Author: divinewisdomforchristians

God’s Secret Purposes 

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand…A man’s steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way.”(Proverbs 19:21; 20:24)

I am still on the road, away from home by design to see a town I was curious about but had never seen. I am pretty sure I will return home today, but I cannot eliminate the possibility that God may have a different plan for me (which I pray will not come to pass, since the only imaginable thing to deter me would be difficulty driving). However, my plans with my traveling companion may change before we leave town if our local destinations aren’t what we imagined or are closed. The Lord may use even small, mundane arrangements in ways we cannot imagine. In August we considered Proverbs 19:21 with respect to disciplining our children, not knowing how the Lord might use our training in their lives. Are we not under the same rule of God’s providence, if we are walking with him through our faith in Jesus Christ?

God is divinely sovereign, and we are wise when we seek to align our choices and decisions with God’s instructions for living faithfully, submitting to the teachings of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit. If we are devoted to a gospel-centered life, God will disrupt our designs with his superior plans for our good and the good of others. He works through circumstances and the needs of others, through illness, tragedies, prosperity, accomplishments, quiet times, corporate prayer and worship, confession, Bible study, and (hopefully) devotions. If we are wise, we examine what we do and what we plan to do in light of what God may be doing in our lives. Proverbs is about living wisely with the Lord, and we rejoice that when we do so, it is God’s most excellent purposes that prevail.

“’How can a man then understand his way?’” the Lord’s way, not man’s; the way of the Lord in providence, which is as the deep, and unsearchable; and the way of life and salvation by Christ, which is of the Lord’s devising and resolving on; this way of peace, pardon, righteousness, and eternal life, is not known by the natural man; and when it is externally revealed in the word, and by the outward ministry of it, it is not understood so as to be approved of, but is despised, unless God gives a heart to know it.” * We contrive foundations and NGOs to solve the problems of the poor and committees to fix issues in our communities and churches. We give money to good causes and research, enjoy life and all the gifts God gives us, minister to those who don’t know the Lord, and memorialize those who have died. Thousands of books on Christianity, study Bibles, and Bible studies are published every year. In all these undertakings, God has his secret, hidden plans that he is perfectly orchestrating.

What are your plans for today, this week, or this year? Do you care more about your plans or the Lord’s purposes? How can you yield faithfully for the sake of God’s secret plans this week?

* John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, Proverbs 20:24,https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/proverbs-20.html

Worshipping God, Who is the Strength of Our Hearts

“You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever…for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” (Psalms 73:24-28)

My friend and I are traveling, relying on my GPS especially yesterday as we drove through Hill Country back roads to our destination hours away. At one point we wondered if we were on the right route, in spite of the guidance system. But we had lovely views of the countryside, glad to avoid an over-crowded highway on a Friday afternoon. After we arrived, we drove to an iconic restaurant for dinner, just a short distance from our hotel. That should have been even easier for the GPS to map, but the audio couldn’t quite keep up with our turns at one city block and then the other. The GPS is like God’s guidance only when it is accurate, timely, and functional; but it doesn’t know me. It is an impersonal, imperfect human-made system, much like the idols that Israel worshipped in Asaph’s time.

The God of the Bible, whom we are called to worship today is unlike us in many important respects. In her book, “None Like Him,” Jen Wilken describes ten ways that God is different from us, each proceeded by “infinite,” describing the Lord as the “God of no limits.” (1) In Psalm 73, Asaph implies that he is nothing without God; his physical life will fail, and his heart will be weak outside of a relationship with his Lord. Unlike our GPS, the Lord, our Creator, knows us each better than we know ourselves, and guides us perfectly in his knowledge of us, if we are close to him. His guidance “…is wise and prudent, wholesome, suitable, and seasonable, hearty, sincere, and faithful, and which is freely given, and when taken, infallibly succeeds.” (2) Not only will God’s perfect, infinite wisdom guide us in this world, but will he will take us into his presence in glory. Our hearts fail us, but Christ strengthens us. Our entire beings crumble in old age, and then we wonder why we are still here, but the psalmist says, “I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.”

As we worship today, let us consider how we might draw closer to God—through biblical preaching, the sacraments, praising God in song, confession, prayers of thanksgiving and supplication and Christian fellowship, since “It is good to be near God,” together as a family.

(1) Wilken, Jan, “None Like Him,” Crossway, Wheaton, IL., 2016.

