January 17, 2026 • 36 mins
We’re all walking through a marketplace of voices that promise urgency, belonging, and quick wins. Let's unpack the outcomes of influence.
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Kristen (00:16):
Welcome everybody to a servant's heartbeat.
My name is Kristen.
Thank you for listening andallowing me to share my
heartbeat for the kingdom of Godwith you.
We are continuing in our studyof Proverbs.
Last week we talked about thepurpose of Proverbs and how that
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brings us to the fear of theLord.
Picking up where we left off,the topic for this week will be
on competing voices, a lessonabout influences.
So imagine with me that you arein this crowded marketplace, and
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there are voices coming fromevery side, people in booths
trying to sell you whatever theyhave.
And maybe it sounds a littlesomething like this.
You don't want to miss thisopportunity.
We only have a limited supply.
This is only while supplieslast.
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This is a special edition.
You can't get this anywhereelse.
This is at a price that can't bebeat.
You don't want to miss this.
It's almost like that fear ofmissing out, the FOMO just kicks
in, and you've like, ah, I gottahave it.
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Well, this crowded marketplaceis full of competing voices,
trying to get your attention tocome their direction, to go to
their booth and take part intheir product.
And that's really a lot of whathappens to us today.
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We are living in a world ofcompeting voices, trying to get
us to lean or go in a certaindirection.
But part of the purpose in ourstudy of Proverbs is to approach
this with some wisdom anddiscretion to realize what
voices I need to be allowing andopen myself to as an influence
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in my life.
Well, in John chapter 10, Jesusis teaching the parable of the
Good Shepherd.
And in verse 5, he is referringto his sheep when he says, A
stranger will they not follow,but will flee from him, for they
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know not the voice of strangers.
Skipping down to versetwenty-seven, it says, My sheep
hear my voice, I know them, andthey follow me.
In other words, the sheepignored the stranger's voice,
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that competing voice, but heardthe voice of their shepherd and
followed him.
So again, that's going to bekind of our focus for today.
Just like that crowdedmarketplace, there are competing
voices trying to get ourattention, trying to get us to
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go in a certain direction or totake a certain path or to buy in
on a certain thing.
But I want to be that sheep thatis able to tune in to the voice
of my shepherd and tune out tothis voice of influence that may
be trying to lead me astray.
I want to be in tune to thevoice of my shepherd that has
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come to give me life and it moreabundantly.
So let's look at a parentalvoice of influence.
Proverbs chapter one, verseeight begins by saying, My son,
hear the instruction of thyfather, and forsake not the law
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of thy mother.
So we've got parental figureshere, a father and a mother.
Now, I I feel like it'simportant to say, at least maybe
for some, that in a world ofbrokenness, I completely get
that for many life experiencesmay have resulted in that
parental influence of thatfather and mother feeling
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incomplete.
But that does not mean that Godhas not placed people or is
trying to place people in thoselives or in your life as that
parental figure, basically thatthat pillar in your life that
you were able to look up to.
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So with that in mind, whether itbe father, mother by birth, or
maybe a pillar, somebody thatthe Lord is beginning to place
or has placed in your life.
Think about that person who hasbeen that pillar for you, who
has given you guidance, who hasgiven you direction, who has
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given you some help, who youhave gone to for counsel, who
you have gone to in a time ofneed and been able just to seek
help and hear some wisdom fromthem.
Who are those parental figuresin your life?
Who are those people who you'veallowed to speak into your life?
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Because I could have a parentalfigure in my life, but that
doesn't necessarily mean that Ihave put myself in a position to
allow them to speak andinfluence in my life?
Who have I given room to speakcorrection when they see me
veering off the path?
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So perhaps, you know, thatthere's a pastor in my life, but
have I given him room to speakcorrection when he sees me
veering off the path?
Who do I have in my life thathas taught me some life
principles?
Because believe it or not, youdon't know it all.
So I need somebody in my lifewho can teach me, who can show
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me, who can guide me.
Who have I allowed in my life toshow me where the guardrails and
the boundaries need to be?
Because just going through life,just trying to drive and direct
myself however I see fit, I maynot be able to tell where the
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edge is.
And then before you know it,I've gone over the edge.
So I need somebody in my lifethat can help me identify where
those boundaries and andguardrails need to be placed.
And when I think even more aboutthat, I think it begins to lead
us to this point of who am Isubmitted to?
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Who have I made myselfaccountable to by saying, again,
if you see anything in me, Iwant you to be able to tell me.
If you see where I need aguardrail, if you see where I
need correcting, teach me.
This topic actually came up inSunday school last week, but
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this idea of a parental figure,this idea of a pillar, somebody
who you've been in submission toor been accountable to, all of
that begins to tie into thiselement of trust.
Because if I'm going to submitmyself or allow somebody to
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speak direction into my life,there's an element of trust
that's there.
Now, there are lots of things inthis whole world that would love
to have our trust.
I mean, there are the claimsthat come from different brands
that have whatever product.
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We're a brand that you can trustor you can stand by our
guarantee.
And all of that sounds great.
It's great marketing, but thatdoesn't mean that everything
deserves our trust.
I can't just put my trust ineverything.
Proverbs 1.8 mentions theinstruction and the law, and the
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law meaning the teaching.
It's this instruction andteaching that is it's built on
the fear of the Lord.
And last week we talked abouthow the fear of the Lord is the
beginning of knowledge.
