"As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise." —Proverbs 27:21
A great man once said, “Five minutes of praise will do more for a person than
a lifetime of criticism.” That is so very true! The Bible teaches in Proverbs 27:21,
“As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his
praise.” In nature, metals are found mixed amongst rock, sediment and other
minerals. The way that metals are made pure is by heating them under
tremendous heat, which causes the heavier metals to settle toward the bottom
of the pot, and the lighter metals float to the top. Through this conventional
refining process (which is still used today), the purity of metals can be
obtained.
The Bible likens praise to the refining pot. That is, through the powerful tool of praise, the good qualities of a person can be brought out, strengthened and developed. The Bible says that praise builds a man (or woman or child). Truly, five minutes of praise will do more to help a person than an entire lifetime of criticism!!! If you've never tried it, then I encourage you to do so, bragging on someone for some positive character trait, and then watch them conform to that praise to get more praise. Negative criticism tears down, wounds and leads to resentment and emotional conflict.
Please understand that I'm not talking about the heathen “Power Of Positive Thinking” that Norman Vincent Peale (a 33rd degree occult Freemason) and Dale Carnegie made famous in their books and motivational speeches. The Bible teaches in Proverbs about the power of a few words of praise; not the disillusionment of the Joel Osteen types who help the Devil by hindering men from seeing the truth. Norman Vincent Peale was a Modernist who masqueraded as a Christian. Peale taught humanistic garbage that never led anyone to Christ, never resulted in anyone being born-again and never did anything for God. Instead of faith in the Lord, Peale taught faith in one's self!
Biblical praise is not optimism (positive
thinking); but rather, recognizing a person's good qualities and bragging on
them. Certainly, God is worthy of much praise for all the awesome things that
He has done (and does). Psalms 96:4, “For the LORD is great, and greatly to
be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.”
The Churches Of Asia Minor
When the Lord chastises us (Hebrews 12:6-8), it is constructive criticism; not destructive criticism. We find evidence of this in God's messages to the churches of Asia Minor (the nation of Turkey today) in Revelation 1:20-3:22. In each case God first spoke words of praise to the church congregation and then saved the negative until last. For example, here's what the Lord said to the church of Ephesus...
Revelation 2:2-5, “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”
Isn't that interesting? The Lord bragged on their positive qualities character first, and then He rebuked them for the bad. This is the proper way for a parent to discipline a child. This is the proper way for a wife or husband to approach each other with something negative. This is far different than the popular American saying, “What the hell is wrong with you?”
The members of the church of Ephesus couldn't stand evildoers. They hated sin and wickedness. If this church were alive today in the world, they would absolutely despise the abortion industry. They would hate the homosexual movement. They would detest perverted Hollywood with all their glorification of sexual immorality, violence and blasphemy against the holy name of Jesus Christ. They would be disgusted and angry over Sin City Las Vegas. Yet, the Bible says they left their “first love,” Jesus; and they had ceased from doing the “first works.” The word “first” in Greek is protos and means “foremost (in time, place, order or importance).” We learn concerning the purpose of the church in Acts...
Acts 2:41-42, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
So according to Acts 2:41-42 we learn that the foremost purpose of the Church is:
- Soulwinning
- Baptizing converts
- Teaching doctrine
- Fellowship
- Lord's Supper
- Prayer
Or in other words, the purpose of the Church is to:
- Exalt the Savior
- Evangelize the sinner
- Edify the saints
The Lord told them to “repent.” Yes, many churches are in need of repentance! It is clear from the churches of Asia Minor in Revelation that there's no perfect church. Not one of the seven churches were above reproach.
Please note that the Lord had NOTHING good to say about the last apostate church of Laodicea. It is commonly believed by many theologians that the churches of Asia were representative of different periods of church history. This teaching is called Dispensationalism. There is heated debate in some religious circles over this doctrine, because some preachers claim that such teaching discourages soul-winning in the end times.