(2) John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, Psalm 73:24, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/psalm-73.html

Keep Me Steady, Lord

Psalms 119:133 “Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.”

Yesterday I was happily surprised by something that happened in a meeting. Several interactions and conversations members had with different people joined in a clear expression of God’s direction for our group for one aspect of our work together. We even had a leader with us who usually isn’t present, who was able to help and advise us. In another group where we were closing out our study of Ecclesiastes, we attempted to answer the question, “Are you ever surprised by what you read in Scripture?” (1) My emphasis was on how we are pleasantly surprised by a new and deeper understanding of familiar passages. Today I appreciation verse 133 in Psalm 119, in a fresh way, which I should instead expect because the entire psalm is about delighting in God’s Word.

Verse 133 comes near the end of the psalm, after we have been encouraged to be blessed by: clinging to God’s law (v. 31), seeking God’s righteousness (v. 40), remembering God’s statutes and blessings in the night (v. 55), treasuring God’s laws more than money (v. 72), trusting in God’s law for strength when enduring trials (v. 87), and depending on God’s law for wisdom when opposed (v. 98)—just to name a few ways that God’s ways are best. Now the psalmist asks the Lord to keep his steps steady, according to God’s promise to him, in his covenant. “It is not in the power of man to order and direct his steps: this is done by the Lord; and such who acknowledge him in their ways, and apply to him for direction, are and shall be thus favored by him. “I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23) (2) In Psalm 119, “The Psalmist wants the Lord to guide him through life. He realizes that one is within the will of God while seeking to obey His revealed Word. But he also knows that obedience is impossible unless God supplies the grace to do so.” (3)

We must rely on the Lord to keep us steady with His Word, and we who are believers also have the Holy Spirit who directs us away from sin so that it will not “overtake” us. We, like Jeremiah, turn to God for his wisdom because our desire for holiness is greater than our desire for sin. But Christian steadiness does not come as a result of our efforts to obey God’s laws; it comes from our relationship with Jesus. It’s as simple as that—the more we depend upon Christ for our equilibrium, the more we will experience the grace of God in Christ, by the power of his Spirit.

In what area of your life do you need more steadiness? How have you been relying on your power or strength to resist temptations to sin (and probably failed)? Are you as convicted, as I am, to rely more on Christ and the Holy Spirit to live more consistently and steadily by God’s standard?

(1) Gibson, David, “Living Life Backwards,” Chapter 10, Crossway, 2017.

(2) John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, Psalm 119:133, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/psalms-119.html

(3) Reformation study Bible, Psalm 119:133

Directed to Christ’s Steadfastness

“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5)

Today much of what we read or hear is in sound bites—short, to the point, and written to get our attention. Parents are advised to keep their “lectures” short, and if possible, to teach and rebuke without lecturing. Teachers succeed when they give students opportunities to react or comment after short teaching sessions. And the Grammerly application I use continually warns me of the John Gill’s wordiness (insert emoji wink here). So, after careful consideration, I have offer only one verse from 2 Thessalonians, but let’s not miss the context of the verse. “This letter from the apostle Paul was probably written shortly after his first letter to the church in Thessalonica. He had been boasting of them to other churches, telling of their faith and their love for each other in the face of persecution. Paul reminded them that God would repay their persecutors. He also addressed two recurring problems in this church. First, they were concerned that the Lord had already returned. Paul urged them not to become “shaken in mind or alarmed,” fearing that “the day of the Lord” (2:2) had already come. Second, he admonished them not to be idle, commanding them that, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (3:10).” (1)

Most of us are not being persecuted for our Christianity. I hope you are not fearful when you hear false teachers, claiming to be prophets, proclaim that on the such-and-such date the world is going to end or Jesus is going to return. The third point of the letter, “that you are doing and will do the things that we command,” (v. 4) is, however, applicable to us all. Paul follows this urging with the prayer in verse 5, for “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ.” I appreciate John Gill’s exposition on this verse, only a portion of which is quoted here. “The phrase of directing the heart to God, and to seek him…And this is not to be done by a believer himself, nor by the ministers of the Gospel: the apostle could not do it…therefore he prays “the Lord” to do it; by whom is meant the Spirit of God, since he is distinguished from God the Father, into whose love the heart is to be directed, and from Christ, and since it is his work to shed abroad the love of God in the heart, and to lead unto it, and make application of it; and which is a proof of his deity.” (2)

Brevity being my focus today, for the useful application of truth in our lives, I offer this big-picture summary of verse 5: “Our hearts, by the grace of God, should continually turn to and reflect on the truths of God’s grace in the gospel.” (3) What shakes you up? The question is this, will we yield to the Spirit to direct us to Christ, resolved to live by the gospel today? Let’s at least start by agreeing with the need to do so.

