Friday, June 30, 2017

Listen And Follow For Your Own Sake


Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
They are a garland to grace your head
    and a chain to adorn your neck.
My son, if sinful men entice you,
    do not give in to them.
If they say, “Come along with us;
    let’s lie in wait for innocent blood,
    let’s ambush some harmless soul;
let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,
    and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
we will get all sorts of valuable things
    and fill our houses with plunder;
cast lots with us;
    we will all share the loot —
my son, do not go along with them,
    do not set foot on their paths;
for their feet rush into evil,
    they are swift to shed blood.
How useless to spread a net
    where every bird can see it!
These men lie in wait for their own blood;
    they ambush only themselves!
Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
    it takes away the life of those who get it.
Proverbs 1:8-19 NIV
                                             

It is so disheartening to hear the daily news.  It is as if all regard for not just others; but, for themselves as well, has been lost to this generation. I am not speaking of just our young people. Many elderly, as well, are arrested and convicted daily of crimes against others. It is not only strangers or neighbors that they hurt. But, they throw away their own lives and hurt their families as they commit crimes in attempts to fulfill their worldly desires. I am pretty sure that at least a majority of them think that they will never be caught; that they will not end up spending their lives locked down in a cell. The paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain takes away even the life of those who get it.               

There are riches worth having. They are more pleasant than any thing found in this world. Seek the Kingdom of God. It is a free gift from God to all who would believe.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for all who believe.  (Eph 1:18-19a)

God's Peace - Pr. J.                                                                                                                                         

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