In other words... why try to win people to the Lord if the Bible says that the churches are going to become apostate? However, Jesus plainly taught in Matthew 24:37-39 that the world would return in the end times as it once was in the apostate times of Noah. The world has always been God's enemy (James 4:4; 1st John 5:19; John 15:19). In the end times, the Lord said that there WOULDN'T be much faith (Luke 18:8). Therefore, I personally do not believe that the teaching of Dispensationalism does any injustice to the Scriptures or the Biblical command to go soul-winning. I DO agree with the doctrine of Dispensationalism.
Great city-wide revivals are possible in any generation, evidenced by the great revival which will take place in the Tribulation period after the Rapture, when 144,000 Israelites will receive Jesus as their Messiah. The only thing We Can Have Revival Now!
God Created Mankind In His Image, Desirous Of Praise
Everyone likes to be bragged on. I'm not talking about vain glory where someone praises them self. The Bible says in Proverb:27:2, “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.” It means nothing if I say that I'm a good man. Ah, but if someone else calls me a “good man,” then that means very much, because someone else said it. Albeit, our goal in life shouldn't be to receive the praises of men; but rather, the praises of God (John 12:43). At the end of the day, all that matters is what God thinks about you.
Revelation 4:11 teaches that all things were created for God's pleasure. Revelation 4:11, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Did you know that God likes and wants to be praised by man? God created mankind in His own image, giving us the same desire to be praises and loved as He has. Psalms:18:49: Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
We
live in a very critical society in America. This is due largely because of the
rotten newsmedia, who for the love of money destroy lives by spreading manure
(gossip). Newspapers print bad things about people that oftentimes are
distorted, exaggerated and later found to be totally untrue. Anybody can say
anything about anyone (which once published by any recognized source becomes
as factual information). Nothing could be further from what's just, fair or
truthful. Much published information is lying garbage, slander and fabricated
junk. The Godless media make money by spreading gossip, slander and bad news.
I have more respect for a street pimp or drug-dealer than I do for the
mainstream newsmedia!
If you don't remember anything else from this article, please take with you the truth that, “Five minutes of praise will do more for a person than a lifetime of criticism.”
I taught Sunday School for several years and used
praise often to build my students. I remember a young boy named Miguel, who
was infrequent in his attendance. So I bragged on him one Sunday for coming to
church. Do you know what he did? Miguel became one of my faithful regulars.
The fastest way to drive people away from church is to criticize them. Yet, a
few kind words of praise can make all the difference in the world in a
person's life. Literally, you can change a person's life forever with just
5-minutes of sincere praise. I'm not talking about deceitful flattery where
you say things that aren't true. I'm talking about looking for the good in a
person or situation and praising it. PRAISE IS A POWERFUL TOOL!
Wives Divorce Because They Don't Praise Their Husband
1st Kings 21:25, “But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.”
Praise is the opposite of worry, criticism and gossip. You wives who cause
grief for your husband, are too lazy to clean the house, sneak behind your
husband's back to deceive and hide things from him, and shoot your mouth off
when he tries to reprimand you as he has a right to... you are like a ball and
chain dragging him down, pulling him away from church and God. Nothing
discourages a husband more than a troublesome wife who can't be trusted. Proverbs 31:11, “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he
shall have no need of spoil.”
A husband whose wife goes to cry on everybody's shoulder, dragging strangers into their marriage problems, will likely feel threatened at church because of his wife. Sadly, churches today are dangerous places to bring your marriage troubles, because of the prevalent sinful feminist attitude that it's best to divorce, divorce, divorce. It's not ok, and shouldn't even be an alternative! Churches are infested with feminism dogma these days, and it is of the Devil. Every married couple ought to have the spirit of Hosea in marriage. God never leaves, no, never forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5); so neither should we abandon our loved ones, especially if we've vowed to never forsake spouse. Oh, how awful and wicked is the selfish and cowardly sin of divorce!!!
Divorce is a horrible sin that perpetuates for a lifetime, causing irreparable, lasting and extensive consequences. A marriage is like plywood, glued together over time through heat, pressure and multiple layers of wood. There's absolutely no way to separate plywood without ripping it apart, shattering the wood and utterly destroying it. A marriage is the same way—made over time through events, memories, associations, children, communication (including arguments), love and trust. When a spouse files for divorce, it is as painful as a death in the family. One's life becomes lonely as if a spouse has died. There is no emotional pain as hurtful as being abandoned and forsaken by one's life's spouse. God hates divorce, calling it “treacherous” when a wife abandons her husband (Jeremiah 3:20), or a husband putting away his wife (Malachi 2:16).