(1) ESV Study Bible Notes, 2 Thessalonians Book Introduction, (digital edition), Crossway, 2008.

(2) John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, 2 Thessalonians 3:5, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/2thessalonians-3.html

(3) The Reformation Study Bible, 2 Thessalonians 3:5, Reformation Trust Publishing (Ligonier Ministries), Sanford, Fl., 2015.

 

 

Standing Firm until Christ Returns

“We ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come….Brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, 15)

What’s on your schedule today? Why are you doing what you are doing today, in particular? With my full diary like this, I find myself often questioning why I am doing what I am doing, to be sure that my schedule reflects my priorities. Sometimes, with things I alone control, I have to juggle and rearrange them, realizing I haven’t ordered tasks or activities properly, or need to help someone else rather than do what I had planned. Living according to the Spirit in us, we should be flexible, but there is also a certain rhythm to our lives since God has given us statutes to live by, to help us to stand firm when our circumstances are whirling around us.

In the case of the Thessalonian believers, Paul urged them to remain calm as they awaited the second coming of Jesus Christ, not allowing themselves to be swayed by false teachers. “Let no one deceive you in any way.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3) The apostle Paul also exhorted the believers in Corinth to be unmovable in their faith rather than be influenced by those who denied the second coming of Christ. “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14) Like soldiers who are prepared and armed, the believers then and Christians today are to live with solid, unshakable faith in the Jesus who was raised from the dead and will return in the proper time. We do not believe this out of something known as “blind faith,” but know these things to be true because Jesus Christ spoke the words to his apostles, who recorded them for us to read. The most logical response to God’s Word is to believe it since it is backed up by history and archeology. But God does not entrust the gospel to the world by objective evidence alone. The Spirit is given to us for our instruction and sanctification, to believe more and more in the reality of Christ’s return, and a government of absolute justice and equality.

Do we put our hope in our perceived order of things, political systems, humanitarian outreaches, economics, or outspoken leaders? “Lord, the wisdom of Your Word can be reflected but never fully captured by any human political project or economic system.” * Let’s hold firm to the Word we have received and live wisely by it today, unmoved by the loud voice of political commentators and the over-enthusiastic media, as those who are prepared for the most significant future event—the return of our Savior.

* Keller, Timothy and Keller, Kathy, “God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life,” Proverbs 12:27; 13:23 (November 7), Viking, New York, 2017.

 

Resolute in Our Vocations

“Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)

The day after the Boston Red Sox wins a World Series game, which happens frequently, the team and their supporters are the only ones celebrating on the day after. However, today, many have won seats in politics and are celebrating. Politics is unique in that there is almost an equal number of winners and losers today, with a few more on the loser’s side. But I think that not all of those who did not win the election are indeed losers if they contributed to a dialogue that brought local or state-wide issues to the forefront in their Midterm campaigns. And it may be the same for us, in all the areas of our lives, where we want to see improvement. Change often happens slowly, over time, in small increments, which is why we must be committed and unbending, working according to God’s will.

We are reminded of the vocation God has given believers in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18, “…to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves…admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Our politicians need our prayers according to this passage, especially those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ and are serving in government as their God-directed vocation. All believers are called to this vocation of serving the Lord, in one way or another, in a secular job or business, in philanthropic work, or ministry. It is only when our bodies refuse to function that we must stop serving and yield to the Lord’s calling, one day at a time. * Throughout our lives our hearts are to be firmly fixed on Christ and the infinite future we will have with him when this life is over. (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-20-28, 42-49.)

What is your work in the Lord and how can you be more resolute in your faith? Many political winners today are facing radical changes in their vocations as a result of winning new positions in government service. Others, who made campaigning their full-time work, will be starting new careers or jobs. Like them, we ought to look at our lives as newly dedicated to the work of the Lord. Will we?