It's not just a place that Ibegin and I go on to something
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else, but it's the foundationfor everything.
It's the foundation for everymoment, it's the foundation for
every relationship and duty,basically acknowledging the Lord
in all my ways.
Trust in the Lord with all thineheart and lean not onto thine
own understanding.
In all thy ways, acknowledgehim, and he shall direct thy
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paths.
I say all that to say I needvoices of influence in my life
that will help me, that willencourage me, that will lead me
to that place of trust in theLord.
So when I read, hear theinstruction of thy father and
forsake not the law of thymother, when I think about the
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people in my life who I'msubmitted to, when I think about
the people in my life who I'vemade myself accountable to, when
I think about the people whoI've allowed to correct and
teach me and instruct me, I needvoices of influence in my life
that lead me to that place oftrust in the Lord.
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But here's the competing part ofthat.
Earlier, I asked you about theparental figures in your life or
those who instruct and teach youlife principles, those that help
you with right boundaries andguide you in staying the course.
Well, it's the enemy of oursoul's goal to cause a distrust
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with those voices that wouldhelp us stay the course.
I heard one person say thatsometimes I just have to ask
myself, is this relationshipthat I'm investing in and
developing, is it drawing mecloser to the Lord or is it
leading me further away fromHim?
I need influences in my lifethat will help me stay the
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Course, that will help medevelop my relationship with the
Lord and that trust in the Lord.
So, with that in mind, influencehas an outcome.
So verse nine, for they shall bean ornament of grace unto thy
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head and chains about thy neck.
This verse is showing us theoutcome of that parental
influence that was justdescribed.
We're gonna look closer at thisornament of grace.
So it's it's referring to agarland or a wreath, sorry,
wreath, I think is how you sayit, that's placed upon the head
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like a crown.
It's also referred to later inProverbs in chapter four, verse
nine, where it's talking aboutwisdom.
And it says, she, being wisdom,shall give to thine head an
ornament of grace, a crown ofglory shall she deliver to thee.
And if you look back at ancientculture, that garland or wreath
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is just it's a twistedleaf-looking thing that could be
placed on someone's head as asign of victory or an indication
of their status.
So when you saw this onsomeone's head, or when you saw
that that chain about someone'sneck, it immediately allowed
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others to recognize there issomething special about this
person.
Perhaps this person is in aplace of leadership or authority
or has a particular status aboutthem.
And when we think about ustoday, there are things that
people put on to indicate theirstatus or their standing in
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society.
When I was a teenager, it was abig deal of what brand of
clothes you had or what shoesyou had on.
Like if you walked in and it wasthis brand or it was it was from
this line of clothing, I mean,you were a class above the rest.
And and maybe not every time,but many times how a person is
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dressed or how a person choosesto adorn themselves, the things
they put on, people notice.
So with this ornament of graceand chains about their neck,
it's not talking about anoutward adorning or a literal
ornament or chain.
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But there's something about thisperson on the inside that people
begin to notice.
In other words, your influenceswill tell off on you.
So when you give ear to godlyinfluence and teaching, the
instruction of thy father, andforsake not the law or teaching
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of thy mother, and begin to workon applying that in obedience in
the fear of the Lord, there'sthere's something about us that
begins to happen that peoplebegin to notice.
There's something special,something is is in or on their
life.
Well, that that garland orwreath placed on their heads
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back then was a crown that wouldeventually fade away.
And I'm not after a corruptiblecrown that's given by my peers
or a certain person that carriesa temporary status or a
temporary standing.
I'm longing for thatincorruptible crown that will
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never fade away.
First Peter one and four, to aninheritance incorruptible,
undefiled, that fadeth not away,reserved in heaven for you, who
are kept by the power of Godthrough faith unto salvation,
ready to be revealed in the lasttime, wherein ye greatly rejoice
through though now for a season.
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If need be ye are in heavinessthrough manifold temptations,
that the trial of your faithbeing more precious than gold
that perisheth, though it betried with fire, might be found
unto praise and honor and gloryat the appearing of Jesus
Christ, whom having not seen yelove, and whom though now ye see
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him not, yet believing, yerejoice with joy unspeakable and
full of glory, receiving the endof your faith, even the
salvation of your souls.
What I'm hoping to get acrosshere is that as we study
Proverbs, this is this isn'tabout just making right choices.
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It isn't about just doing themorally right thing so I can be
classified as a good person.
My morally right decisions alonewill not get me to heaven.
What's the point of beingmorally right yet not having a
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relationship with Jesus Christthe righteous?
I want my soul to be ready forthe appearing of Jesus Christ.
In that relationship with him isjoy unspeakable and full of
glory.
And I want to make sure thatwhatever influences I allow in
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my life are helping me to headthat direction.
So moving on to the next verse,talking about these competing
voices.
So Proverbs 110 through 14, myson, if sinners entice, that
just means flatter, deceive,allure, or persuade thee,
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consent thou not.
In other words, don't bewilling.
If they say, Come with us, letus lay wait for blood, let us
lurk privily for the innocentwithout cause.
Let us swallow them up alive asthe grave and whole as those
that go down into the pit.
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We shall find all precioussubstance.
We shall fill our houses withspoil.
Cast in thy lot among us.
Let us all have one purse.
Now I tried to read that with alittle bit of emphasis, hoping
that you notice each time itmentions let us, we, or our.
