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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2020 8:51:25 GMT -6
Every evil act that has ever been committed in this world was the result of a single thought. Nothing happens for good or for evil without one thinking about it first and then following through to action. All temptations originate with our mind in response to some outside stimulus.
TODAY’S VERSE:
“The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men” (Proverbs 24:9 KJV).
James presents this to us: “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:12-15 KJV).
One old bromide suggests that it is not possible to stop the birds from flying over our head, but one can stop them from building a nest in our hair. The world is filled with tempting delicacies that entice our desires and lusts. These are not thoughts, however. Thoughts come when one sees that item of interest and decide that that is something that they would like. Perhaps it is a neighbor’s apple tree, or an item in a store to be pilfered. Perhaps it is dwelling upon an illicit affair that has captured our attention. James says that it is our lusts, or desires, that draw us to the object just as a fish is drawn to that meaty, fat worm on a hook, and we grab for it. Sin begins with the thought, but when it is finished—death is the real prize.
James pattern for sin is repeated for us by John: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (I John 2:16 KJV).
This is the very pattern which befell Eve in the garden: “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” (Genesis 3:6 KJV).
Eve saw that the tree was good for food, which was the lust of her flesh; then that it was pleasant to the eyes, which speaks of the lust of the eyes; and that the tree was desired to make one wise, speaking of the pride of life. Those three elements were present in the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve’s actions plunged the world into sin and death.
When you find yourself considering a thing, run down this list and see how your thoughts are being ruled by your lusts and flee the temptation. Rush immediately to the Cross and confess your thoughts and agree with God that it is wrong, and then allow the Blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse you of every stain.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9 KJV).
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2020 7:31:36 GMT -6
“The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable” (Proverbs 25:3).
Heaven is higher than you can know, and the earth deeper than you can explore. Neither can you know and explore a true king’s heart. He has in his soul – classified information, burdens, plans, threats, knowledge, and wisdom you cannot discover. It is folly and presumption to judge him based on your very limited perspective of national matters.
Well, God searches them. “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts” (Proverbs 21:1-2).
“The heaven for height,” that’s pretty high. Nobody's ever seen to the end of the universe or even been to the end of the universe. I mean, just imagine how big the universe is, and to think about all those millions of light years it takes to get from here to stars and galaxies at the speed of light. It's just unbelievable how immense the universe is.
“The heaven for height, and the earth for depth,” this shows you, that while the earth is not the farthest thing away from God, it's moving away from God. In relation to God, the earth is deep; in relation to man the heaven is high.
“. . . and the heart of Kings is unsearchable,” in the sense of men, and of course, in the sense of men the heaven in high and the earth is deep. Nobody has descended into the center of the earth, except spiritual beings, so it's pretty deep for us.
While true of kings and presidents, the wisdom of this proverb applies to all authority. Fathers make decisions for families that children do not understand. Business owners do things that employees cannot understand, for owners have duties and knowledge in their hearts greater than coffee breaks and punching a time clock. Pastors oversee the flock of God with burdens, convictions, knowledge, and goals unknown to most of the members.
If you criticize leaders for things you cannot even learn, it is only fair and right that those under your authority rise up in rebellion and reject your decisions. It is only fair and right they disrespect you. It is only fair and right things do not work out in your life, because you accused or criticized a God-appointed ruler knowing more than you could even learn.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2020 7:16:26 GMT -6
“A whip for the horse, a bridle for the a**, and a rod for the fool's back” (Proverbs 26:3). A fool is a person that walks after their own devices. They really don’t know any better. They have a mind, it is true, but it is not exercised to the point where it can discern clearly the costs of misbehaving. A fool is controlled by his wants. By nature, all children are fools in that sense of the word. A child, left to himself, will only grow up to become more foolish as the years pass, and a wicked person is really only an unrestrained fool: “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies” (Psalms 58:3). In the animal world, where beasts of burdens outweigh their masters by hundreds of pounds, an unruly beast could easily go its own way in disobedience. A horse obeys its owner through the use of a tiny riding crop applied to its rear haunches and the donkey or an ox will plow a straight furrow because of a small device placed in its mouth. Animals have their own agenda, and if left to themselves, they will spend the day chewing on the grass around it. When it is time for work, these little devices see to it that they follow the bidding of the farmer. In the case of a young fool, if left to himself, will spend his time in idleness and mischief. They really can’t help it, it is in their nature. As our society progresses ( ) one can now see children a young a couple of years old holding I-Phones and game pods, playing the day away. They grow up to sit on a couch all day with a hand-held game device. Our present young generation is losing all perspective when it comes to human relations. The tool that God has given parents in the daunting challenge of bringing up