* An interesting article entitled, “What does Christian vocation look like for the elderly?” can be found at https://www.christiancentury.org/article/features/what-does-christian-vocation-look-elderly

A Steady Heart During Elections

“For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.” (Psalms 112:6-8)

This morning I reached over for my 20-ounce mug of coffee and knocked it over, spilling most of it .I was annoyed at my carelessness in reaching for my mug without looking. I was impatient and unsteady—unwilling to take one extra minute to do something carefully. Today I am somewhat preoccupied with a young relative of mine who may or may not have a seat in Congress tomorrow. Some of us are in the habit of rushing to the next thing. And some of us are habitually afraid—worried about someone, a work deadline, an undiagnosed illness, or the expectations of others and failing to live up to them. Psalm 112 speaks to our fears, reminding us that those who belong to God need not be afraid of bad news. I know that God has a plan for my relative, so I need not fear that things will work out, win or lose. But this is easy to say and much harder to do when it comes to the important people and work in our lives. Sometimes I wonder if we who are Christians worry more about our unbelieving family members, friends, co-workers, and neighbors as if our worrying about them will somehow bring them closer to Jesus Christ. We fear that they will not come to faith, that they will be lost forever. Praying for them and talking about God’s truth is our effective means of outreach, but our anxiety opposes God’s wisdom. “Whoever listens to me [Wisdom] will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” (Proverbs 1:33)

There is no reason for any Christian to remain fearful of anything of this world; Christ’s perfect love casts out fear (2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18). John Gill writes, “His heart is fixed; on the love of God, and is rooted and grounded in it; and is firmly persuaded of his interest in it, and that nothing can separate him from it: it is fixed on Christ the foundation; his faith is fixed and settled in him, and so are his affections; and nothing can separate from his love to him, Romans 8:35; or his heart is prepared; to meet the Lord in the way of his judgments: he expects tidings of evil things, and that he shall receive evil things, as well as good, at the hands of the Lord; and therefore is not afraid of them, or surprised at them when they come; as well as his heart is prepared by the Lord to serve him, and is ready to every good work.” *

Steadfastness in Christ is the antidote of anxiety about life and whatever is coming next. As we vote and wait for our election results today, let’s remember and pray for God’s will and his spiritual, redeeming election for our candidates. Let’s ask the Lord to humble the winners and lift up the losers, refreshing all of them for whatever is next in their lives. I pray that we’ll hear testimonies of faith in Christ during speeches of victory and defeat because God wins, every time.

* John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, Psalm 112:7https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/psalms-112.html

Steadfast with Patience

“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” (James 5:7-11)

Tomorrow citizens of the United States have the privilege of voting for candidates who will govern their states and the nation in Congress and the House of Representatives. The contests have gotten increasingly aggressive and loud over the last two weeks as the finish line looms. The winners will be exhausted, exhilarated, and enthusiastic about their work. The losers will also be exhausted, but will probably wonder if they have accomplished anything over the last eighteen months while campaigning. I believe that those who have raised important issues and addressed needs in their communities will have won even if they do not gain their political seat. Perhaps, if they run again in the future, they will win and have an opportunity to work on those needs personally, having sown seeds of concern. But that will take patience, as it will for their supporters.

As believers in Jesus Christ, our hope for worldly peace and resolution of community issues does not rest in our politicians, but in our sovereign Lord. We know that as long as there are people on this present earth, sin will result in conflicts, contests, and failures. As I was studying and writing about Proverbs 4:26 (“all your ways will be sure”), I started thinking about what would make us sure or firm, which led me to a word study of “steadfastness.” In James 5, the apostle mentions patience four times: the farmer who patiently waits for the harvest; the prophets who waited for the Messiah as they suffered; and twice to his poor brothers who are suffering at the hands of the rich (James 4:1-5:6). Today there will be political candidates who have suffered personal insults and indignities for the sake of their campaigns, but that is nothing compared to the poor who suffer from hunger, lack of medical care and clothing, who must also endure the oppression of the powerful. But in his perfect time, they will be vindicated (James 5:9).

What are the poor Christians of this world, and James’s world to do? What are we to do now when our dreams are dashed, and our lives crumble from personal tragedy or illness? We are to trust in the Lord’s provisions (as a farmer depends on the rain) leads to patience and steadfastness. As we grow in our Christ-likeness, our hearts are “established” and resolute on God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Like Job, we say, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)

What will it take for you to be patient, with your heart fixed on Christ in all of your circumstances? Let’s pray for our political candidates today—that their victories and defeats will bring them closer to God, by the power of the gospel—so that whatever they do next, it is with hearts fixed on him.