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So here are these competingvoices saying, Come join us.
And the parental influence hereis quoting what those competing
voices may sound like.
There's an old saying I've heardbefore, to be forewarned is to
be forearmed.
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So the instruction and teachingmentioned earlier is the
forewarning so that you can beforearmed in those moments of
temptation where the pressure ishitting hard.
Come let us.
It's about helping you tounderstand where some guardrails
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or boundaries need to be.
Just because you are peers inage doesn't mean you are peers
in values.
So, in other words, I may have agroup of same-age friends that I
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hang out, and rightly so.
I need fellowship, right?
But when talking about competingvoices, it's important to
understand the type of thoseinfluences.
So I want to be mindful thatjust because these friends I'm
hanging out with are my sameage, we're in the same
generation, we enjoy the samethings, we have the same
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hobbies, we like the same music,doesn't mean that we all share
the same values.
And by that I mean ourfoundation may look a little bit
different.
And this will likely besomething that we keep coming
back to, but the fear of theLord is the beginning.
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This is my foundation that Ibuild everything else on.
How I spend my time, how I viewmy relationships, how I view my
responsibilities, how I view thethings I own.
I want to look at it all withGod in mind.
God, this is your time, this isyour opportunity, this is your
command, this is your blessing.
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And I do that because I want tovalue what.
The Lord values.
What he loves, I want it tomatter to me.
This is part of developing arelationship with him.
So in thinking about thesevalues and that foundation just
mentioned there, a question thatmay come to somebody's mind is
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does that mean that I don't keepcompany or I don't have certain
friendships or whatever withthose that their foundation or
their values don't line up 100%with where I am or where I
desire to be?
And I think this question bringsus back to where we started
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today in verse 8 of Proverbs1.8, where it talks about the
instruction and the teaching.
In other words, I need godlyinfluences in my life that
instruct me and teach me inwhere those lines, boundaries,
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and guardrails should be.
I mean, I could try to establishthem myself, but I'm still
growing in learning.
I don't know it all.
And we talked about how lastweek a wise man will increase in
learning.
So I need the instruction, thecontinuation of instruction and
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teaching to help me when I amasking questions like this of is
this okay?
Is this crossing the line?
Is this going too far?
Is this a voice I need to listento in my life?
And kind of my radar or my meterthat kind of helps me realize if
it's a voice of influence that Ishould be listening to or not,
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is how does this align with theword of God?
Is this a path that is drawingme closer to God?
Or is it something that isleading me further away?
Now, going back to that repeateduse of let us, we, our, that is
all a big tug on our internaldesire for belonging to become a
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part of a group or a crowd.
And the parental voice ofinfluence here is quoting
potential invitations orenticements that a group may
give.
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It speaks to the persuasion thatmay be offered.
And it reminds me of the oldsaying, I haven't heard it in a
while, but everything thatglitters ain't gold.
So just because there's a shinyappeal to something doesn't mean
it's pure.
There's nothing wrong with thedesire for fellowship.
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We all have that desire.
But there is such a thing as thefellowship of the righteous.
So 2 Corinthians 6.17 says,Wherefore come out from among
them and be ye separate, saiththe Lord, and touch not the
unclean thing.
There were some unclean thingsmentioned there in Proverbs.
And I will receive you and be afather unto you, and ye shall be
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my sons and daughters, saith theLord.
That right there is belonging.
I am his.
Having therefore these promises,dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness ofthe flesh and spirit, perfecting
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holiness and the fear of God.
So it's it's all bringingbringing me back to that
foundation, the fear of theLord.
Now we live, I said thisearlier, in a world full of
competing voices, thatpersuasion, that allurement, it
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is all around us.
But through the instruction andteaching, it it can put
something in us that gives uspower and understanding to say
no.
Remember, every influence has anoutcome.
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The dog you feed the most winsthe fight.
The influence or the voice thatyou let in the most is going to
be a big factor in the outcomeof how you handle that
temptation.
In every temptation, there is away of escape.
But which voices are you lettinglead you?
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I want to be mindful of theinfluences that I am giving my
ear and my heart and mysubmission and my accountability
to.
Whether it be a person, whetherit be a book, whether it be
something by electronic means,we are dealing with competing
voices.
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But with God's help, throughthat instruction and teaching,
we can find the power to say noto some things.
All right, so coming to the lastsection of what we're going to
talk about, Proverbs 15, orsorry, 115 through 19.
And it says, My son, walk notthou in the way with them.
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Refrain thy foot from theirpath, for their feet run to
evil, and make haste to shedblood.
Surely in vain the net is spreadin the sight of any bird, and
they lay wait for their ownblood.
They lurk privily for their ownlives.
So are the ways of every onethat is greedy of gain, which
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taketh away the life of theowners thereof.
Now, in short, this instructionand teaching that we've that has
been intertwined through all ofthis today is helping us to get
an understanding of how torespond to that invent that
invitation or enticement.
And the clear response is, myson, walk not thou in the way
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with them.
If they say, come with us, theparental voice here is
explaining the path they'rerunning on is headed toward
evil.
So don't just consider the hereand now, but consider the in,
where they're headed, wheretheir feet are running to.
Now, the the part that I reallywant to kind of draw attention
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to, at least that struck me thehardest, is Proverbs 1, 17.
So verse 17 here, where it says,Surely in vain the net is spread
in the sight of any bird.
