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THIS WEEK’S BIBLE INSIGHTS ARE BY:
Ian Moore and are based on Proverbs 7 (NIV)
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ MORE ON THIS WEEK’S MAJOR THEME:
1 Timothy 4
1 My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. 2 Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. 3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and to insight, “You are my relative.” 5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
6 At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice. 7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. 8 He was going down the street
near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house 9 at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.
10 Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent... 13 She took hold of him and kissed him...
24 Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. 25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. 26 Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. 27 Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.
Sunday April 6 - Seduction
(Wisdom)...will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward
woman with her seductive words. Proverbs 7:5
As I write, in less than eight weeks, I will be on a mission in the DR Congo. I have been asked to speak at a pastors’ conference on the subject of ‘The challenge facing today’s church’. Among other things, one of the prime challenges I see is seduction; seduction by the world and by deceiving spirits.
Proverbs 7 contrasts the foolish with the wise. Here we see a foolish youth blindly falling into the arms of seduction. We will trace his journey, seeing seduction as deceptive, flattering, opportunistic, persuasive – but praise God, it need not be our master. I want you to think beyond it being a sexual situation but rather about being led astray, enticed or charmed away from what is right, thus unintentionally travelling to an unwanted destination. The ultimate seduction is found in the Garden of Eden, when Eve and subsequently Adam were charmed to believe Satan’s lie.
The consequences of Adam’s fall are very real. Adam usurped God’s authority by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; stating that he no longer needed God to tell him what was right or wrong, he could decide for himself! By so doing, Adam became a fool in shunning wisdom.
May our eyes be opened, not only to seduction’s magnetism but also to the victory to be found in exercising godly wisdom.
Father God, I thank you that as I turn to your word it becomes wisdom to me: ‘a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’ (Psalm 119:105). Amen.
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PRAYER FOR TODAY