a child in the way he should go is here called a “rod.” Notice that the Bible does not say “hand,” as a mode of discipline. The hand is for love and comfort. No part of a human’s body should be used to chasten a child. The discipline should always be administered by an inanimate object. Saying this, however, one reason why corporal punishment is effective is because it involves a degree of physical pain. Pain is something that will be remembered. Simply talking to a fool resolves nothing, because a fool will not listen. If a child is taught to equate wrongdoing with pain, they will remember the lesson. Just a word, not so much. Both before, and after, corporal punishment is administered both parent and child should pray confessing their faults to God and asking for His forgiveness. The most important phase of corporal punishment is reconciliation. After the spanking, and after a short time where the child is left to ponder its ways, both must come together again to be reminded that parent loves child and child loves parent. Years later, a child will recall those painful meetings and thank God that he is what he is today because he had parents that loved him enough to see to it that he was corrected and molded in the way he should go as he contemplates the birth of his own child. This is the way that America remains a Christian nation. One of the hardest pills to swallow is being a biological parent trying to discipline the YOU out of your child. Detective Robert Surgenor wrote a book he called, No Fear. For years he has compiled statistics that indicate that when parents eliminate corporal punishment from their discipline plan, the child grows up with an attitude of “no fear,” even when other areas of discipline are administered, such as taking away privileges and grounding. He maintains that children who are spanked in the context of loving discipline don’t become violent. In contrast, some of the most violent youth never once experienced a spanking. Surely this law enforcement officer’s findings are in keeping with the principles of Scripture.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2020 8:31:01 GMT -6
I can only imagine what it must be like to work in a quarry or any job that requires a fellow to move rocks around all day. Now, I can appreciate the fact that good hard work makes for strong, healthy bodies but the effort it would take to get there is a bit more than I was willing to do.
TODAY’S VERSE:
“A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both” (Proverbs 27:3).
Not being a particular robust kind of guy, I can certainly identify with the first half of this verse. I remember one time setting out to mix cement in a wheelbarrow and I will tell you that it plum wore me out. It wasn’t long before I could feel it in my hands, my legs, and my back—actually, there wasn’t a part of my body where I didn’t feel it. One thing for sure was how well I slept that night once I took enough Ibuprofen.
“If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest” (Proverbs 29:9).
If anyone has ever been around an angry bear, after her cubs were stolen, he might have an understanding of what Solomon is trying to say here: “Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly” (Proverbs 17:12). Fortunately, I’m sure, no one reading these words have been that close to any bear (without a fence) but unfortunately, we all know what it is like to be too close to a “fool in his folly.” Walk down some deserted street at 3:00 A.M. on the wrong side of town and you’ll meet a fool that will waylay you, or even kill you just to see what you have in your billfold.
Simeon and Levi viciously slaughtered a city of noble men for the fornication of their sister Dinah (Genesis 34:25-26; 49:7). Doeg the Edomite slaughtered all God’s priests, their families, and their livestock, in rage against David (I Samuel 22:18-19). Haman sought to execute genocide for the offence of Mordecai not bowing to him (Esther 3:5-6). Joab unmercifully assassinated Abner, Absalom, and Amasa in jealous folly (I Kings 2:28-34).
The danger is clear! What can a wise man do? Avoid them for your life! Get away from fools and scorners. They will turn and rend you for some trifling thing, so wise men avoid them as much as possible. Cast out the scorner, and contention, strife, and reproach will end.
“Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding . . . Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge” (Proverbs 9:6,
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2020 6:19:38 GMT -6
The last four chapters in Proverbs put the readers to the fire, so to speak, that is, they “heap on the coals.”
TODAY’S VERSE:
“Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things” (Proverbs 28:5).
In no other section, with the possible exception of 5-7 and 12-16, do we see more “hard sayings” put over. Now, if one really thinks about it, there probably isn’t any section of Scripture that is harsher than Jesus’ conversation with the Pharisees in John 8.
“Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:42-47).
Of course the National Council of Churches and preachers such as Joel Olsteen say that we can’t talk to people like this because we are to accept everyone just as they are because, “Gosh, God is love.” Solomon spoke somewhat to this, “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:5-6). In fact, one can almost visualize Paul’s tears as he wrote this: “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16). And not to be missed is the fact that Jesus wept sorely over the people that were rejecting the truth of their need of repentance: “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes” (Luke 19:41-42).
The wicked do not understand why they are wicked. They are only doing those things which seem natural to them. Everyone is doing it, so why shouldn’t they have their cut of the pie? And that is the problem with the sinner—he is comparing himself with others just like himself instead of looking unto Him that lived a perfect life and died as a perfect substitute for sinful man. Men measure a straight line by the use of a ruler. In fact, the word “canon” is used to describe those books recognized as inspired of God. Literally, it means (a) a straight rod or bar; (b) a measuring rule as a ruler used by masons and carpenters; then (c) a rule or standard for testing straightness.