Now, maybe you've seen thishappen, or you you've probably
known someone who has seen thishappen, but there's a freshly
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cleaned store front window.
And here comes this bird, justenjoying life, and doesn't
realize that that window isfreshly cleaned and looks mighty
transparent, and isn't able totell that they're about to hit
something, but they're justenjoying, you know, a bird's
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life.
And all of a sudden you hearthis thump and discover that the
bird just hit the window.
Now that bird didn'tintentionally wake up that
morning and think, you know,today's a great day to crash
into a freshly cleaned andwashed window?
The bird just didn't realizethat they were about to hit
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something.
So with that in mind, what birdwould see a net or a trap and
willingly fly right into it?
What bird would willingly allowthemselves to be trapped?
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Well, when we allow ourselves tofollow some of those competing
voices that can take us down anungodly path, we can become
blind to the trap that's beingset for us.
And before you know it, justlike that bird that hit the
window, well, this time itwasn't a window, it was a trap.
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Now, I I don't know a whole lotabout bird traps, but of what I
do know, which could be little,bird traps can be set in in
various ways.
And most of them involve a baitof some kind.
Well, sin has an allurement toit, an enticement to it.
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That's bait, just like you wouldbait a bird trap.
And when we walk in ways thatcould direct us towards fallen
or giving into certaintemptations or listening to
those competing voices that willveer us in a certain direction,
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when we take paths that couldlead us away from God, when we
ignore the voice of wisdom andinstruction and teaching, when
we ignore the boundaries and theguardrails, it's as if we are
blindly walking into a trapbecause we couldn't tell the
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difference between what wasbaked and what was safe to be
eaten.
They tell me that rat poison is95 to 99% good food with only a
very small percent of poison.
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So when I think I'll only do alittle thing, when I think I'll
only go down this path for alittle bit, just remember that
sin's bait can be confused forsomething that seems safe to
partake of.
But then before you know it, thetrap is engaged, and I've
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partaken of way more than Ireally ever intended to.
In Jeremiah chapter five, ittalks about how God's people had
lost sight of their fear of theLord, and it explains what that
led to.
So in Jeremiah 5 26, it says,For among my people are found
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wicked men, the company youkeep.
They lay wait as he that settethsnares, they set a trap, they
catch men.
As a cage full of birds, so aretheir houses full of deceit.
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Therefore they are become greatand waxen rich.
So God's people were found incompany with wicked men, men
that had set a trap.
God's people found themselves ina house of deceit with the
wicked, whom we're notinterested in the well-being of
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God's people, but only theirpersonal gain.
So what do you do?
I mean, what what happens?
What's the the answer when youfind yourself in trouble like
that?
When you've been listening tothose competing voices, and you
found yourself in a mess, whenyou've been listening to the
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wrong influence, and you findyourself like that trapped bird.
You took the bait, you couldn'ttell what was bait and what was
really safe to partake of.
When we need help, we call 911.
And 911 for me and maybe othersas well has been Psalms 91,
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verse 1.
And it says, He that dwelleth inthe secret place of the Most
High shall abide under theshadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is myrefuge and my fortress, my God,
in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver theefrom the snare of the fowler and
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from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with hisfeathers, and under his wings
shalt thou trust.
His truth shall be thy shieldand buckler.
Now earlier we read the verseabout God's people being trapped
like a cage full of birds.
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And Proverbs talked about thebird as well.
Well, here in Psalms 91, itspeaks of deliverance from the
snare or trap of the fowler.
A fowler is somebody who catchesbirds.
Well, first of all, I think it'simportant to say that God
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doesn't want us to willfullycontinue to walk into the same
old traps, especially when weknow better.
I don't want to take his gracefor granted.
I need a place of repentance.
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I've walked into a trap anddiscovered that this is a house
of deceit.
And this is not a place I wantto live.
But but what Psalms 91 remindsme of is that God still
delivers.
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That voice that's saying, you'retrapped, you're stuck, there's
no hope.
But again, if you find yourselfneeding help, we call 911,
right?
So Psalms 91 reminds us that Godstill delivers.
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Proverbs 113-14 says, We shallfind all precious substance.
We shall fill our house withspoil.
It's it's a it's a false promiseby saying, We have here what's
going to satisfy your need,what's going to fulfill your
need.
But just as we read in Jeremiah,it reminds us that God's people
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were listening to the wrongvoices of influence, those
competing voices, led them to ahouse that didn't fulfill their
need.
It led them to a house full ofdeceit.
So bringing us back to Proverbs1:8, my son, hear the
instruction of thy father andforsake not the law of thy
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mother.
I need godly influence in mylife.
A voice of sound instruction andteaching that will help me build
on this foundation of the fearof the Lord.
We talked about at the beginningthe parable of the Good Shepherd
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and how the sheep ignored thevoice of the stranger.
But Jesus said, My sheep hear myvoice.
And I know them, and they followme.
So let's aim to be in tune withthat voice of instruction and
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teaching in our life.
Welcome everybody to a servant's heartbeat.
My name is Kristen.
Thank you for listening andallowing me to share my
heartbeat for the kingdom of Godwith you.
We are continuing in our studyof Proverbs.
Last week we talked about thepurpose of Proverbs and how that
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brings us to the fear of theLord.
Picking up where we left off,the topic for this week will be
on competing voices, a lessonabout influences.
So imagine with me that you arein this crowded marketplace, and
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there are voices coming fromevery side, people in booths
trying to sell you whatever theyhave.
