Introduction

Hello everyone! Let’s study Proverbs chapter 7. Why read Proverbs? Because I want to tell you something about philosophy, but I can’t find a good book about philosophy. And most books are really hard to read. You don’t even know what they are trying to tell you after reading. Then I decided to study Proverbs. Whatever books I am going to read, I have a clear goal: to make us wise, knowledgeable, and able to do proper things. It is not to use understanding, wisdom, and knowledge to commit sexuality. The theme of Proverbs chapter 7 is: the way of adultery is the way of perishing.

A few days ago, some cats were crying outside the window. Then my co-worker asked me: what is this sound? Whose baby cried so miserably? Then I told him: this is not a baby crying, it is a cat in heat. In fact, whether it is a person, a cat, or a dog, once they are in heat, their IQ will be reduced to zero. We should all know, animals will pursue love, and so do people. But many people died for their love.

Lust makes people IQ zero

There was a famous Chinese folk song called “Exploring Qingshui River”. It talks about a love story between a girl called Daliang and a boy called Liugege. Once the girl grew up and was in heat. She thought her parents were delaying her marriage by smoking opium. Then she began to date the boy privately. One night, they met at the girl’s house. But it was found by the girl’s parents. The girl’s father whipped the girl because they thought it was a shameful thing. The end of the story was that the girl and the boy both jumped into the Qingshui river and died. What a tragedy it was!

We know every parent loves their children. But once the children are in heat, they will often lose wisdom. They just do whatever they want and think their parent is abusing them. This is foolish.

After serving many people in the past few years, I concluded that I couldn’t serve people who are in heat. Because whatever you told them, they didn’t listen at all. Sometimes, they thought I was destroying their wonderful love. Then I didn’t care about this anymore because I couldn’t control it. Many pages in the Proverbs are talking about adultery because adultery really harms a lot.

My son, keep my words and store up my command within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teaching as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers, and write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister”, and call understanding your kinsman. (Proverbs 7:1-4)

A lot of people mixed adultery with love. I wish all our brothers and sister had such wisdom. Keep far away from adulteress and adulterer. In the story I know, many sisters were deceived by young men. Scammed by one million, two million, six million, or ten million. They lost their judgment once they pursued so-called “wonderful love”. In fact, they are all liars. If you want to be wise, you have to control your feeling. Why do the liars praise you? They just want the money in your pocket.

Do you believe it makes sense that a forty, or fifty-year-old man will fall in love with a seventy-year-old woman? If you think that is reasonable, then you are the same kind of person. If you are still pursuing wonderful love, then you should be careful and not be deceived. Do you really want to know if it is a beautiful love? You can try and let him give you money every day. If so, then he may love you. If he just wants you to give him money, he must be a liar.

Overcome the evil lust of the flesh

Man should keep far away not only from adulteresses, but also from wayward woman with seductive words.

At the window of my house, I looked out through the lattice. I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment. He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight， as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. Then came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home; now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks. She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face, she said:” I have fellowship offering at home; today I fulfilled my vows. So I came out to meet you; I look for you and I found you! (Proverbs 7:6-15. NIV)

Coincidentally? Remember when a man is in heat, nothing can constrain him. He will look for someone to commit adultery. The same thing happens for women, young or old. They will become ignorant people. The even worse thing is that they often have a very spiritual appearance.

A girl and her mom came to us. They asked me about a young man in our church. They wanted me to introduce them to the young man. I rejected. That is not my job. I am not a matchmaker. And also I am not a mediator for quarreling between a couple. My job is preaching and letting people know God, and know the destiny of their lives. I really want to put a sign at the door of the church that says: This church doesn’t support matchmakers, doesn’t support fishing for a partner. We only talk about your destiny in God.

Once I met a sister who wanted to come to our church to find a romantic partner. I suggested her to go another church where people are physically gathering. Because we are a church online and there is no opportunity here.

When people are in heat, they will become stupid and can’t do things properly. Once a girl came to our church and she was in depression. She had a boyfriend. Then she ran to another city to work. There she started to date another man and she ended the relationship with her former boyfriend. But that man left her later. So she felt very sad and got depression. We served her and her situation became much better. Then she came into heat again. What a stupid person she was! We wanted to module her to be a capable woman, not a cat in heat.

She said: Teacher, my head got confused as soon as I read. Of course, she couldn’t read books because what she thought all day was a romantic partner. And she didn’t get along well with her parents. I want to encourage all of you to serve our God wholeheartedly. Don’t spend time on these things.

I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come let’s drink deep of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love. My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. He took his purse filled with money and will not be back till the full moon. (Proverbs 7:16-20)

This sounds like a romantic novel. We should be very careful. The way of adultery is the way of perishing. We have the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai in Chinese novels. We also have Romeo and Juliet in the foreign novel. Whatever your skin color is, the result of adultery is the same. There is only one way to victory. That is to forsake the evil desire of your body.

Several days ago, a brother I knew was in bad mood. Then I knew he was in heat. He asked me: Teacher, why God doesn’t want us to be governed by the flesh? The answer is very simple. Because the mind governed by the flesh is death. Lust is a very good example of when our mind is governed by the flesh.

God appeared to Abraham when he was 99 years old. God gave him a command to circumcise. What is circumcision? It is a surgery to get rid of the foreskin of a man’s genitals. Why did they need to do this circumcision? In New Testament, it says very clearly. That is a way to cut off the evil desires of the human body. Evil desire will make a person’s IQ zero, maybe minus.

With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once, he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life. (Proverbs 7:21-23, NIV)

Whether it is a man or a woman, the way of adultery is the way of perishing. We can’t walk that way.

The myth of marriage

I heard many sorrowful stories about marriage. There was a sister whose pastor wanted her to marry another brother in the church. Then the pastor said it was a revelation from God and there were many signs to testify this. Then she married that brother. But later she found that man often prostituted outside. Was that the marriage God made? No. I don’t object you to getting into marriage. But marriage should be on the foundation of destiny. Our goal is to build the glorious church of God and become the blessing of many nations.

Even if I told you about the foundation of marriage. Don’t take this too seriously. Because in Bible, it says a man marries like a man who has not married. Why should we pursue this? A lot of pastors like to do that. Then what is the next step after they marry? I did the same thing before. But I don’t do that anymore.

The couple cursed you when they quarreled. Then they forgot you when they were in a good relationship. Then I decided not to do this anymore. I just want to serve my God well and take people into their destinies. I have to tell you if you can’t overcome lust in your life, you might already have been deceived many times. Be a smart person and don’t do that anymore.

Get the way of life

Whatever you say, it is hard to listen because the lust is not easy to be overcome. If you want to deal with: first, you need to know this is a perish way. Second, you have to know what is the purpose of life and get destiny. You will be deceived by many things. But if you love God, you will not be deceived.

Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. Don’t let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her path. Many are the victims she had brought down; her slain is a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death. (Proverbs 7:24-27, NIV)

If you are a woman, don’t turn your heart to an adulterous woman’s way. If you are a man, don’t turn your heart to an adulterous man’s way. Do you know who is in control of the adultery? It is the Satan. The spirit of adultery will seduce you to the way of perishing. But it often gives you a very beautiful impression.

I saw a lot of tragedies in my service over the last few years. For example, a sister told me: Thank God for listening to my prayer and giving me a good boyfriend. I said yes, but in my heart I said may God have mercy on you. Then I asked: Which church was he in? She told me the name of the church. Then I told her to go there too. She really did. Then someone asked me why you didn’t ask them all to come. I said I don’t want it. Years later, the story became a tragedy.

A few years ago, she came to me for help. She got depression and she often saw the fires of hell and the insects of hell. She was so frightened. But her husband was playing computer games and told her: Do it yourself. Is this really a gift from God? I don’t think so. If you ask God for a boyfriend or girlfriend, then I will say good luck to you. You do whatever you want. Because I heard many tragic stories like this. Mostly it is just a partner who lives with you. Nothing can compare to the destiny of God.

Why? Because only the children in spirit are real children. Galatians 4:27 says:

Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband. (Galatians 4:27, NIV)

If you just want to live well, then I wish you good luck. As for me, I have chosen the best in my life. I also wish everyone had chosen this good blessing and were destined to be true children of God. The people and things in the world are illusory, but God is faithful.

If you are still suffering in marriage, you don’t have to regret it. If you have married, then stick to your marriage. It says in Bible: Whoever marries a wife should be as if he had not married, and she who marries a husband should be as if she had not married. Stick to the destiny of Jesus Christ. We should live out the glory of God. It was not easy to come to this world. Then what is your purpose in life? To restore the image of God and live out the glory of God.

Under the seduction of beautiful love, people are not far from falling the pit. That is why it says in Bible like this: her home is on the way to Hades, down to the house of death. This she doesn’t refer to a man or a man, it is the dark power of Satan. The reason why so many people have been captived by Satan’s dark power is that they had earthly and fleshy hopes.

If we can jump from these things and break free from the control of lust, don’t bite the hook, and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to put the vices of the flesh to death, we can live with the glory of God.

Summary

You should think this carefully, whether it is money, love, delicious food, yummy drink, or fun activities, they are all meaningless. A man who is not governed by the spirit of lust can live a joyful life. Among us, because of falling in love, there are many men or women who got depression later.

We should know who we live for. Trust the Lord and find the destiny of life. From now on, we are no longer living for ourselves, but for Jesus Christ who was nailed on the cross. If we can detach from the control of lust, and embark on the path of obedience to the Holy Spirit, God’s glory, power, and honor will be manifested through us. From now on, no matter what kind of situation we are in, we can rely on Jesus Christ and live for Him. This is the theology of destiny, what we call Mingding in Chinese.

May God bless you all!