Worshipping with Steadfast Faith

“My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” (Psalms 108:1-4)

When is the last time you tried to assemble something without using the enclosed instructions? It is true that sometimes the instructions leave things out or don’t make much sense, but I have learned that it is wise to use them as the primary guide for assembly. My friends helped me put together my captain’s bed, with shelves at the head and drawers at the foot. It took us about three hours, and there was a point when the directions just weren’t enough. We stopped, studied the parts and the picture of the completed bed, trying to decide what to do next, and how to do it. We finally did figure it out.

Unlike instructions for a bed or other item, God’s Word gives us perfectly written directions about how to worship him. One example is our passage above, which opens with the exclamation, “My heart is steadfast!” I am struck by the strength of David’s opening, by his confidence in his heart, and his enthusiasm for worshipping his God. How did his heart become so firm, so resolute, and unwavering? The answer is in verse 4; he has experienced God’s firm, resolute, unwavering love, and faithfulness toward him and his people. God has worked in David, to align David’s heart with his, as he learned to depend upon him for victory against Israel’s enemies. “With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.” (v. 13)

David’s confidence is not in his ability to fight Israel’s foes in his own power or to expect the Lord to do the fighting without David’s involvement. Beds don’t assemble themselves. David must insert himself into the battle in a significant way, but desires to do so with a steadfast heart and with all his “being.” The Hebrew phrase “all my being” here is the same verbiage as “with all my glory” in Psalm 57:8. (1) “[‘My glory’] being the most honorable, glorious, and excellent part of man; is the breath of God, of his immediate production; is a spirit incorporeal and immortal; is possessed of glorious powers and faculties; had the image of God stamped upon it, which made man the glory of God.” (2)

Because of what God has done in and for David and Israel, David’s heart is fixed on praising God in song publicly with thanksgiving. He calls on all creation to wake up to worship the Lord. How much more reason do we have to do the same this Sabbath, having our hearts and spirits aligned with Jesus Christ through the power of his Spirit indwelling us. Is your heart awakened to praise God today, in his power, having his glory working in you? I pray that mine is, having heard God’s glorious instructions for worship, with a steadfast heart.

(1) ESV Study Bible Notes, Psalm 108:1, (digital edition), Crossway, 2008.

(2) John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, Psalm 57:8 https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/psalms-57.html

The Upward Path

“The path of life leads upward for the prudent, that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.” (Proverbs 15:24)

In Africa, the dust of the abundant dirt that is stirred up and the Sahara Harmattan often fills the sky during the day. When I lived in Central Florida for ten months, I often gazed up at the sky because it seemed brighter and more vivid than the air in Africa. So I now have a habit of looking up at the sky here in Texas, and enjoy seeing the beauty of the sky. Climbing hills while driving is especially pleasant, as the sky becomes the prominent feature in the Hill Country. I think of this in relation to our verse—the “path of life” leads upward—toward God.

John Gill reminds us, “They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) “Faith, which deals with Christ “the way,” and by which men walk in him, is signified by soaring aloft, mounting up with wings as eagles, by entering within the vail, and dwelling on high, and by looking upwards, and at things unseen, and being the evidence of them…[A wise] man is continually looking upwards unto Christ, the author and finisher of his faith; pressing towards him, the mark for the prize; keeping his eye, not on things on earth, things temporal, which are seen here below, but on things above, things unseen, which are eternal in the heavens.” (1)

 

“In OT Wisdom literature…Death is not only the end of physical life but an irreversible descent into the disorder of moral perversity. (2) Looking to God as we live in the world is the antidote to the immoral and sinful temptations and pressures of life. It is not enough just to know that we are Christians who belong to Christ if we are to grow in holiness; we must fight the tendency of the world, Satan, and our flesh to pull us down to a godless standard of living for ourselves. Gravity is not only physical but also spiritual because of our sin natures. Left on my own, without the Word of God, the Spirit, and my Christian community I will descend to a selfish, independent lifestyle that dishonors God.

Will you look up to Christ as you go about your day? “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2) Will you set your mind on him, praying frequently, as one good way to do so? (See Ephesians 6:18-19.)

(1) John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, Proverbs 15:24, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/proverbs-15.html

(2) The Reformation Study Bible, Proverbs 5:23, Reformation Trust Publishing (Ligonier Ministries), Sanford, Fl., 2015.