And maybe it sounds a littlesomething like this.
You don't want to miss thisopportunity.
We only have a limited supply.
This is only while supplieslast.
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This is a special edition.
You can't get this anywhereelse.
This is at a price that can't bebeat.
You don't want to miss this.
It's almost like that fear ofmissing out, the FOMO just kicks
in, and you've like, ah, I gottahave it.
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Well, this crowded marketplaceis full of competing voices,
trying to get your attention tocome their direction, to go to
their booth and take part intheir product.
And that's really a lot of whathappens to us today.
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We are living in a world ofcompeting voices, trying to get
us to lean or go in a certaindirection.
But part of the purpose in ourstudy of Proverbs is to approach
this with some wisdom anddiscretion to realize what
voices I need to be allowing andopen myself to as an influence
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in my life.
Well, in John chapter 10, Jesusis teaching the parable of the
Good Shepherd.
And in verse 5, he is referringto his sheep when he says, A
stranger will they not follow,but will flee from him, for they
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know not the voice of strangers.
Skipping down to versetwenty-seven, it says, My sheep
hear my voice, I know them, andthey follow me.
In other words, the sheepignored the stranger's voice,
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that competing voice, but heardthe voice of their shepherd and
followed him.
So again, that's going to bekind of our focus for today.
Just like that crowdedmarketplace, there are competing
voices trying to get ourattention, trying to get us to
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go in a certain direction or totake a certain path or to buy in
on a certain thing.
But I want to be that sheep thatis able to tune in to the voice
of my shepherd and tune out tothis voice of influence that may
be trying to lead me astray.
I want to be in tune to thevoice of my shepherd that has
(03:52):
come to give me life and it moreabundantly.
So let's look at a parentalvoice of influence.
Proverbs chapter one, verseeight begins by saying, My son,
hear the instruction of thyfather, and forsake not the law
(04:18):
of thy mother.
So we've got parental figureshere, a father and a mother.
Now, I I feel like it'simportant to say, at least maybe
for some, that in a world ofbrokenness, I completely get
that for many life experiencesmay have resulted in that
parental influence of thatfather and mother feeling
(04:42):
incomplete.
But that does not mean that Godhas not placed people or is
trying to place people in thoselives or in your life as that
parental figure, basically thatthat pillar in your life that
you were able to look up to.
(05:03):
So with that in mind, whether itbe father, mother by birth, or
maybe a pillar, somebody thatthe Lord is beginning to place
or has placed in your life.
Think about that person who hasbeen that pillar for you, who
has given you guidance, who hasgiven you direction, who has
(05:25):
given you some help, who youhave gone to for counsel, who
you have gone to in a time ofneed and been able just to seek
help and hear some wisdom fromthem.
Who are those parental figuresin your life?
Who are those people who you'veallowed to speak into your life?
(05:49):
Because I could have a parentalfigure in my life, but that
doesn't necessarily mean that Ihave put myself in a position to
allow them to speak andinfluence in my life?
Who have I given room to speakcorrection when they see me
veering off the path?
(06:10):
So perhaps, you know, thatthere's a pastor in my life, but
have I given him room to speakcorrection when he sees me
veering off the path?
Who do I have in my life thathas taught me some life
principles?
Because believe it or not, youdon't know it all.
So I need somebody in my lifewho can teach me, who can show
(06:34):
me, who can guide me.
Who have I allowed in my life toshow me where the guardrails and
the boundaries need to be?
Because just going through life,just trying to drive and direct
myself however I see fit, I maynot be able to tell where the
(06:54):
edge is.
And then before you know it,I've gone over the edge.
So I need somebody in my lifethat can help me identify where
those boundaries and andguardrails need to be placed.
And when I think even more aboutthat, I think it begins to lead
us to this point of who am Isubmitted to?
(07:17):
Who have I made myselfaccountable to by saying, again,
if you see anything in me, Iwant you to be able to tell me.
If you see where I need aguardrail, if you see where I
need correcting, teach me.
This topic actually came up inSunday school last week, but
(07:39):
this idea of a parental figure,this idea of a pillar, somebody
who you've been in submission toor been accountable to, all of
that begins to tie into thiselement of trust.
Because if I'm going to submitmyself or allow somebody to
(07:59):
speak direction into my life,there's an element of trust
that's there.
Now, there are lots of things inthis whole world that would love
to have our trust.
I mean, there are the claimsthat come from different brands
that have whatever product.
(08:20):
We're a brand that you can trustor you can stand by our
guarantee.
And all of that sounds great.
It's great marketing, but thatdoesn't mean that everything
deserves our trust.
I can't just put my trust ineverything.
Proverbs 1.8 mentions theinstruction and the law, and the
(08:43):
law meaning the teaching.
It's this instruction andteaching that is it's built on
the fear of the Lord.
And last week we talked abouthow the fear of the Lord is the
beginning of knowledge.
It's not just a place that Ibegin and I go on to something
(09:03):
else, but it's the foundationfor everything.
It's the foundation for everymoment, it's the foundation for
every relationship and duty,basically acknowledging the Lord
in all my ways.
Trust in the Lord with all thineheart and lean not onto thine
own understanding.
In all thy ways, acknowledgehim, and he shall direct thy
(09:28):
paths.
I say all that to say I needvoices of influence in my life
that will help me, that willencourage me, that will lead me
to that place of trust in theLord.
