(1) “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, Than great treasure with trouble.” Proverbs 15:16 NKJV
As we neglect the movement of the Holy Spirit, we decrease in the fear of the Lord. As we lose the fear of the Lord, we begin to develop a fantasy that we can live as we like and do as we want without consequence.
There are many attributes of the faith that are fleeting within our day. Many are consumed with self and there is little desire to die to self. Due to this, we become blinded. Spiritual truths are dismissed and we press on into fulfilling our lusts and pleasures. As our appetites increase and our desires are fulfilled, we continue to suppress the voice of the Holy Spirit. This is of great concern due to the fact that as we neglect the movement of the Holy Spirit, we decrease in the fear of the Lord. As we lose the fear of the Lord, we begin to develop a fantasy that we can live as we like and do as we want without consequence.
Wherever sin is, there is a lack of the fear of the Lord. Wherever the fear of the Lord is, there is protection, trust, love, purity, and a desire to serve the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Wherever sin is, there is a lack of the fear of the Lord. Wherever the fear of the Lord is, there is protection, trust, love, purity, and a desire to serve the King of kings and Lord of lords. For who lives to disrespect those whom they admire and respect? Who lives with a desire to not love Him Who has given us all things and is the Creator of all things? Only the selfish man will cease from living in the fear of God. For it is the unrepentant sinner who lives wholly for self and what feels good. It is the ungodly who are consumed with carnality, rather than developing character.
Better is little with knowing our eternity is secured than to live life in the fullness of self and sin and be damned in the process.
This is where our journey of “Better Is” begins. For better is the fear of the Lord than great treasure with trouble. What does it matter if one is rich, but cannot rest their head at night in peace? What is it if one can at any time spend money on that which they desire, but they continually live in distress because of their unethical conduct, wicked schemes, and deceptive plots? Better is little with knowing our eternity is secured than to live life in the fullness of self and sin and be damned in the process.
(2) “Better is a little with righteousness, Than vast revenues without justice.” Proverbs 16:8 NKJV
The woman who gave two pennies gave more than every religious person who gives before the masses and desires to be known.
The woman who gave two pennies gave more than every religious person who gives before the masses and desires to be known. Those who do not repent and believe in Christ do not have newness of life. They strive in the flesh to earn their own merit. Continually, pride consumes their thoughts. They climb as high as they can to be known amongst men, but forsaking the ways of God.
Religion does not understand and acknowledge that God is the Creator of all, Sustainer of all, and Owner of all things. Instead, those caught up in religion strive to earn salvation by good works, being kind and generous, while neglecting to repent of sin and put their faith in Christ alone.
This is the devastation of religion. Religion does not understand and acknowledge that God is the Creator of all, Sustainer of all, and Owner of all things. Who in their right mind can believe they can earn their way to salvation by the good they do or the money they donate? Is that not the root of selfishness? As one rejects the free gift of salvation by Christ and instead strives by works in the flesh to earn that which can only be given by God?
That is why it is better to be poor in this life and be a righteous man than to have vast revenues without justice. For if one lives in the consumption of what is gained from their idolatrous pursuits, do they not in fact have nothing? “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36 NKJV). Yet, this is the way of the wicked who are carnal in nature and selfish.
Those who have their needs met and not wants tend to be much happier than those who fulfill their wants whenever they want.
It takes the conviction of the Holy Spirit to recognize that the things of this life are truly fleeting. “For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Timothy 6:7-8 ESV). Those who have their needs met and not wants tend to be much happier than those who fulfill their wants whenever they want. For it is in the fulfillment of every want that we lose sight of God, we forsake the way, we seek to gratify the desires of the flesh, and we become more intoxicated with temporal things, rather than Thee Eternal One.
It is in the fulfillment of every want that we lose sight of God, we forsake the way, we seek to gratify the desires of the flesh, and we become more intoxicated with temporal things, rather than Thee Eternal One.
That is why 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV) commands us to “not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
(3) “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, Than a fatted calf with hatred.” Proverbs 15:17 NKJV
Again, it is better to have little with love than much with hate. For what does it profit one or a group if feasting is spent in bickering, arguing, complaining, and blaming? It is better to share a small meal with those who love us and the Lord than to take part in delicious delicacies with those who put on facades and do not care about us.
Many chase the fame and fortune, not knowing that those who have already acquired the fame and fortune do not care about those striving for it. Many do not want to see others succeed because it threatens their position, popularity, and prosperity. Are most artists happy when a better, rising star comes forth? Most feel threatened and would rather see the downfall of a rising star than for them to succeed.
This is not seen in just popular pursuits. Sadly, many families are no longer families. They may be related by blood, but not by conduct and love for each other. This world has become so prone to dismiss what true marriage is, that many homes are split up. Kids do not obey their parents. When things get tough, Biblical, committed love is nowhere present. Instead, many divorce and strive to find another to fill their wants, not knowing that fulfillment of life is in Christ alone.
Familiarity breeds complacency.
Familiarity breeds complacency. There can come a point where there is no longer an appreciation for meals we eat or time spent with each other. Rather, we merely expect our food to be given to us. Due to this, we acquire a shift in our mindset. When our food is not given to us and people are not at our beckon call, we become dissatisfied and un-appreciative. Eventually, hatred begins to brood from within.
