August 4, 2008

Today's Reading - Proverbs 4
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Following Scripture Verses

1. Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13. Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Today's Pathway:
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"The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble." - Proverbs 4:19

We understand that the way of the wicked is darkness, for John tells us that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world (John 1:9), but men will not come to Him because they "loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19). However this verse points out that the darkness of man is not simply theological, but it is practical as well.

I have seen this scenario take place numerous times. I have been talking to someone who has messed up his life, and when I asked him how it happened he replies that he doesn't really know. I have seen men ruin their lives with alcohol, yet they continually return to drink. I have seen women destroy their homes with drugs, yet continue to use them. A man will cause havoc in his home, yet when his wife leaves him, or his children rebel against him, he doesn't understand why it happened. In other words, he doesn't know at what he is stumbling.

People will look for all types of excuses for their bad behavior. Unfortunately, modern psychology, and even some Baptist pastors, will feed them the "justification" they are looking for. Evil men do not need to be given an alibi; they need to be told the truth about what it is that they are stumbling over: their sin.

Several years ago I heard a well-known fundamental Baptist attorney teach pastors on counseling procedures. He told us to stop pretending to be amateur psychiatrists with those who come to see us. Instead, he told us to regularly use this expression: "It sounds like sin to me!" He understood that men who are involved in sinful behavior will reap the rewards for those actions, but not comprehend what is occurring. Someone must be willing to show them the truth.

Do you understand what your sin is doing to you and those around you?

Pastor Mark J Montgomery