So when I read, hear theinstruction of thy father and
forsake not the law of thymother, when I think about the
(09:49):
people in my life who I'msubmitted to, when I think about
the people in my life who I'vemade myself accountable to, when
I think about the people whoI've allowed to correct and
teach me and instruct me, I needvoices of influence in my life
that lead me to that place oftrust in the Lord.
(10:10):
But here's the competing part ofthat.
Earlier, I asked you about theparental figures in your life or
those who instruct and teach youlife principles, those that help
you with right boundaries andguide you in staying the course.
Well, it's the enemy of oursoul's goal to cause a distrust
(10:31):
with those voices that wouldhelp us stay the course.
I heard one person say thatsometimes I just have to ask
myself, is this relationshipthat I'm investing in and
developing, is it drawing mecloser to the Lord or is it
leading me further away fromHim?
I need influences in my lifethat will help me stay the
(10:55):
Course, that will help medevelop my relationship with the
Lord and that trust in the Lord.
So, with that in mind, influencehas an outcome.
So verse nine, for they shall bean ornament of grace unto thy
(11:16):
head and chains about thy neck.
This verse is showing us theoutcome of that parental
influence that was justdescribed.
We're gonna look closer at thisornament of grace.
So it's it's referring to agarland or a wreath, sorry,
wreath, I think is how you sayit, that's placed upon the head
(11:39):
like a crown.
It's also referred to later inProverbs in chapter four, verse
nine, where it's talking aboutwisdom.
And it says, she, being wisdom,shall give to thine head an
ornament of grace, a crown ofglory shall she deliver to thee.
And if you look back at ancientculture, that garland or wreath
(12:03):
is just it's a twistedleaf-looking thing that could be
placed on someone's head as asign of victory or an indication
of their status.
So when you saw this onsomeone's head, or when you saw
that that chain about someone'sneck, it immediately allowed
(12:24):
others to recognize there issomething special about this
person.
Perhaps this person is in aplace of leadership or authority
or has a particular status aboutthem.
And when we think about ustoday, there are things that
people put on to indicate theirstatus or their standing in
(12:48):
society.
When I was a teenager, it was abig deal of what brand of
clothes you had or what shoesyou had on.
Like if you walked in and it wasthis brand or it was it was from
this line of clothing, I mean,you were a class above the rest.
And and maybe not every time,but many times how a person is
(13:11):
dressed or how a person choosesto adorn themselves, the things
they put on, people notice.
So with this ornament of graceand chains about their neck,
it's not talking about anoutward adorning or a literal
ornament or chain.
(13:33):
But there's something about thisperson on the inside that people
begin to notice.
In other words, your influenceswill tell off on you.
So when you give ear to godlyinfluence and teaching, the
instruction of thy father, andforsake not the law or teaching
(13:55):
of thy mother, and begin to workon applying that in obedience in
the fear of the Lord, there'sthere's something about us that
begins to happen that peoplebegin to notice.
There's something special,something is is in or on their
life.
Well, that that garland orwreath placed on their heads
(14:19):
back then was a crown that wouldeventually fade away.
And I'm not after a corruptiblecrown that's given by my peers
or a certain person that carriesa temporary status or a
temporary standing.
I'm longing for thatincorruptible crown that will
(14:40):
never fade away.
First Peter one and four, to aninheritance incorruptible,
undefiled, that fadeth not away,reserved in heaven for you, who
are kept by the power of Godthrough faith unto salvation,
ready to be revealed in the lasttime, wherein ye greatly rejoice
through though now for a season.
(15:02):
If need be ye are in heavinessthrough manifold temptations,
that the trial of your faithbeing more precious than gold
that perisheth, though it betried with fire, might be found
unto praise and honor and gloryat the appearing of Jesus
Christ, whom having not seen yelove, and whom though now ye see
(15:27):
him not, yet believing, yerejoice with joy unspeakable and
full of glory, receiving the endof your faith, even the
salvation of your souls.
What I'm hoping to get acrosshere is that as we study
Proverbs, this is this isn'tabout just making right choices.
(15:52):
It isn't about just doing themorally right thing so I can be
classified as a good person.
My morally right decisions alonewill not get me to heaven.
What's the point of beingmorally right yet not having a
(16:14):
relationship with Jesus Christthe righteous?
I want my soul to be ready forthe appearing of Jesus Christ.
In that relationship with him isjoy unspeakable and full of
glory.
And I want to make sure thatwhatever influences I allow in
(16:35):
my life are helping me to headthat direction.
So moving on to the next verse,talking about these competing
voices.
So Proverbs 110 through 14, myson, if sinners entice, that
just means flatter, deceive,allure, or persuade thee,
(16:56):
consent thou not.
In other words, don't bewilling.
If they say, Come with us, letus lay wait for blood, let us
lurk privily for the innocentwithout cause.
Let us swallow them up alive asthe grave and whole as those
that go down into the pit.
(17:17):
We shall find all precioussubstance.
We shall fill our houses withspoil.
Cast in thy lot among us.
Let us all have one purse.
Now I tried to read that with alittle bit of emphasis, hoping
that you notice each time itmentions let us, we, or our.
(17:43):
So here are these competingvoices saying, Come join us.
And the parental influence hereis quoting what those competing
voices may sound like.
There's an old saying I've heardbefore, to be forewarned is to
be forearmed.