Jeremiah 3:20, “Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.” Americans treat God just as lousy as they do each other. That's what Jeremiah 3:20 says. Americans disobey God and commit sexual immorality, then murder (abort) their children which were conceived in whoredoms. Divorce is commonplace. Shacking-up is becoming increasingly popular. America's hookup culture of perpetual dating and progressive relationships is evil. God's way is marriage. The ungodly powers which have overtaken America are doing everything possible to discourage marriage, instead promoting homosexuality and fornication.
Women who fail to praise their husband are likely
headed for divorce. God created Eve to brag on Adam, as his help meet. Eve was
created from Adam's rib, the nearest thing to his heart. The purpose of the
ribs is to protect the heart. A wife's duty is to protect her husband's heart,
not crush it into a million pieces by betraying his trust and divorcing him.
Divorce is costly and results in tens if not hundreds-of-thousands of dollars
in financial loss. Women's liberation is rooted in sinful rebellion. Judges
and lawyers are greedy vultures, preying upon their victims under the pretense
of justice. There is no justice, only corruption and greed. The divorce racket
is a billion-dollar booming business! Satan is a rebel, and the father of all
rebels. God is the Creator of all authority. America's problems cannot be
remedied by rebellion, anarchy and overthrow of government.
The answer is
submission to God.
Praise God For The Gift Of Jesus Christ
Oh, my friend, the most important thing is whether you are saved or not. God desires for all people to come to Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life. 1st Timothy 2:3-4, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” If you reject God's free gift of eternal life and forgiveness by way of faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, then you have made your own bed in Hell forever. The Bible repeatedly warns against leaning upon one's own human reasoning. Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Are so so foolish that you are willing to go against the Scriptures?
Gene Roddenberry, producer of Star Trek series, blasphemed the God of the Bible. Mr. Roddenberry is in Hell forever! The same is true of Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone TV series. Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin (all three men were commonly referred to as 'The Rat Pack') are burning in Hell forever. On his death bed, Dean Martin (1917-1995) desperately sought to find peace with God, but went to Hell at the hands of a reprobate Catholic priest...
When Dean Martin was dying, fear, guilt and shame gripped him. He often sent for the local Catholic priest to come and visit him at his mansion in L.A. When this "show-busy" priest arrived to comfort him, all he could do was tell him how "all was good with God," and then start singing some of Martin's songs. This gave him no comfort at all, for he had long lived a reprobate life yet he needed the forgiveness of God, but according to his daughter, Deana, he never had this assurance, only an unsaved singing priest as lost as his was.
SOURCE: Ex-Catholics For Christ - Spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Oh, the loss of humanity. The Creator of the universe has made a way of escape from the inescapable judgment to come for all humanity. Only through faith in Jesus, the Messiah, can anyone have peace with God the Father. Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The world praises Satan, and blasphemes God.
Did you know my friend that there are 150 chapters in the Old Testament book of Psalms? And did you know that the word “praise” appears 150 times in the book of Psalms? Coincidence? I think not! Although packed full of truths, the primary message of the Psalms is that we ought to praise God in all situations, circumstances and troubles. David suffered many afflictions, yet he always praised the Lord. God is worthy of our praises!!! The Lord wants to be praised. God made everything the way He did, desiring our admiration, praise and awe. I stand in awe of the universe.
NASA is insane, teaching that the earth and moon formed by a massive collision of two planetary bodies billions of years ago. That's ludicrous! The Bible teaches that God made the sun, stars, moon and earth. All we hear about from Walt Disney, NASA and National Geographic concerning the origin of the universe is explosions, catastrophes and collisions. How can such perpetual destruction lead to the symmetry, order and incredible awe of the universe? It cannot? The only plausible answer is God!!!
Praise God for all His wondrous works, goodness and for the gift of eternal life by faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ!
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly..." —Psalm 1:1
"LORD, who shall abide in
thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh
uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor
taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a vile person is
contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his
own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to
usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things
shall never be moved." -Psalm 15:1-5