1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,760 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 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: You're listening to the chapter today Audio Bible. I'm John Stangey, 4 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: and today we're in Proverbs chapter four, and we'll be 5 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: reading from the New Living Translation. My children, listen when 6 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: your father corrects you, pay attention and learn good judgment, 7 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: for I am giving you good guidance. Don't turn away 8 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: from my instructions. For I too was once my father's son, 9 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: tenderly loved as my mother's only child. My father taught me. 10 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 1: Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you 11 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: will live. Get wisdom, develop good judgment. Don't forget my 12 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: words or turn away from them. Don't turn your back 13 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: on wisdom, for he will protect you. Love her and 14 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing 15 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 1: you can do. And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. 16 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace 17 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 1: her and she will honor you. She will place a 18 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: lovely wreath on your head. She will present you with 19 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 1: a beautiful crown. My child, listen to me and do 20 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: as I say, and you will have a long, good life. 21 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: I will teach you wisdom's ways and lead you in 22 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: straight paths. When you walk, you won't be held back. 23 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: When you run, you won't stumble. Take hold of my instructions, 24 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: don't let them go, guard them, for they are the 25 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: key to life. Don't do as the wicked do, and 26 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: don't follow the path of evildoers. Don't even think about it. 27 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: Don't go that way, Turn away and keep moving. For 28 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 1: evil people can't sleep until they've done their evil deed 29 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 1: for the day. They can't rest until they've caused someone 30 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 1: to stumble. They eat the food of wickedness and drink 31 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: the wine of violence. The way of the righteous is 32 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter 33 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,639 Speaker 1: until the full light of day. But the way of 34 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea 35 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: what they are stumbling over. My child, Pay attention to 36 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: what I say, Listen carefully to my words, don't lose 37 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, 38 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: for they bring life to those who find them, and 39 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: healing to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else, 40 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all 41 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: perverse talk, stay away from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead 42 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark 43 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: out a straight path for your feet. Stay on the 44 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: safe path, don't get sidetracked, keep your feet from following evil. 45 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:21,920 Speaker 1: Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word, and 46 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:23,799 Speaker 1: we thank you for the privilege of being able to 47 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: look at this portion of scripture today. And we thank 48 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: you for giving us these instructions in your word that 49 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 1: encourage us to obtain wisdom. And Lord, you encourage us 50 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: likewise to guard our hearts so that our hearts aren't 51 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: going in the direction of the things of this world, 52 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: craving after or lusting after things that have no ultimate 53 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: power to satisfy our soul. Lord, we know that our 54 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: souls are only satisfied, we're only made complete, We're only 55 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: made whole through faith in your son Jesus Christ. So Lord, 56 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: we pray that we would be well aware of that, 57 00:03:57,960 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: and we pray that throughout the course of our lives 58 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: that we would put you first in all matters, in 59 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: all areas. Lord, we love you, We thank you for 60 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: the wisdom that you give to us from your word, 61 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: and we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.