Those that are students of the Word of God, that judge themselves against the straight and narrow, “understand all things.” The crooked man walks a crooked path because he uses a crooked standard for his own sense of righteousness, but they that “seek the Lord” walk according to the narrow rule and compare their deeds against the absolute righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they, by the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives, adjust their walk accordingly.
Judge yourself by God’s standard, and not your own, and you also will “understand all things.”
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2020 9:00:56 GMT -6
“He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (Proverbs 29:1 KJV).
Solomon’s proverbs end with chapter 29, but it doesn’t ease up after this. The next two chapters are pretty harsh also. Verse one here, is pretty rough. There are four parts to the verse.
“He, that being often reproved . . .” Pharaoh is the type of this, Ex 3:19-20. God said to Moses, “And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.” But before he lets Moses’ go, he gets harder and harder and harder. In 4:21, God says, “And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.”
So, it is actually God that does the hardening (though Pharaoh on a few occasions also hardens his own heart). The reason that God hardens a man like that is because he simply rejects the truth. We see much from Exodus 5, the first two verses: “And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.”
Here is why God hardened his heart. It isn’t because he is predestined from the foundation of the world to be a vessel fit for destruction, as the Calvinists teach out of Romans chapter 9, but it’s because he rejects the revelation of God and God Himself.
Right now, we have Christians all over America saying, “Let our children pray and carry Bibles in public schools.” The response from the bureaucrats is “Who is the Lord, that we should obey His voice?” We have millions of people all over America saying that abortion is murder, and it’s immoral, and cruel, and it’s against the Scriptures, and the leaders are saying, “Who is the Lord that we should obey His voice?” It doesn’t matter what the issue, the response is the same, “Who is the Lord?”
Well, that’s why God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. It wasn’t because he was predestined to be hardened, but it was because he would not believe the truth, didn’t want the truth, and so God hardens Him because of it.
“But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you” (Proverbs 1:25-27 KJV).
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2020 6:00:26 GMT -6
“For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress . . . If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife” (Proverbs 30:21-23, 32-33).
“For three things the earth is disquieted,” in other words, “losing peace.” Number one “for a servant when he reigneth.” The servant is Ham. The Bible says that his seed should be the servant of servants (Genesis 9). God hasn’t changed, and the Bible hasn’t changed. Modern-day social justice warriors are also not going to change the Bible. What is written is written. Now, if you want to see what a servant is like the reigns, it's Jeroboam (First Kings 11:26). The servant that reigns is the one who splits the kingdom. Jeroboam split the kingdom from Rehoboam, and Jeroboam is a type of the Antichrist.
Then it says, “and a fool when he is filled with meat.” The fool is Nabal (First Samuel 25). Nabal, who is also a type of the Antichrist, is the fool who is filled with meat. Somebody here is feeding fools, kind of sounds like American.
Then, in verse 23, “For an odious woman,” that's an offensive, disgusting woman like Jezebel, “when she is married.” Who would want to marry an odious woman? Well, Ahab did (First Kings 16:31). Ahab is another type of the Antichrist. These are have prophetic overtones.
“. . . and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress,” like Hagar (Genesis 16).
Those are four things that bring wrath, and a lack of peace, to the earth. Four things that the earth cannot bear.
“If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.”
The last two verses go together. “If thou has done foolishly in lifting up thyself,” in other words, boasting thyself and making yourself something you are not; “or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.” Now, there's two things there. He said if you've spoken foolishly and boastfully, then don't do it again. Just stop it. Secondly, if you thought evil, before you speak evil; put your hand on your mouth, and keep your mouth shut. There's no hidden meaning behind that verse; it just says what it says.
Why? Verse 33. This is good. “Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.” In other words, shut your mouth before you get yourself into trouble.
When you force wrath, when it is unneeded and unnecessary, you're looking for trouble. The Bible says that “a wrathful man stirreth up strife” (Proverbs 15:18). If you want to get in trouble, just get mean and there will be somebody around meaner than you
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2020 8:40:31 GMT -6
The Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters, 915 verses, 15,043 words, if you are interested in that information.
TODAY’S VERSE:
“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel” (Proverbs 1:1).
This is all the maxims, epigrams, proverbs, and homilies of the ancients condensed into one book. Really, if you searched out much of Plato, Socrates, Euripides, the Greek philosophers, the Greek writers: What they got, they got from this man. They got it from Solomon. And some of them had the honesty to mention that. Some of them didn’t. Some of them want you to think it was original material, but it wasn’t. All they got, they got from this man, Solomon.
Proverbs lays down the emphatic principle of dualism. Liberalism and false religion will try to do away with dualism. Dualism—right and wrong, heaven and hell—things like that. Proverbs is strong on a dualistic outlook. Absolute opposites.
