WEBVTT - Proverbs 20

0:00:02.759 --> 0:00:06.720
<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

0:00:06.800 --> 0:00:12.360
<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com.

0:00:12.760 --> 0:00:17.040
<v Speaker 1>You're listening to the chapter today Audio Bible. I'm John Stangey,

0:00:17.480 --> 0:00:21.360
<v Speaker 1>and today we're in Proverbs chapter twenty, and we'll be

0:00:21.400 --> 0:00:27.720
<v Speaker 1>reading from the contemporary English version. It isn't smart to

0:00:27.800 --> 0:00:31.320
<v Speaker 1>get drunk. Drinking makes a fool of you and leads

0:00:31.360 --> 0:00:35.440
<v Speaker 1>to fights. An angry ruler is like a roaring lion.

0:00:36.000 --> 0:00:40.520
<v Speaker 1>Make either one angry and you are dead. It makes

0:00:40.560 --> 0:00:44.080
<v Speaker 1>you look good when you avoid a fight. Only fools

0:00:44.159 --> 0:00:47.760
<v Speaker 1>love to quarrel. If you are too lazy to plow,

0:00:48.240 --> 0:00:52.960
<v Speaker 1>don't expect a harvest. Someone's thoughts may be as deep

0:00:53.000 --> 0:00:56.000
<v Speaker 1>as the ocean, but if you are smart, you will

0:00:56.040 --> 0:01:00.280
<v Speaker 1>discover them. There are many who say, if you can

0:01:00.360 --> 0:01:05.480
<v Speaker 1>trust me, but can they be trusted? Good people live right,

0:01:05.800 --> 0:01:11.000
<v Speaker 1>and God blesses the children who follow their example. When

0:01:11.080 --> 0:01:15.399
<v Speaker 1>rulers decide cases, they weigh the evidence. Can any of

0:01:15.480 --> 0:01:19.840
<v Speaker 1>us really say, my thoughts are pure and my sins

0:01:19.920 --> 0:01:25.400
<v Speaker 1>are gone? Two things the Lord hates are dishonest scales

0:01:25.520 --> 0:01:29.399
<v Speaker 1>and dishonest measures. The good or bad that children do

0:01:29.760 --> 0:01:34.200
<v Speaker 1>shows what they are like hearing and seeing are gifts

0:01:34.240 --> 0:01:38.039
<v Speaker 1>from the Lord. If you sleep all the time, you

0:01:38.080 --> 0:01:41.280
<v Speaker 1>will starve. If you get up and work, you will

0:01:41.319 --> 0:01:46.160
<v Speaker 1>have enough food. Everyone likes to brag about getting a bargain.

0:01:47.120 --> 0:01:53.000
<v Speaker 1>Sensible words are better than gold or jewels. You deserve

0:01:53.080 --> 0:01:55.520
<v Speaker 1>to lose your coat if you loan it to someone

0:01:55.600 --> 0:02:00.480
<v Speaker 1>to guarantee payment for the debt of a stranger. The

0:02:00.480 --> 0:02:03.600
<v Speaker 1>food you get by cheating may taste delicious, but it

0:02:03.720 --> 0:02:09.240
<v Speaker 1>turns to gravel. Be sure you have sound advice before

0:02:09.280 --> 0:02:15.080
<v Speaker 1>making plans or starting a war. Stay away from gossips.

0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:20.920
<v Speaker 1>They tell everything. Children who curse their parents will go

0:02:21.000 --> 0:02:25.880
<v Speaker 1>to the land of darkness long before their time. Getting

0:02:26.000 --> 0:02:29.800
<v Speaker 1>rich quick may turn out to be a curse. Don't

0:02:29.800 --> 0:02:32.679
<v Speaker 1>try to get even. Trust the Lord and he will

0:02:32.720 --> 0:02:38.560
<v Speaker 1>help you. The Lord hates dishonest scales and dishonest waits,

0:02:38.800 --> 0:02:43.200
<v Speaker 1>so don't cheat. How can we know what will happen

0:02:43.240 --> 0:02:48.200
<v Speaker 1>to us when the Lord alone decides. Don't fall into

0:02:48.240 --> 0:02:51.440
<v Speaker 1>the trap of making promises to God before you think.

0:02:52.880 --> 0:02:58.120
<v Speaker 1>A wise ruler severely punishes every criminal. Our inner thoughts

0:02:58.200 --> 0:03:02.320
<v Speaker 1>are a lamp from the Lord, and they search our hearts.

0:03:03.520 --> 0:03:07.840
<v Speaker 1>Rulers are protected by God's mercy and loyalty, but they

0:03:07.960 --> 0:03:12.640
<v Speaker 1>must be merciful for their kingdoms to last. Young people

0:03:12.720 --> 0:03:15.720
<v Speaker 1>take pride in their strength, but the gray hairs of

0:03:15.800 --> 0:03:21.240
<v Speaker 1>wisdom are even more beautiful. A severe beating can knock

0:03:21.440 --> 0:03:28.280
<v Speaker 1>all the evil out of you. Let's pray, Lord, thank

0:03:28.320 --> 0:03:31.880
<v Speaker 1>you for your love and your goodness toward us, and

0:03:31.919 --> 0:03:37.200
<v Speaker 1>for your desire to convey wisdom to us through your scriptures. Again, Lord,

0:03:37.240 --> 0:03:40.080
<v Speaker 1>we know that ultimate wisdom is found through faith in

0:03:40.120 --> 0:03:43.119
<v Speaker 1>your son Jesus Christ. And we want to be men

0:03:43.160 --> 0:03:46.640
<v Speaker 1>and women who truly follow Jesus in all areas of

0:03:46.680 --> 0:03:48.600
<v Speaker 1>our lives. And so Lord, we pray that that would

0:03:48.640 --> 0:03:50.960
<v Speaker 1>come out in the ways in which we speak, in

0:03:51.080 --> 0:03:53.960
<v Speaker 1>the honesty that we convey, and the way we treat

0:03:54.000 --> 0:03:56.880
<v Speaker 1>each other, in the way we lead, in the ways

0:03:56.920 --> 0:03:59.640
<v Speaker 1>we raise our children. We pray that all of these

0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:02.600
<v Speaker 1>asked respects of our lives and our service would reflect

0:04:02.720 --> 0:04:06.200
<v Speaker 1>our faith in your son Jesus Christ. And again, Lord,

0:04:06.280 --> 0:04:09.320
<v Speaker 1>we're grateful for your presence with us today. We commit

0:04:09.400 --> 0:04:11.440
<v Speaker 1>this day to yer care, and we pray this all

0:04:11.680 --> 0:04:14.240
<v Speaker 1>in Jesus' name. Amen.