(18:05):
So the instruction and teachingmentioned earlier is the
forewarning so that you can beforearmed in those moments of
temptation where the pressure ishitting hard.
Come let us.
It's about helping you tounderstand where some guardrails
(18:26):
or boundaries need to be.
Just because you are peers inage doesn't mean you are peers
in values.
So, in other words, I may have agroup of same-age friends that I
(18:47):
hang out, and rightly so.
I need fellowship, right?
But when talking about competingvoices, it's important to
understand the type of thoseinfluences.
So I want to be mindful thatjust because these friends I'm
hanging out with are my sameage, we're in the same
generation, we enjoy the samethings, we have the same
(19:10):
hobbies, we like the same music,doesn't mean that we all share
the same values.
And by that I mean ourfoundation may look a little bit
different.
And this will likely besomething that we keep coming
back to, but the fear of theLord is the beginning.
(19:32):
This is my foundation that Ibuild everything else on.
How I spend my time, how I viewmy relationships, how I view my
responsibilities, how I view thethings I own.
I want to look at it all withGod in mind.
God, this is your time, this isyour opportunity, this is your
command, this is your blessing.
(19:55):
And I do that because I want tovalue what.
The Lord values.
What he loves, I want it tomatter to me.
This is part of developing arelationship with him.
So in thinking about thesevalues and that foundation just
mentioned there, a question thatmay come to somebody's mind is
(20:21):
does that mean that I don't keepcompany or I don't have certain
friendships or whatever withthose that their foundation or
their values don't line up 100%with where I am or where I
desire to be?
And I think this question bringsus back to where we started
(20:45):
today in verse 8 of Proverbs1.8, where it talks about the
instruction and the teaching.
In other words, I need godlyinfluences in my life that
instruct me and teach me inwhere those lines, boundaries,
(21:08):
and guardrails should be.
I mean, I could try to establishthem myself, but I'm still
growing in learning.
I don't know it all.
And we talked about how lastweek a wise man will increase in
learning.
So I need the instruction, thecontinuation of instruction and
(21:29):
teaching to help me when I amasking questions like this of is
this okay?
Is this crossing the line?
Is this going too far?
Is this a voice I need to listento in my life?
And kind of my radar or my meterthat kind of helps me realize if
it's a voice of influence that Ishould be listening to or not,
(21:51):
is how does this align with theword of God?
Is this a path that is drawingme closer to God?
Or is it something that isleading me further away?
Now, going back to that repeateduse of let us, we, our, that is
all a big tug on our internaldesire for belonging to become a
(22:17):
part of a group or a crowd.
And the parental voice ofinfluence here is quoting
potential invitations orenticements that a group may
give.
(22:44):
It speaks to the persuasion thatmay be offered.
And it reminds me of the oldsaying, I haven't heard it in a
while, but everything thatglitters ain't gold.
So just because there's a shinyappeal to something doesn't mean
it's pure.
There's nothing wrong with thedesire for fellowship.
(23:06):
We all have that desire.
But there is such a thing as thefellowship of the righteous.
So 2 Corinthians 6.17 says,Wherefore come out from among
them and be ye separate, saiththe Lord, and touch not the
unclean thing.
There were some unclean thingsmentioned there in Proverbs.
And I will receive you and be afather unto you, and ye shall be
(23:30):
my sons and daughters, saith theLord.
That right there is belonging.
I am his.
Having therefore these promises,dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness ofthe flesh and spirit, perfecting
(23:51):
holiness and the fear of God.
So it's it's all bringingbringing me back to that
foundation, the fear of theLord.
Now we live, I said thisearlier, in a world full of
competing voices, thatpersuasion, that allurement, it
(24:13):
is all around us.
But through the instruction andteaching, it it can put
something in us that gives uspower and understanding to say
no.
Remember, every influence has anoutcome.
(24:36):
The dog you feed the most winsthe fight.
The influence or the voice thatyou let in the most is going to
be a big factor in the outcomeof how you handle that
temptation.
In every temptation, there is away of escape.
But which voices are you lettinglead you?
(25:00):
I want to be mindful of theinfluences that I am giving my
ear and my heart and mysubmission and my accountability
to.
Whether it be a person, whetherit be a book, whether it be
something by electronic means,we are dealing with competing
voices.
(25:20):
But with God's help, throughthat instruction and teaching,
we can find the power to say noto some things.
All right, so coming to the lastsection of what we're going to
talk about, Proverbs 15, orsorry, 115 through 19.
And it says, My son, walk notthou in the way with them.
(25:43):
Refrain thy foot from theirpath, for their feet run to
evil, and make haste to shedblood.
Surely in vain the net is spreadin the sight of any bird, and
they lay wait for their ownblood.
They lurk privily for their ownlives.
So are the ways of every onethat is greedy of gain, which
(26:04):
taketh away the life of theowners thereof.
Now, in short, this instructionand teaching that we've that has
been intertwined through all ofthis today is helping us to get
an understanding of how torespond to that invent that
invitation or enticement.
And the clear response is, myson, walk not thou in the way
(26:28):
with them.
If they say, come with us, theparental voice here is
explaining the path they'rerunning on is headed toward
evil.
So don't just consider the hereand now, but consider the in,
where they're headed, wheretheir feet are running to.
Now, the the part that I reallywant to kind of draw attention
(26:50):
to, at least that struck me thehardest, is Proverbs 1, 17.