“The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools” (Proverbs 3:35 KJV).
Apostate religion, ungodly religion, false religion does not like to admit dualism. Some religions attempt to do away with dualism—how do they do that? Well, they do away with the Bible definition of sin, and they call some sins mortal sins and some venial sins. So that is trying to temper sin. To try to do away with hell and invent purgatory, to try to do away with the absolute opposite of heaven. Every heretic has to eventually do the same thing with his doctrine, because he only has the flesh to work with—and “all flesh is grass.” It’s all the same, all religions are basically the same.
There is two ways to deal with the awfulness of sin.
1. Experience. They say that that is the best teacher, but it is certainly the hardest teacher. 2. Hearken to wisdom.
Two ways to learn the awfulness of sin.
Now, as wise as this man was—smart as he was, experienced as he was, rich as he was—there was probably never a man alive that was ever smarter, or richer, than Solomon; and yet the Bible said about Jesus Christ, “a greater than Solomon is here.”
Now this Book will give you “wisdom” on how to deal with the real problems. You realize that most Americans don’t have really big problems. Psychiatrists and psychologists say that most of the problems in America are imaginary, and they are soap opera problems. Soap opera problems are (if you ever watch soap operas, which I wouldn’t recommend for anybody to watch) imaginary. Soap opera writers have produced plays and situations where two women are vying against one another, and they are always picking at each other over some little issue—and that is always the big issue in the play. It’s usually always two women, one getting mad about what one said about the other and then they blow it up clear out of proportion. And that has become the way of life in America. Americans blow everything way out of proportion. Nine times out of ten, the problems are no way as big as they really are.
You think you got problems, you ought to live in Afghanistan. In America, you have to go to a funeral home to see death. But in some countries, it is laying right out in the streets. It’s altogether different, we live in a candy-coated world.
Wisdom will show you how to deal with real problems.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2020 5:28:54 GMT -6
James tells us to “receive the word with meekness” (James 1:21). Receive the Bible as the Word of God, and not as the words of men (I Thessalonians 2:13). You have to do that, you have to have faith that it is the Word of God, or it will not have any power. He says, “incline, thine ear unto wisdom, and hide my commandments,” like David says in Psalm 119:11, “Hide them in your heart.” Memorize them, meditate on them so that you “incline,” that is, “to lean in, to listen.”
TODAY’S VERSE:
“My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee. Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding” (Proverbs 2:1-3 KJV).
“But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward” (Jeremiah 7:24 KJV).
“Incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding,” apply what you’ve learned, go to work at it.
“. . . criest after knowledge,” is getting into prayer. It’s like in James 5 where we are told to pray for wisdom. This is how God separates the adults from the children. He wants to see how bad we really want something. The Lord doesn’t give things easily. Salvation comes easy, it wasn’t easy for God to buy it, but it comes easy for us to have it. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom 10:13, KJV). “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Rom 10:9).
But it’s not easy to live the Christian life. The Christian life is hard, it’s difficult. And it’s not easy to have victory over the flesh—it’s not easy to overcome sin and habits—It’s hard! How do we do it? Well, we listen, we apply, and we pray. And sometimes we have to cry. There was a time when the apostles had a demon-possessed individual to deal with, and they couldn’t cast out the devil. And then Jesus came along and cast it out. The disciples asked him why they couldn’t do it. He said, “This kind cometh not out except by prayer and fasting.”
Sometimes when you pray about a thing and you haven’t got an answer, you just have to get serious. You have to show God that you really want it.
There is another story teaching about the woman that goes to the unjust judge and requires something of him. And because of her importunity [she just bugged him to death] he said, “Lady, I’m so sick of looking at you, you can have it!” I guess in some worldly, earthly sense, God just gets sick and tired of us constantly coming to Him and asking for things. I realize that we are not supposed to use ‘vain repetition,’ but that’s talking about how the heathen pray with beads and baubles and all that business, that’s not talking about going to God consistently and praying for the soul of someone to get saved, or for a child to be raised in the fear and admonition of the Lord. God, in a sense, should get tired of you constantly coming and saying, “Here I am again, Lord.” There was a guy, they say, that prayed so much that when he started his prayer he would say, “It’s me, Lord.” “It’s me again, Lord.” That’s the way it ought to be with us.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2020 8:13:15 GMT -6
“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil" (Proverbs 3:7).
“By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil" (Proverbs 16:6).
So, while your local Christian radio station is busy taking the fear the Lord out of your Bibles and trying to teach you reverence for God, or love for God, rather than the fear of God; they're doing you a great disservice because you won't depart from some things unless you're scared of judgment, unless you're scared of the living God, unless you're scared to fall into the hands of the living God, unless you are scared that God might actually call you to account and get you for it if you don't straighten up. These mega churches and feel-good churches are doing their fans a great disservice.
