1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. 3 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: You're listening to the chapter today Audio Bible. I'm John Stangey, 4 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: and today we're in Proverbs chapter twenty, and we'll be 5 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: reading from the contemporary English version. It isn't smart to 6 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: get drunk. Drinking makes a fool of you and leads 7 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: to fights. An angry ruler is like a roaring lion. 8 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: Make either one angry and you are dead. It makes 9 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 1: you look good when you avoid a fight. Only fools 10 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: love to quarrel. If you are too lazy to plow, 11 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: don't expect a harvest. Someone's thoughts may be as deep 12 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: as the ocean, but if you are smart, you will 13 00:00:56,040 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: discover them. There are many who say, if you can 14 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 1: trust me, but can they be trusted? Good people live right, 15 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: and God blesses the children who follow their example. When 16 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: rulers decide cases, they weigh the evidence. Can any of 17 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: us really say, my thoughts are pure and my sins 18 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 1: are gone? Two things the Lord hates are dishonest scales 19 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 1: and dishonest measures. The good or bad that children do 20 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 1: shows what they are like hearing and seeing are gifts 21 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: from the Lord. If you sleep all the time, you 22 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: will starve. If you get up and work, you will 23 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: have enough food. Everyone likes to brag about getting a bargain. 24 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: Sensible words are better than gold or jewels. You deserve 25 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: to lose your coat if you loan it to someone 26 00:01:55,600 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: to guarantee payment for the debt of a stranger. The 27 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: food you get by cheating may taste delicious, but it 28 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 1: turns to gravel. Be sure you have sound advice before 29 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 1: making plans or starting a war. Stay away from gossips. 30 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: They tell everything. Children who curse their parents will go 31 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: to the land of darkness long before their time. Getting 32 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: rich quick may turn out to be a curse. Don't 33 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,679 Speaker 1: try to get even. Trust the Lord and he will 34 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: help you. The Lord hates dishonest scales and dishonest waits, 35 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: so don't cheat. How can we know what will happen 36 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: to us when the Lord alone decides. Don't fall into 37 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 1: the trap of making promises to God before you think. 38 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 1: A wise ruler severely punishes every criminal. Our inner thoughts 39 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: are a lamp from the Lord, and they search our hearts. 40 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: Rulers are protected by God's mercy and loyalty, but they 41 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: must be merciful for their kingdoms to last. Young people 42 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: take pride in their strength, but the gray hairs of 43 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: wisdom are even more beautiful. A severe beating can knock 44 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 1: all the evil out of you. Let's pray, Lord, thank 45 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: you for your love and your goodness toward us, and 46 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: for your desire to convey wisdom to us through your scriptures. Again, Lord, 47 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: we know that ultimate wisdom is found through faith in 48 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:43,119 Speaker 1: your son Jesus Christ. And we want to be men 49 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: and women who truly follow Jesus in all areas of 50 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: our lives. And so Lord, we pray that that would 51 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: come out in the ways in which we speak, in 52 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: the honesty that we convey, and the way we treat 53 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: each other, in the way we lead, in the ways 54 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: we raise our children. We pray that all of these 55 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: asked respects of our lives and our service would reflect 56 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: our faith in your son Jesus Christ. And again, Lord, 57 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: we're grateful for your presence with us today. We commit 58 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 1: this day to yer care, and we pray this all 59 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: in Jesus' name. Amen.