01 October 2009 Devotion for Today "Things God Hates" Proverbs 6:16-19
16 These six things the LORD hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19)
Can you imagine God hating anything? Our God, who is so full of love and goodwill, actually hates something? The words God and hate hardly seem appropriate to be mentioned in the same sentence. Can it be true? Yes it is true- in fact the writer of Proverbs tells us there are indeed seven things for which God reserves the right to have the fullest expression of His antipathy.
1) Pride. God hates the proud look. He must hate it the most because Solomon mentions it first. It comes from the words haughty eyes. Haughty eyes are those who look snobbily down on others or who think they are better than everyone else. They hold others in contempt or disdain when they are just as sinful as everybody else, yet their gaze is blind because they cannot see how wicked and sinful they truly are.
2) Lies. God hates lies. Jesus said that the Devil was the father of lies. A lie is a falsehood or even a half-truth told in order to mislead or to deceive others. The book The Day America Told the Truth says that 91 percent of those surveyed lie routinely about matters they consider trivial, and 36 percent lie about important matters; 86 percent lie regularly to parents, 75 percent to friends, 73 percent to siblings, and 69 percent to spouses. Lies are usually accepted by those who tell them because no one wants to confront the liar for fear that the liar will expose them. Indeed the ones who most easily discern lies recognize them because they are liars themselves. It takes a thief to catch a thief, it takes a liar to catch one.
3) Hands that shed innocent blood. The blood of which I write this morning is the senseless murder of the unborn: abortion. This is America's greatest sin for which we shall surely account. Part of the reason for the troubles we are in today is because in 1973 we started murdering some of our countries' best and most gifted statesmen and women, artisans, teachers, tradesmen and professionals. Instead of survival of the fittest, we have insured the survival of the mediocre at the expense of the brightest and best our nation has to offer- 60 million of them are gone- the price we are beginning to pay now but will increase exponentially the longer we continue to murder babies through abortion.
4) A heart that devises wicked plans. At the beginning of a radio program long ago, the announcer would say, "Who knows what evil lies in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!" God knows most of all. What makes these plans so wicked? Because they do not acknowledge God in them.
5) Feet that are swift in running to mischief. This is a premeditated act of sin based upon the wicked plans mentioned above. Without stopping to pray or at least consider the fallout of which these plans will hurt, they are swiftly executed with the greatest destruction possible.
6) False witnesses. Again, lies are utilized but this is done to inflict hurt upon the innocent to gain advantage over them or to destroy them. Jesus was crucified because of the testimony of false witnesses. God will hold a false witness to account even if no one else suspects him, you can be sure of that!
7) Sowers of discord. In short, a troublemaker. This is the kind of person who cannot celebrate the joy of accomplishment in others. Instead they have to "stir the pot." Those who created troubled waters are themselves the most troubled people. They create dissention by gossip, lies, and spread it usually by the telephone. They plant suspicious thoughts into people's minds who would have never thought them, otherwise. They cannot stand for anything to succeed.
Let me be clear to say that although God hates these things, He loves those who come to Him in repentance over them. All of us have been guilty of some of these things Solomon mentioned- especially the lies. May God help us to demonstrate behavior that God loves, instead of hates.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, today I fasten around my waist the belt of truth. I know that you hate lies and the other sins You mentioned in Your Word today. Guard my lips from speaking evil, and keep my feet under control so that they will not be swift in spreading it. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Have a blessed day!
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