“And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me" (Jeremiah 32:40).
Notice an interesting comparison. The Lord is talking about making a covenant with Israel; an everlasting covenant, in fact, and that relates to a lot of prophecy in Israel. One day the Lord will make a new covenant with them and do a lot of wonderful things for them.
We resent it sometimes. It's natural enough to be told we have to quit our sin and the reason you quit your sin is because you need to fear God, because God is angry with the wicked every day; and if you don't fear God, and if you keep on in your sin, He's going to get you. And so we don't we don't like that too much because after all sometimes sin is fun and; we don't like our fun ruined. Everybody that has a teenager knows that right well.
Here in Jeremiah chapter 32, there's an interesting twist to that because notice, “I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.” See, the fear of the Lord should cause you to depart from evil; but it will also cause you to not depart from your God. And with that comes the interesting play on words; because the more that you look at it, the more you realize that in the love for the Lord there is an element of fear, and those things do abide side by side.
“Oh no, brother. No way! No, no! First John says that “perfect love casteth out fear.” Alright, are you ready to set forth the idea that you love God perfectly? I don't really think so.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2020 6:47:31 GMT -6
“He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live” (Proverbs 4:4 KJV).
Most of the Book of Proverbs, of course, are the words of Solomon, who was the son of David, the king of Israel. It is David’s words that are being quoted in this passage. The immediate thought that comes to my mind is that my own children have heard words from me, that they will no doubt remember long after I am gone. I honestly hope that they are more meaningful than, “Were you born in a barn?” or “Because I said so!” I hope that, in some good way, that their lives will be affected for eternity by counsel that I have given them. Praise the Lord that their mother and I led them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ while they were born, but did they always see the Lord in their father? Unfortunately, no.
Think of Solomon here. He had to know that his older brother was the result of an adulterous affair that led to the murder of his mother’s first husband, Uriah, and further led to the death of his brother as God’s punishment of David. He probably had every cause to despise his father. At least that is what Jerry Springer tells the world every day on his program from hell.
But that is not the case at all. Solomon obviously loved his father, and in large part, because even though his dad was a grievous sinner, he was also a man that loved the Lord with all his heart and a man that was after God’s own heart. Solomon saw also that his father was a man of great faith, and great devotion.
We do not know if Solomon read Psalm 51. He may well have. It is not often that a son gets a glimpse so deeply into their own father’s soul. It is a psalm that we all do well to read often, and memorize parts of it:
“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee” (Psalms 51:1-13 KJV).
David sinned, yet David repented, and God did not kill him. David was likely a very different man after this tragic occasion in his life, but rather than become bitter and raise an angry family, David made things right with God and put it behind him. How often Christians will forget the forgiveness and cleansing of the Lord and carry their guilt to the destruction of their own families. As we face this new year, a verse I like to think about was given to us in Philippians.
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14 KJV).
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2020 7:36:47 GMT -6
There are verses that are hard to discuss in a mixed audience. Verse 19 is one of those verses. A lot of it is like the Song of Solomon, hard to read with your date.
TODAY’S VERSE:
“Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love” (Proverbs 5:19 KJV).
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4 KJV).
The marriage bed is undefiled before God and what happens there is between the man and the woman.
“Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe,” a hind is a deer, and a roe is a swift gazelle, “let her breasts satisfy thee at all times,” she will be your helpmeet, “and be thou ravished always with her love,” that takes us right back to verses 15-16, just be content with what God has given you. You’ve been together long enough to know that she isn’t as perfect as you thought she was when you were dating her—that doesn’t mean that you should start comparing her to other so-called “perfect” girls out there. You’ll find no better. If you did, you would just be a rat in a vicious circle of your own making. Paul knew exactly what he was saying when he wrote: “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Timothy 6:6 KJV).
There again, a man gets to looking at other women. You’ve seen your wife in every kind of situation. She’s looked bad in the morning, and she’s looked bad at night, even bad in the afternoon. When you go out in public, women have fixed themselves up and they look really good. Believe me, that woman that you see out in public that looks so good can look just as ugly as your wife can in the morning. Don’t be fool by Satan! Stop thinking that the grass is greener on the other side—it isn’t!
But that is the problem with men—they are affected by what they see. God put that in a man—He made women attractive to look at. The problem is for a man keeping his eyes where he ought to and love his wife: “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?” (Job 31:1 KJV). We need to be more like Job in this area! Be satisfied with her, be ravished with her love, and don’t allow yourself to let your eyes roam.
“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11 KJV).