So verse 17 here, where it says,Surely in vain the net is spread
in the sight of any bird.
Now, maybe you've seen thishappen, or you you've probably
known someone who has seen thishappen, but there's a freshly
(27:14):
cleaned store front window.
And here comes this bird, justenjoying life, and doesn't
realize that that window isfreshly cleaned and looks mighty
transparent, and isn't able totell that they're about to hit
something, but they're justenjoying, you know, a bird's
(27:36):
life.
And all of a sudden you hearthis thump and discover that the
bird just hit the window.
Now that bird didn'tintentionally wake up that
morning and think, you know,today's a great day to crash
into a freshly cleaned andwashed window?
The bird just didn't realizethat they were about to hit
(27:58):
something.
So with that in mind, what birdwould see a net or a trap and
willingly fly right into it?
What bird would willingly allowthemselves to be trapped?
(28:20):
Well, when we allow ourselves tofollow some of those competing
voices that can take us down anungodly path, we can become
blind to the trap that's beingset for us.
And before you know it, justlike that bird that hit the
window, well, this time itwasn't a window, it was a trap.
(28:46):
Now, I I don't know a whole lotabout bird traps, but of what I
do know, which could be little,bird traps can be set in in
various ways.
And most of them involve a baitof some kind.
Well, sin has an allurement toit, an enticement to it.
(29:09):
That's bait, just like you wouldbait a bird trap.
And when we walk in ways thatcould direct us towards fallen
or giving into certaintemptations or listening to
those competing voices that willveer us in a certain direction,
(29:29):
when we take paths that couldlead us away from God, when we
ignore the voice of wisdom andinstruction and teaching, when
we ignore the boundaries and theguardrails, it's as if we are
blindly walking into a trapbecause we couldn't tell the
(29:49):
difference between what wasbaked and what was safe to be
eaten.
They tell me that rat poison is95 to 99% good food with only a
very small percent of poison.
(30:13):
So when I think I'll only do alittle thing, when I think I'll
only go down this path for alittle bit, just remember that
sin's bait can be confused forsomething that seems safe to
partake of.
But then before you know it, thetrap is engaged, and I've
(30:37):
partaken of way more than Ireally ever intended to.
In Jeremiah chapter five, ittalks about how God's people had
lost sight of their fear of theLord, and it explains what that
led to.
So in Jeremiah 5 26, it says,For among my people are found
(31:00):
wicked men, the company youkeep.
They lay wait as he that settethsnares, they set a trap, they
catch men.
As a cage full of birds, so aretheir houses full of deceit.
(31:22):
Therefore they are become greatand waxen rich.
So God's people were found incompany with wicked men, men
that had set a trap.
God's people found themselves ina house of deceit with the
wicked, whom we're notinterested in the well-being of
(31:44):
God's people, but only theirpersonal gain.
So what do you do?
I mean, what what happens?
What's the the answer when youfind yourself in trouble like
that?
When you've been listening tothose competing voices, and you
found yourself in a mess, whenyou've been listening to the
(32:04):
wrong influence, and you findyourself like that trapped bird.
You took the bait, you couldn'ttell what was bait and what was
really safe to partake of.
When we need help, we call 911.
And 911 for me and maybe othersas well has been Psalms 91,
(32:28):
verse 1.
And it says, He that dwelleth inthe secret place of the Most
High shall abide under theshadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is myrefuge and my fortress, my God,
in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver theefrom the snare of the fowler and
(32:49):
from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with hisfeathers, and under his wings
shalt thou trust.
His truth shall be thy shieldand buckler.
Now earlier we read the verseabout God's people being trapped
like a cage full of birds.
(33:10):
And Proverbs talked about thebird as well.
Well, here in Psalms 91, itspeaks of deliverance from the
snare or trap of the fowler.
A fowler is somebody who catchesbirds.
Well, first of all, I think it'simportant to say that God
(33:31):
doesn't want us to willfullycontinue to walk into the same
old traps, especially when weknow better.
I don't want to take his gracefor granted.
I need a place of repentance.
(33:52):
I've walked into a trap anddiscovered that this is a house
of deceit.
And this is not a place I wantto live.
But but what Psalms 91 remindsme of is that God still
delivers.
(34:29):
That voice that's saying, you'retrapped, you're stuck, there's
no hope.
But again, if you find yourselfneeding help, we call 911,
right?
So Psalms 91 reminds us that Godstill delivers.
(35:27):
Proverbs 113-14 says, We shallfind all precious substance.
We shall fill our house withspoil.
It's it's a it's a false promiseby saying, We have here what's
going to satisfy your need,what's going to fulfill your
need.
But just as we read in Jeremiah,it reminds us that God's people
(35:48):
were listening to the wrongvoices of influence, those
competing voices, led them to ahouse that didn't fulfill their
need.
It led them to a house full ofdeceit.
So bringing us back to Proverbs1:8, my son, hear the
instruction of thy father andforsake not the law of thy
(36:08):
mother.
I need godly influence in mylife.
A voice of sound instruction andteaching that will help me build
on this foundation of the fearof the Lord.
We talked about at the beginningthe parable of the Good Shepherd
(36:29):
and how the sheep ignored thevoice of the stranger.
But Jesus said, My sheep hear myvoice.
And I know them, and they followme.
So let's aim to be in tune withthat voice of instruction and
(36:49):
teaching in our life.
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