# Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child



## Blueridge Believer (Mar 15, 2007)

"Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." Proverbs 22:15

We profess to believe in an Almighty, All-present, All-seeing God; and we would be highly offended if a person said to us, "You do not believe that God sees everything, that he is everywhere present, that he is an Almighty Jehovah;" we would almost think that he was taking us for an atheist. And yet practical atheists we daily prove ourselves to be. For instance, we profess to believe that God sees everything, and yet we are plotting and planning as though he saw nothing. We profess to know that God can do everything, and yet we are always cutting out schemes, and carving out contrivances, as though he were like the gods of the heathen, looking on and taking no notice. We profess to believe that God is everywhere present to relieve every difficulty and bring his people out of every trial, and yet when we get into the difficulty and into the trial, we speak, think, and act as though there were no such omnipresent God, who knows the circumstances of the case, and can stretch forth his hand to bring us out of it. 

Thus the Lord is obliged, (to speak with all reverence,) to thrust us into trials and afflictions, because we are such blind fools, that we cannot learn what a God we have to deal with, until we come experimentally into those spots of difficulty and trial, out of which none but such a God can deliver us. 

This, then, is one reason why the Lord often plunges his people so deeply into a sense of sin; it is to show them what a wonderful salvation from the guilt, filth, and power of sin there is in the Person, blood, and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the same reason, also, they walk in such scenes of temptation; it is in order to show them what a wonder-working God he is in bringing them out. 

This, also, is the reason why many of them are so harassed and plagued; it is that they may not live and act as though there were no God to go to, no Almighty Friend to consult, no kind Jesus to rest their weary heads upon; it is in order to teach them experimentally and inwardly those lessons of grace and truth which they never would know until the Lord, as it were, thus compels them to learn, and actually forces them to believe what they profess to believe. 

Such pains is he obliged to take with us; such poor scholars, such dull creatures we are. In order, then, to teach us what a God he is, what a merciful and compassionate High Priest; in order to open up the heights, and depths, and lengths, and breadths of his love, he is compelled to treat, at times, his people very roughly, and handle them very sharply; he is obliged to make very great use of his rod, because he sees that "foolishness is so bound up in the hearts" of his children that nothing but the repeated "rod of correction will ever drive it far from them."

J.C. PHILPOT


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## BJClark (Mar 15, 2007)

Blueridge reformer;

Such wonderful timing...I was talking to my step-daughter about something similiar yesterday.

How God brings many of us to the very brink of despair in order to show us our need for Him, and how during those times as He turns us to His word and see His promises, we cling to those and praise Him for showing us and reminding us of HIS faithfulness.


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## Blueridge Believer (Mar 15, 2007)

BJClark said:


> Blueridge reformer;
> 
> Such wonderful timing...I was talking to my step-daughter about something similiar yesterday.
> 
> How God brings many of us to the very brink of despair in order to show us our need for Him, and how during those times as He turns us to His word and see His promises, we cling to those and praise Him for showing us and reminding us of HIS faithfulness.



It's the story of my life.


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## BJClark (Mar 15, 2007)

Blueridge reformer;



> It's the story of my life.



As it has been mine as well.

I guess some are more 'strong willed' and stubborn than others, that they must endure more such trials in order for God to make them see their need for Him.

I have never really been very strong willed, my issue has been just the opposite, I'd always been too compliant to others, believing that others knew and understood more than I, and in many cases even more than God Himself.

So I have had to endure many such trials for God to show me, it's NOT for me to trust or look to anyone but HIM!! That He knows more than even those I looked up to and idolized, and His Word is truth...and their words are lies by comparision. 

Through it all, I have had to learn many of HIS promises, and have had to learn to cling to those and how they apply to daily life, and stand firm even against those with various worldly college degree's who know nothing of God's word. 

I had someone tell me recently "THIS IS what the DSM says!" I told him, "I don't CARE what the DSM says...THIS IS WHAT GOD SAYS! So the real question is do we believe God or do we believe Man? (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) I personally choose to believe God.

Not that DSM is not good for diagnosing some things and giving a name for them...there are others that simply putting a name on them and calling them a disease does not take away from the fact that they are sins, and need to be addressed as such.


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## Herald (Mar 15, 2007)

Blueridge reformer said:


> It's the story of my life.



Brother James - YOUR life? I thought I had the corner on that (no pun intended).


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## Blueridge Believer (Mar 15, 2007)

BaptistInCrisis said:


> Brother James - YOUR life? I thought I had the corner on that (no pun intended).




You ought to give me a call some time. I can tell you some things that will make your hair stand on end. While I'm at it I'll confess my sins to you.


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## panta dokimazete (Mar 15, 2007)

Hey! We ought to have a "Who was the most depraved prior to conversion?" contest!  

I, for one, would certainly be in the top 2 or 3, I assure you...

Praise God for His merciful discipline!


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## ChristopherPaul (Mar 15, 2007)

I pray everyday that my children will have "terrible" or "boring" testimonies.


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## Blueridge Believer (Mar 15, 2007)

jdlongmire said:


> Hey! We ought to have a "Who was the most depraved prior to conversion?" contest!
> 
> I, for one, would certainly be in the top 2 or 3, I assure you...
> 
> Praise God for His merciful discipline!




We ought to have a contest for the most stupid things done since salvation. Now that would be a hoot.


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## panta dokimazete (Mar 15, 2007)

ChristopherPaul said:


> I pray everyday that my children will have "terrible" or "boring" testimonies.


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## MrMerlin777 (Mar 15, 2007)

Blueridge reformer said:


> We ought to have a contest for the most stupid things done since salvation. Now that would be a hoot.



Now that would be a hoot.

Thanks for posting this Brother James. It is very salient to my situation right now. Discerning God's direction for me is not an easy thing lately.


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