Just teach that old flesh to be content with what it’s got. If you are unmarried, don’t try to get married. If you are married, don’t try to get unmarried. “Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife” (1 Corinthians 7:27 KJV).
Listen, God may give you a wife, and that is fine. But don’t you go looking for one. Just turn it over to God and say, “I’ll just leave it with You, God. You can pick out the right one if that is Your will.” Yea, that’s rough—but that is best.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2020 8:00:29 GMT -6
“My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee" (Proverbs 6:20-22).
Verse 20, “My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother,” and he considers those two things to be the same thing. If father's commandment is the commandment that not only my father gives me, but that that my father keeps; because it's the commandment of God; and if the law of my mother is not just my mother's law that she passes to me, but the law that God gave her; well, that's the same thing, right? God’s commandment, God's law. So what if those two things are really considered singular? An “it?”
In verse twenty-two, “It shall lead thee,” “It shall keep thee,” and “It shall talk to thee.” Okay. then what is the “them” of verse twenty-one? I would say that the “them” of verse twenty-one is your mother and your father. It’s not that unusual for the Lord to switch up singulars and plurals and pronouns and stuff like that. He can switch in the middle of a verse, and that’s fine. There is nothing wrong with this either way, but maybe it points to something else.
“My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother. Bind them continually, and tie them about thy neck,” what if verse 21 is not talking about the law and the commandments, but is talking about your father and your mother? If you love your father and your mother, you’ll keep their commandments and their laws. If you are doing it just as an outward ritual, it is going to slide pretty quick.
If what you love is God, then you are going to love His commandments and His word. If you are just following the Ten Commandments because the church said you should, and you don’t really love God, you don’t stand a chance. And then you get to verse 22, “When thou goest, it shall lead thee.” That command, that law, is the word of God. That commandment, that word of God, it shall lead thee. It’ll lead thee, it’ll keep thee, it will talk to thee.
I’m suggesting that verse 21 is maybe talking about you making sure; just as the word of God tells us in the greatest commandment to love the Lord thy God with they whole heart, and thy whole soul, all thy strength, and all thy might, so it is humanly speaking that we are love our mother and our father. If you love them, you will keep their rules. And if you are just keeping their rules because you are supposed to keep their rules, eventually you’ll depart from them when you are on your own.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2020 6:40:46 GMT -6
A lot of American ladies are not really harlots, but they dress like it, and when you advertise it—expose it—you might as well be ready to sell it. When you walk by one of the chic women’s store, don’t they have a big window where they display what they are trying to sell? If you don’t want to sell it, don’t display it. Is that unreasonable? Is that illogical?
TODAY’S VERSE:
“And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house” (Proverbs 7:10-11 KJV).
This is one of the sad things about our American culture. It might just be that some of these young ladies need to sit down with their brother or your dad and just kind of ask them about life and see if they can’t enlighten you a little bit. Some of these young women are no better off than the young man who is a simpleton walking up and down the wrong street. It’s a terrible thing indeed when two simpletons of the opposite sex meet, one looking for a harlot and the other dressing like one. It’s got the recipe for disaster.
The sad reality is that most Americans learn about sex in the back alley. Men complain that they can’t find a good girl, but they refuse to go to the places where they might find one, like a good, sound Bible-believing New Testament church. But, if they don’t get cleaned up spiritually and morally, they are not going to find a good, wise girl there either. Girls with high moral standards are not interested in the first fool that comes along.
“. . . and subtil of heart,” someone else is subtil. “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made” (Genesis 3:1 KJV). Rightly does our Lord tell the lost crowd that “they are of their father the devil.” Like father, like son; or like father, like daughter. She is subtil, she is full of subtilty, like the woman in Revelation, the harlot.
She is “loud, and stubborn,” very boisterous, outgoing, stubborn, which 1 Samuel says is “worse than the sin of witchcraft.” “. . . her feet abide not in her house,” she’s a busybody, not faithful, an infidel. She is unfaithful to her husband, if she is married, and she is unfaithful to her God.
Ladies, Peter gives the Bible definition of a godly woman:
“Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement” (I Peter 3:1-6).
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2020 8:34:05 GMT -6
“She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths” (Proverbs 8:2).
That is, she goes somewhere where people can hear her, and people don't want you where they can hear you; so, nowadays with property rights and such some of the best places for street preaching are off limits. In many places they have made locations, even though it's a public place, private property so you can't go over there and pass out tracts and so on. There's lots of things changing as regards to a Christian’s right to free speech and assembly.
Verses 3-4, “She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.”
I don't have a single doubt one that this is a general statement. I don't think it's saying, “I only talk to males,” okay? I don't think it means that as such, it means to “the sons of men” both men and women alike and children; but it is interesting, “Unto you, O men, I call.” It does bring up kind of devotional aspect to it. Whereas the days go by, and increasingly, even though Paul warned about men that crept in unawares and lead silly woman captive laden with sins, isn't it odd that now Christianity is appealing more and more to women and children rather than to men?
