Introduction

Welcome, beloved family of God, to this sacred gathering where we seek to grow in our understanding and deepen our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Today, we find ourselves standing on the threshold of a profound truth, a truth that has the power to transform our lives, our relationships, and our spiritual walk with God. We are here to open our hearts and minds to the wisdom of Proverbs, a book of the Bible that is as timeless as it is enlightening, as challenging as it is comforting.

In the words of the great Charles Spurgeon, "Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom." Today, we seek not just knowledge, but wisdom - the wisdom to understand our sins, the wisdom to humble ourselves for self-examination, and the wisdom to honor God by avoiding what He hates.

Highlighting Our Sins

The passage from Proverbs that we are focusing on today is a stark reminder of the things that God despises. It's a list that forces us to pause and reflect on our own actions and attitudes. It's a list that calls us to self-examination. It's a list that highlights our sins.

The first thing that God hates, according to this passage, is "haughty eyes." This refers to arrogance, pride, and a sense of superiority. It's the attitude that looks down on others, that considers oneself better than others. It's an attitude that is contrary to the humility and love that God calls us to. We are all created in the image of God, and we are all equal in His sight. When we look at others with haughty eyes, we are not seeing them as God sees them. We are not treating them as God would have us treat them.

The second thing that God hates is "a lying tongue." This refers to dishonesty, deceit, and falsehood. It's the act of speaking untruths, of misleading others, of breaking trust. It's an act that is contrary to the truth and integrity that God calls us to. God is a God of truth, and He expects us to be people of truth. When we use our tongues to lie, we are not speaking as God would have us speak. We are not living as God would have us live.

The third thing that God hates is "hands that shed innocent blood." This refers to violence, harm, and injustice. It's the act of causing pain and suffering, of taking life unjustly. It's an act that is contrary to the peace and justice that God calls us to. God is a God of life, and He expects us to be people of life. When we use our hands to shed innocent blood, we are not acting as God would have us act. We are not honoring the sacredness of life as God would have us honor it.

The fourth thing that God hates is "a heart that devises wicked schemes." This refers to evil intentions, malicious plans, and harmful desires. It's the act of plotting and planning to do wrong, of harboring ill will. It's an act that is contrary to the goodness and love that God calls us to. God is a God of love, and He expects us to be people of love. When we allow our hearts to devise wicked schemes, we are not thinking as God would have us think. We are not desiring as God would have us desire.

The fifth thing that God hates is "feet that are quick to rush into evil." This refers to eagerness to do wrong, haste to sin, and readiness to transgress. It's the act of willingly and quickly engaging in sinful behavior, of rushing into wrongdoing. It's an act that is contrary to the patience and righteousness that God calls us to. God is a God of righteousness, and He expects us to be people of righteousness. When we allow our feet to rush into evil, we are not behaving as God would have us behave. We are not walking the path of righteousness as God would have us walk it.

The sixth thing that God hates is "a false witness who pours out lies." This refers to bearing false testimony, spreading falsehoods, and deceiving others. It's the act of misrepresenting the truth, of misleading others, of breaking trust. It's an act that is contrary to the truth and integrity that God calls us to. God is a God of truth, and He expects us to be people of truth. When we become false witnesses who pour out lies, we are not speaking as God would have us speak. We are not living as God would have us live.

The seventh thing that God hates is "a person who stirs up conflict in the community." This refers to causing discord, sowing seeds of strife, and creating division. It's the act of disrupting harmony, of creating tension, of breaking unity. It's an act that is contrary to the peace and unity that God calls us to. God is a God of peace, and He expects us to be people of peace. When we become people who stir up conflict in the community, we are not acting as God would have us act. We are not promoting peace and unity as God would have us promote it.

These seven things that God hates are a call to self-examination. They are a call to recognize our sins, to repent of them, and to strive to live lives that are pleasing to God. They are a call to humility, truth, life, love, righteousness, integrity, and peace. They are a call to be the people that God created us to be, the people that God calls us to be.

Humbling Ourselves for Self-Examination

The mirror of God's Word is not always comfortable to look into ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO