Learning from Experience, Through Others

 Learn from other people mistakes,

Ever do that? See a story in the news, or hear someone tell a story, of the misfortune of others, and think to yourself, "Well, I'm never going to do that." Have you? Why? Simply because you do not like the outcome that happened to them.

The man has his hand blown off playing with fireworks. Don't play with fireworks. The woman puts her eye out by being reckless with a BB Gun. Don't be reckless with a BB Gun. A person burns themselves while ironing the shirt on their person. Do not iron while wearing clothes. You get the point. Learning from other's misfortunes and poor judgment is simply wise.

This is one of the aspects of reading the Word of God. This {Holding up the Bible} Not only is this our letter from Dad telling us what is good and not so good for us, but we also read of other's misfortunes and poor judgment.

We do not have to learn what happens if we have Pride firsthand. We see the devil and his fall. We do not have to wonder about the sin of homosexuality and failing to help the poor and needy. We read about Sodom and Gomorrah. We do not have to learn firsthand about adultery and murder. We read about King David. Through the Word of God or the Bible, God speaks directly to us. He warns us outright and plainly in many things. Then He gives us examples in the stories of others who have come before us. 

Take tithing for an example. Do you believe that tithing is really important to God? Look in Malachi 3:8-10

"Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need."

Well, that is Old Testament stuff. What happens if I don't? God cannot bless you if you are a thief. He puts before you a blessing and a curse. Tithe and be blessed in ways you cannot imagine. Choose not to? God is not going to be happy. Let's look at a New Testament story of Ananias and Sapphira. You can find it in Acts 5

"But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge, he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things."

Do not tempt God. Do not lie to God. Trust what He tells you about Tithing and try it. He says, "put me to a test." Trust me, from my experience, I can tell you clearly, that 90 percent will go far farther than the 100 percent ever will. Why? Because you are putting God in charge of your finances and being obedient to Him and His Word. More on this personal experience next time.

What about adultery? I mean, it is 2020 after all. Over 42 percent of all first marriages will end in divorce. Many now go into it say this is my first marriage. After all, who really cares? God does.

"And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning, it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery." Matthew 19:3-9

As a matter of fact, Commandment number 7 says simply,

"You shall not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14

Why do we feel it is ok now? The concept is simple. The God Plan is easy to understand. One man, One woman, Come together, as one flesh.

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Genesis 2:24

Marriage is now and has always been, one man, and one woman. It doesn't matter what we say about it. That IS God's plan of marriage. One man and one woman, for life.

"My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge. For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it." Proverbs 5:1-6

"He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself." Proverbs 6:32 When you find the one you love, your soul mate, the one you love more than anything else on Earth, they become, and are, part of you. You are one. To go out and give yourself to another, in the most intimate way, that should be reserved for only your Spouse, is not just playing some kind of game, it is the most hurtful and evil thing you can do to your other half. It's NOT just sex. It's not just fooling around. It is the deepest hurt you can possibly cause, to the one, you claim to love the most.

We can see the cost of Adultery in the story of David and Bathsheba.

We can see the cost of worshiping any other but the one true God by seeing what happened to the Jewish people as we read the Book of Exodus.

We can see the cost of lying and stealing when we read the story of Ahab & Naboth's Vineyard in 1 Kings 21

Over and over again, we read the stories of those who have come before us. They did this, this happened. They did that, that happened. Do you want to be like this or that? I think it was President Trump who said this. "Always try to learn from other's mistakes, not your own. It's cheaper that way." You can add safer, less painful, and wiser all at the same time.

If I see someone do something silly and I see the outcome, I simply do not do it. I learned from their mistakes. The stories that are in the Bible are there for this very reason. So we can learn from them and not have to repeat them for ourselves.

However, when we do, are we actually going to learn from it? More on that next time. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will heal you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a Sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus and His Sacrifice for me. I believe that He raised from the Dead. I repent my Sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is just that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shalt confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, you shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus is Lord!