I believe that the scripture here is to the sons of men: men and women, that is, human beings okay? But, at the same time there is a principle involved where men just don't lead any more in the things of Christianity. We saw it growing up in that it was the ladies of our churches and communities that were the spiritual ones, and the men all went about their business and pretended to have a fence that need fixing, or a heifer to help calf on a Sunday morning so they could stay out of church. It’s a sad thing, but more and more as Christianity develops, it's more and more womanish, and less masculine. It's less militant in the way the Lord intended; but verse 4, “Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.”
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2020 6:20:05 GMT -6
Chapter nine is a shorter chapter, and it gets into two things. It contrasts two women. Two women, two houses, two ways, and two results. Of course, there is a good and a bad all the way through it. A good woman, a good house, a good way, and a good result. And conversely, there is a bad woman, a bad house, a bad way, and a bad result.
TODAY’S VERSE:
“Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars” (Proverbs 9:1 KJV).
The world, which claims not to be religious, is very religious. It uses wisdom that God calls sensuous and devilish. So, what you really see is a contrast between Christ and Antichrist. Chapter 9 has 18 verses, which is three sixes. In verse 13, the foolish woman shows up. The good woman in this chapter is Christ, or the church, while the bad woman is Mystery Babylon of Revelation chapter 17 which is the seat or vehicle of old number 13 himself, which is the devil of Revelation. The Bible tells us that he sits upon the woman.
In the Old Testament, it would be Israel through her synagogue and temple, in the New Testament it would be the church. Jesus said that He would build His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. You want wisdom—you’ll have to get in the church. You not only need to get into the Body of Christ, but you also need to be in the local, New Testament church which God has set up with pastors and teachers in order to edify you and to perfect you, according to Ephesians chapter 4, verse 11. Without that, there will be no real wisdom.
You may claim to be smart, but First Corinthians says, “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” The way to wisdom is to become a fool. Realize that we do not know anything, but that God knows everything—so we go to Him.
See, there is one woman. “Wisdom hath builded HER house.” Wisdom is shown in the personification of a woman. Well, Christ is one with His bride. Christ’s bride is female—we are His bride—so, we are one with Him. “SHE hath hewn out her seven pillars.” Now, I don’t know specifically what those seven pillars are, but there are all kinds of ‘seven things’ in the Bible that the church stands on.
“And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.”
There are seven spirits in Isaiah 11 verse 2. And those spirits are all connected with the Spirit of God. One of them IS the Spirit of God, and I guarantee you—if you are in the right house, God’s house—there is going to be something connected with the Spirit of God and those seven spirits: Instruction, Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Might, Knowledge, and fear. Revelation 5 calls them the seven eyes of God. The church is built on those seven spirits.
Now that house is based on those things.
The Tabernacle had fourteen pillars—the number of deliverance. Seven is the number of divine completeness.
Now, wisdom has built her house. You can make it Israel as the house, the church as the house, the home as a house. Wise parents will build a house on seven pillars.
Now, one thing about it, a pillar is something strong. They hold something up, keep it from falling. And that pictures something very strong. Those old antebellum houses down south had all those pillars across the front. That was to depict strength, endurance, and quality. And so that is what the indication here it.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2020 2:53:37 GMT -6
“Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction . . . He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth” (Proverbs 10:14, 17).
“Wise men lay up knowledge,” that is meditate on it, memorize, and learn it. That is, really get it into your mind until you need it, so that you can use it later. Some folks might ask, “Well, what good is that going to do for me now?” It might not do you a bit of good right now, but five years down the road you may be glad you have it. You may even run across someone else that it may really help. It may well become a “word fitly spoken” (Proverbs 25:11). So, lay it up, like banking it away.
“. . . but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction,” his words condemn him “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:37).
The mouth of the fool will talk himself into a mess that often he can’t come back from. Someone might dare him, “Would you do that?” And the fool will boastfully answer, “Yea, I would do that!” YouTube is full of videos of people that said that and paid the price. There are all kinds of dares out there. And there are a lot of people wishing they could take back the thing they did that landed them where they are now. Of course, a few of them would be thankful for a second chance to get it right and still end up in traction.
Kids play chicken with cars out on the highway. Kids taking dope. “Yea, I can do that! I’m a man!” Yes, and you may be a dead man right after you do it.
“. . . but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction,” that mouth can get you in a bail of trouble.
“He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.”
“He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction,” first, that is how you get to life by being in the way of life. Cornelius was in the way of life in Acts 10. He was headed for life. Why? He was keeping instruction. He was trying to do right. He listened, and he paid attention to his conscience and God sent to him the Gospel through Peter.
