Proverbs 4: 20-27

My husband and I made a total diet change this past May. It has actually become a total life change for us. (Although I still have that sweet tooth I am trying to hard to work on...but it is very hard!) When we decided to get rid of all sugar, corn syrup, flour, bread, rice, pasta, processed foods, potatoes, corn--it was a huge step. Americans live on this stuff. But the difference it makes in our bodies is amazing. We don't notice it so much until we 'be bad' as we call it and go out to eat. We always get so mad at ourselves the next day as we are tired, sluggish, have upset stomachs. All it takes is an order of mashed potatoes and gravy, or fried chicken to affect our body in it's entirety. (Including me...and I am not a diabetic.)

As Christians, that is why it is so important to flee from evil. One little movie, or book....just a bite of evil...and you've affected everything.

Read today's passage paying close attention to verse 22...then note the different areas of the body Solomon talks about in verses 23-27.

What part of your body is always getting into trouble? Worse than that is it seeking evil? When you close in prayer today, ask God to reveal to you areas in your life that need to be more hasty in fleeing from evil. Ask for help with the little temptations that you keep falling into.

For our discussion, you don't have to discuss your own self and temptations, but name a body part or two and tell how it can cause you to fall into temptation.

Before closing, I want to point out verse 25. Read it again. How often have you been to the store to get ONE thing, but your little eyes couldn't help but dart around and see all the other things that you NEED. (even though you don't.) To me this verse says it all. If we would just keep our eyes fixed on the path we are supposed to be on..the path to Christ...then we wouldn't see all these goodies the world has to offer us.

I really, really want to encourage you, if you never have...pick up a copy of Pilgrim's Progress. It is written in Old English and some might find it hard to understand, but there are updated, modern versions in today's English. It is about a man and his journey on his path to Christ--it is in story book form. Like a fairy tale, but is an allegory of our Christian walk. It is a great read aloud for family reading time too. I know there are several of you doing this study that are very new to Christianity and there are others who aren't that could stand to read it again. You can go RIGHT HERE to obtain a copy.