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The man who has least worth saying is
generally the man who says the most.
The prudent man uses his words wisely...

"Word Pictures" for Our Imagination

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Today's Daily Verse is found in Proverbs 12.23

" A prudent man conceals knowledge : But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness."

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Knowledge is to be used wisely.

Especially spiritual truths...

Matthew 7.6 "Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you."

• There must be no concealment of fundamental truths

Psalms 40.9-10

"I have told all your people about your justice.
    I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know.
10 I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart;
    I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.
I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness.

1 Corinthians 15.3

"I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said."

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However, there are exceptions to what we say...

Every truth is not fitting for every person, or every time...

Ecclesiastes 3.7 "A time to tear and a time to mend.
    A time to be quiet and a time to speak."

Amos 5.13 "So those who are smart keep their mouths shut,
    for it is an evil time."

Jesus...

Matthew 26.20

"Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah."

Matthew 17.9

"As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

John 16.12

"There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now."

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Paul concealed knowledge...

2 Corinthians 12.1-6

Paul’s Vision and His Thorn in the Flesh

12 This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. 3 Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know 4 that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.

5 That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. 6 If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message,

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Elihu

Elihu though full of matter, longing to give vent, concealed his knowledge until his elders had opened the way for him...

Job 32.6

"Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said, “I am young and you are old,
    so I held back from telling you what I think.

v18-19

For I am full of pent-up words, and the spirit within me urges me on.
19 I am like a cask of wine without a vent, like a new wineskin ready to burst!

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Abraham

Genesis 22.1-7

"Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called.

“Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”

2 “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

3 The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”

6 So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, 7 Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”

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Joseph concealed knowledge...

Genesis 42.7

 "Joseph recognized his brothers instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where are you from?” he demanded.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We have come to buy food.”

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Esther

Esther 2.10

"Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had directed her not to do so."

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Nothing can justify speaking contrary to the truth.

But we are not always obligated to tell the whole truth!

Jeremiah shows this principle...

Jeremiah 38.24-27

" Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Don’t tell anyone you told me this, or you will die! 25 My officials may hear that I spoke to you, and they may say, ‘Tell us what you and the king were talking about. If you don’t tell us, we will kill you.’ 26 If this happens, just tell them you begged me not to send you back to Jonathan’s dungeon, for fear you would die there.”

27 Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the king’s officials came to Jeremiah and asked him why the king had called for him. But Jeremiah followed the king’s instructions, and they left without finding out the truth. No one had overheard the conversation between Jeremiah and the king."

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In all these cases, "the wise man's heart will discern both time and judgment"

Ecclesiastes 8.5

"Those who obey him will not be punished. Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right,.."

Which is always done cherishing sound judgment, and an ardent love for truth.

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What about the fool...

He irresponsibly opens his mouth.

Ecclesiastes 10.3, 12-14

"You can identify fools
    just by the way they walk down the street!

12-14

"Wise words bring approval,
    but fools are destroyed by their own words.

13 Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions,
    so their conclusions will be wicked madness;
14     they chatter on and on.

No one really knows what is going to happen;
    no one can predict the future.

Judges 16.17

" Finally, Samson shared his secret with her. “My hair has never been cut,” he confessed, “for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else.”

1 Timothy 6.3,4

" Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life.

"Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions."

The fool is dogmatic, the wise are more cautious.

Self-distrust and humility are important components in our hearts for us to speak wisely with knowledge

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See you tomorrow...

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Thanks.

Kenneth

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