For selfishness is the serpent's head that comes forth when one does not get their way. Eventually, we begin to see others as means and not ends. We see people as either aiding in our wants or keeping us from them. This, in itself, produces godlessness and hate for one another. For who can love a person if a person is only deemed as an object?
(4) “Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.” Ecclesiastes 7:2 NKJV
It is better to go to the house of mourning than the house of feasting. It is here in this domain where the deeper truths of life and the realities of eternity become manifested in our minds and present in our thoughts. No longer do we live just day by day. No longer do we live without purpose and drive. No longer do we merely coast on without any end in sight. No longer do we live as if we shall never die.
Instead, the realities of death and the grave become present in the house of the mourning. Those who lose a loved one or a friend will begin thinking about what path they are on, why they are here on this earth, and where they are headed. Wisdom is gained through sorrow, just as those who increase in wisdom increase in sorrow (Ecclesiastes 1:18).
Sorrow helps us to realize the realities of this life. It helps us to understand that nothing is forever. As we become sorrowful we increase in wisdom. We reflect on the truth that we have not been what we should. We become aware that the majority of those who live in this life are dying and going to Hell. As wisdom increases, we become sorrowful that the things of this life truly do not satisfy and fulfill, yet many (including ourselves) pursue after them.
Sorrow, then, is a blessing given by God. For many times He will use evil and work it out for a greater good (Genesis 50:20). Many times He will take our pain and use it to reveal that He is the Great Physician. He will use our suffering and reveal to us that He loves us and is trustworthy. He will take our disappointments, weariness, and contrite heart to draw us to Him and give us deeper understanding of Who He is, what He has done, and what He desires to do through us.
Who can grow in character without adversity? Who can grow in virtue without trial?
For who can grow in character without adversity? Who can grow in virtue without trial? Those who go to the house of the mourning will be awakened by the truth that one day soon they shall die. This, in return, should motivate them to begin their quest of truth, leading to Him Who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
(5) “The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Ecclesiastes 7:8 NKJV
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. For the end of something is what is accomplished, what is known, what is stamped to who we are, and what has growth. In our lives, we must understand that the end of ourselves in Christ is better than the beginning of ourselves apart from Christ.
As we grow in knowledge, stature, wisdom, love, and understanding of Who God is, we begin to change. By the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we begin to see a radical change and transformation that can only be done by God. If we continue to persevere and endure to the end, we should see a state of finality where we are pleased by what God has done and give Him all the credit.
As the Holy Spirit manifests Himself more greatly and powerfully within us, temptations, struggles, sins, and selfishness begin to fade from being habitual to now stumbles.
We must know that transformation is not an immediate product, but one of progression through sanctification. As the Holy Spirit manifests Himself more greatly and powerfully within us, temptations, struggles, sins, and selfishness begin to fade from being habitual to now stumbles.
That is why we must be patient. For better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit. Those who are patient and “who wait on 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 40:13 NKJV). If we strive in the flesh to accomplish something, we will take full credit of our accomplishment. We will become prideful in what we have done and not have lived the life or have the ability to say, “I waited upon the Lord and this is what He did!”
We must learn the art of patience at all costs. This is the most rapid and enticing generation known to man. At any moment and at any turn we can fulfill our fleshly, carnal drives. It is best to wait upon God and to seek Him in our season of patience, so that our innate temptation to fulfill our passions and partake in pleasure would be destroyed. For it is in the waiting that we learn the art of humility; seeking God and depending upon Him for all things. For God is the only One Who can do in a day what it would take generations to do in a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8).
(6) “But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.” Ecclesiastes 9:4 NKJV
Better to have lived in this life living for Christ than to die a king, President, or ruler without knowing God. For the end of those apart from Christ will be worse than the sufferings of this life.
Better is a living dog than a dead lion. Better to have lived in this life living for Christ than to die a king, President, or ruler without knowing God. For the end of those apart from Christ will be worse than the sufferings of this life. That is why we must take great pleasure in knowing that we know God (for us who are born again), and that God knows us. For what does it profit a man to have all the titles, stature, worldly applause, and fame if he is to die dead in spirit?
What does it profit a man to have all the titles, stature, worldly applause, and fame if he is to die dead in spirit?
We must understand that titles in this life mean nothing. What does matter is what was done from a pure heart. We must come to understand that the whole world can know us, but if God does not know us, then what have we gained? It is better to be a living dog who loves than to live life as a selfish king, only to die and go to Hell.
We must ask and pray that the Holy Spirit would rule our heart, mind, soul, spirit, ambitions, dreams, vision, emotions, pursuits, and ways.
May God teach us the way to a better life. May His truths be stamped upon our hearts. May we not defile the body, but honor God by living holy and acceptable before Him. For we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells within our entire being. We must ask and pray that He would rule our heart, mind, soul, spirit, ambitions, dreams, vision, emotions, pursuits, and ways. For it is only by the Holy Spirit that we can live for the Heavenly Father, as we are covered by the Blood of Him Who died and rose again the Third Day: The Lord Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, Great I AM, Him Who knows all and is long-suffering and patient, may we live for Thee. In all things, O God, may You be glorified. May we not strive to live for the things of this life and seek to be exalted, but may we humble ourselves before You, the One Who sits on the Great White Throne. O God, purify our conscience, renew our minds, sanctify our souls, and soften our hearts. May You be glorified by the way in which we live. Stamp Your Word upon us and may the Holy Spirit live out Your commands, statutes, ways, and will through us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lance VanTine