“. . . but he that refuseth reproof erreth,” now, when a man continually rejects his conscience he hardens himself and is destroyed: “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (Proverbs 29:1 KJV).
Young people, don’t quit. Don’t stop going to church when you grow up and leave home. You will have a tendency to just say, “Well, nobody’s forcing me to go to church anymore, so I’m just not going to go.” Don’t be foolish enough to refuse instruction. Keep going and remember that you own children need a strong daddy—both physically and spiritually.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2020 5:39:43 GMT -6
“By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked” (Proverbs 11:11 KJV).
“By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted,” in other words, if a city will let the saved do what they are supposed to do and leave the upright alone, and not punish the upright, the city will be exalted. It will prosper. And that has just been a general truth of history. And when the wicked rule, the people are oppressed, and the city is eventually destroyed and fails because of it.
“By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted,” God will bless it. Look at America. In the short space of 230 years, America becomes the most powerful and richest nation in the world. How is that possible? Well, in general, America allowed the upright and the righteous to serve God and live for God, and God bless America because of it. America allowed for religious freedom and did not interfere with the church’s liberty to worship, teach and preach the Word of God. America was established with that kind of freedom in mind, and not many other countries have ever been set up like that. There is no doubt that this country has been exalted.
“. . . but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked,” the wicked start getting in control and start running things. They enact laws limited freedom of speech, freedom of religion and worship, and this nation is growing weaker by the year. At present, the ideologies and the evil principles of the wicked have overtaken whole cities and crime is rampant. Once safe cities are becoming war zones. New York and Chicago are in shambles. The murder rates are increasing beyond reason. The homosexual agenda has captured the government to where now it is a crime to call a he a he, if it prefers to be a she. People are being arrested for using the wrong pronouns to identify transgenders. Things are going downhill quickly, and God can’t bless it, and the cities are being overthrown.
Antisemitism is growing stronger and God told the Jew that He would bless them that bless Israel and curse them that curse Israel. Righteousness once exalted our nation, but it no longer can as it once did.
“By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.”
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2020 3:11:15 GMT -6
Forget the situation you are in, and consider what the Lord has done, and will do. That is how to bring thoughts into captivity. Best way to control thoughts is not to be thinking about what God isn’t doing, but what He has done in the past and what He will surely do in the future, for you. You are saved, going to heaven, He has given you a Bible.
TODAY’S VERSE:
“The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit” (Proverbs 12:5 KJV).
Here is the classic passage on all this:
“I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings” (Psalms 77:1-12 KJV).
“. . . my soul refused to be comforted,” do you ever get like that? People try to help you, but just nothing will help.
“I call to remembrance my song in the night,” there was a time when I did have joy—consider those first days right after we were first saved and we were so close to the Lord, but time erodes our fellowship. As soon as a man is saved, he’ll never be as close to God again in this life. He begins to backslide immediately. If you ever had cataracts and remember opening your eyes and viewing the world right after the bandages were removed—you can get some idea of what a special time it was as you saw the world in a whole new clarity that you did not know before.
“Will the Lord cast off for ever?” You know He won’t. He said He’ll never leave or forsake you. Sooner or later God is going to work it out.
“. . . will he be favourable no more?” You know He will. You do right, you’ll find favor.
“Is his mercy clean gone for ever?” You know, it feels like that sometimes. David is here communing with his heart. He is thinking things through. The Devil is saying, “He’s gone now! You’ve really messed up this time. There’s no repentance left for you.” The Devil will talk you into all kinds of things if you listen to him.
“. . . doth his promise fail for evermore?” You say, “Lord, how does this thing work together for good? You can’t see it working for good right now, but it is. It is.
“Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?” I mean, “Lord, how much more am I going to have to endure? When are You going to lean off of me?
But David had the answer.
“This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.”
You’ve seen Him work in your life and others, and you know that He isn’t through working.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2020 6:36:18 GMT -6
“The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death” (Proverbs 13:14).
“The law of the wise,” it can be a wise parent or a wise counselor. It could also be Christ Himself: “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (I Corinthians 1:30-31).
“The law of the wise is a fountain of life,” especially is this true of our parents, in the physical sense: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:1-3). If children will listen to the law of the wise, it is a long life for them.
“. . . to depart from the snares of death,” so how does listening to parents allow us to depart from the snares of death? They tell us not to run with the wrong crowd, but sadly, multitudes of young people are tragically killed because they car they were riding in was being driven by a drunk. Kids that listen to mom and dad are not in that car when it crashes. How many young people are suddenly thrust into eternity because of a drug overdose because they were out with the wrong crowd instead of staying at home where it is safe? Graves are full of children that did not listen to the “law of the wise.”
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