bible puts it this way, “He knows about everyone, everywhere. Everything about us is bare and wide open to the all-seeing eyes of our living God; nothing can be hidden from him to whom we must explain all that we have done.”  So keep your thumb off the scale, your eyes on your own paper.  Be sure to account honestly for your time at work, so clock in too early or too late–work for your pay.

                    –Louis L’Amour  (The Proving Trail)

       “A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree produce good fruit.  For each tree is known by its own fruit.  Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush.”
                    –Luke 6:43-44 (HCSB)
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          “God, blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.  God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers.  Be happy about it!  Be very glad!  For a great reward awaits you in heaven.  And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.”
                    –Matthew 5:10-12(NLT)

You want to follow Christ?  Pick up your cross.  Not just once, for a single event, but daily–a lifetime.  True, to pick it up is not necessarily easy, but it is necessary.  Suffering will come.  It will come to disrupt your work, your career, your plans.  But take heart, it happened to the prophets.  William Barclay said, “If it came to a choice between a loyalty and a living, the real Christian never hesitated to choose loyalty.”  WOW!  
     When suffering comes it will almost all the time disrupt your social life.  Be prepared to be lonely.  Be prepared to be the odd-ball.  Be prepared to be made fun of in the group.  When suffering comes, be aware that it could disrupt the home life.  It could split the family, bring family members against one another.  In the early days of Christianity it wasn’t uncommon for a family to be split and the real Christian cast out.  It is little different today.  Oh, you might not be thrown out on the street, but you may be castigated by loved ones, you may be mocked by close members of the family.  However, the real Christian must choose loyalty–oh how it can hurt, loyalty to Christ is what counts.
     See if you’re righteous, you will breathe after holiness.  You won’t see the ways of the world, for your loyalty is to a new master.  His grace is now the center of your life and your most important aim is to please Him, to have a good conscience at any cost; it may be career, social standing, and even family.  A good, righteous conscience is a precious jewel of high value.  An important aspect of this, and it is important–you may be the conscience of your workers, your social group, and even your family.  You may be the only light that shines, the only letter they read, the only salt that they taste in this wicked, evil world.  “The Church when it really is the Church, is bound to be the conscience of the nation and the conscience of society.” (Barclay)  That is one of the reasons for the demise of our nation, the Church did not stand up to its task of being a “city on a hill”; it wavered, compromised, gave in to the whims of society, and became complacent.  It is time for the Church to be the Church or let the nation go down the tubes.
     One more thought before closing today’s devotion.  Suffering is not what we cause to bring on ourselves.  When we get ourselves in a fix and have to pay the consequences that is not suffering from being a Christian, that is suffering for a foolish action.  Our sins may cause us to suffer, that is not suffering for the sake of righteousness.  Suffering is also not what is paid to purchase fame.  The effort you give to climb the social ladder, or make the most sales at work, or become a classical guitarist, that is suffering that is part of the deal, the work, the practice; it is not for righteousness.

       “…We will go along the King’s Highway.  We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”
                    –Numbers 20:17 (ESV)
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          “I’m just a pilgrim on this road, boys… This ain’t never been my home.
          Sometimes the road was rocky long the way, boys….  But I was never travelin’ alone.”
                    –Steve Earle
Travel, we must continue on.  Some days we make more distance, while other days it seems we are taking baby steps.  No matter–we continue onward and upward.  Many miles have I traveled in my life.  Not drifting, but not always with real purpose.  For example, physically I didn’t travel much last Tuesday, but I wonder…how far do we walk spiritually?  
Johann Tauler said, “Nothing can be more necessary than that we should be ready at all times, and that we should know that we are, and not only hope so.  We have been placed in this life, not only to do the works, but also that we may know, so that our works may grow out of knowledge, as fruit grows out of the tree.  Therefore our work in this life is to gain more knowledge, and so come nearer to God.”
     The old hymn speaks of us being in the gloryland way.  “Heaven is nearer and the way groweth clearer,” (J.S. Torbett) is the road we travel.  Ahh, to know Him, to be closer to Him; in this realm and in eternity.  We never know when the day of our demise may come, nor the day of the Lord’s return, therefore keep traveling.
          “We’ll meet again on some bright highway,
          Songs to sing and tales to tell,
          But I’m just a pilgrim on this road, boys,
          Until I see you fare thee well.”
One of the saddest stories in the Bible is that of the ten virgins who were traveling to the wedding feast.  We read the story in Matthew 25:1-13.  All became weary and tired along the journey and slept.  When the trumpet sounded, the time for the great feast and celebration five of them were not ready.  “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” (verse 13, NKJV)  Be ready!  The early church writing, The Didache says, “Be watchful over your life; never let your lamps go out or your loins be ungrit, but keep yourselves always in readiness, for you can never be sure of the hour when our Lord may be coming.”  
     Therefore, alertness and readiness must be part of our character.  Try driving the highways of this land half-awake, not paying attention to your surroundings.  Wham, Bam, that’s all Sam….  “Until I see you fare thee well.”  

       “…We will go along the King’s Highway.  We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”
                    –Numbers 20:17 (ESV)
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          “I’m just a pilgrim on this road, boys….  This ain’t never been my home.
          Sometimes the road was rocky long the way, boys….  But I was never travelin’ alone.”
                    –Steve Earle
Travel, we must continue on.  Some days we make more distance, while other days it seems we are taking baby steps.  No matter–we continue onward and upward.  Many miles have I traveled in my life.  Not drifting, but not always with real purpose.  For example, physically I didn’t travel much last Tuesday, but I wonder…how far do we walk spiritually?  
Johann Tauler said, “Nothing can be more necessary than that we should be ready at all times, and that we should know that we are, and not only hope so.  We have been placed in this life, not only to do the works, but also that we may know, so that our works may grow out of knowledge, as fruit grows out of the tree.  Therefore our work in this life is to gain more knowledge, and so come nearer to God.”
     The old hymn speaks of us being in the gloryland way.  “Heaven is nearer and the way groweth clearer,” (J.S. Torbett) is the road we travel.  Ahh, to know Him, to be closer to Him; in this realm and in eternity.  We never know when the day of our demise may come, nor the day of the Lord’s return, therefore keep traveling.
          “We’ll meet again on some bright highway,
          Songs to sing and tales to tell,
          But I’m just a pilgrim on this road, boys,
          Until I see you fare thee well.”
One of the saddest stories in the Bible is that of the ten virgins who were traveling to the wedding feast.  We read the story in Matthew 25:1-13.  All became weary and tired along the journey and slept.  When the trumpet sounded, the time for the great feast and celebration five of them were not ready.  “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” (verse 13, NKJV)  Be ready!  The early church writing, The Didache says, “Be watchful over your life; never let your lamps go out or your loins be ungrit, but keep yourselves always in readiness, for you can never be sure of the hour when our Lord may be coming.”  
     Therefore, alertness and readiness must be part of our character.  Try driving the highways of this land half-awake, not paying attention to your surroundings.  Wham, Bam, that’s all Sam…  “Until I see you fare thee well.”