,the ,key to ,peace ,by ,a4 ,marie ,miles ,illustration ,great peace have they which love thy law3 and nothing shall offend them4' ,preface ,one day1 in a very brief conversation1 my grandson asked me a question4 ,i did not get to talk with him much1 so later ,i felt really inspired to write some things which were upon my heart1 that his question had prompted4 ,of course ,i have gone into more detail than he would have had to know1 but felt it was good to stir up thoughts of what he did know4 ,after ,i gave it to him to read1 ,i remarked that ,i might print it some day and hoped that it would be a help to someone else4 ,he returned it to me and ,i am sending it forth with a prayer that these ,bible truths will be a help to some soul4 ,at this writing1 ,i am #fd years of age and ,i feel ,i am living on borrowed time4 ,in #aigc1 it seemed that the ,lord was going to take me1 but ,he healed me and ,i am doing all ,i can for the ,lord4 ,i recommend the ,lord to every soul4 ,he has been precious to me down through my life1 with many blessings in the times of trouble and heartache4 --,sis4 ,a4 ,marie ,miles ,may1 #aigh 99,the ,key to ,peace99 ,god's ,word is the key to satisfy ,the heart's inner longings4 ,dear ,grandson3 ,you asked a valid question when you asked1 ,how do we know what is right and what is wrong8 ,i told you that we find the answer in the ,bible as to what is right and what is wrong4 ,you then said1 ,but the ,bible is a big book4 ,where can you find where it says a certain thing is right or wrong8 ,again1 that is a very valid question4 ,i know that the ,bible is a big book4 ,i trust that the following will help you4 ,first1 ,i want to say that ,i deeply appreciate the fact that you are interested in knowing what is wrong and right1 and knowing upon what basis to place your own personal understanding4 ,this will help you find the key to peace in your soul4 ,each of us is individually responsible to ,god4 ,the ,bible says1 ,for there is no respect of persons with ,god4 ,rom4 #b3aa4 ,in the day when ,god shall judge the secrets of men by ,jesus ,christ according to my gospel4 ,rom4 #b3af4 ,who or ,god will render to every man according to his deeds4 ,rom4 #b3f4 ,you can see we must know how to live in this world1 according to the plan of ,god1 to be cleared before the great ,judge in that last day1 when all men shall stand before ,him4 ,when ,i first opened my ,bible to type the above ,scriptures ,i saw this ,scripture that ,i had underlined in my ,bible1 which at one time impressed me greatly4 ,i feel that it must be for you too1 as the ,psalmist had a desire like yours1 so in his prayer he said1 ,teach me1 ,o ,lord1 the way of thy statutes2 and ,i shall keep it unto the end4 ,give me understanding1 and ,i shall keep thy law2 yea1 ,i shall observe it with my whole heart4 ,psalms #aai3cc1cd4 ,then ,i always liked the verse above these verses1 which ,i also have marked1 and have quoted many times to others4 ,thy word have ,i hid in mine heart1 that ,i might not sin against thee4 7verse #aa74 ,so we do need to desire to know what is right and what is wrong1 seek after understanding1 and it will be given to us4 ,after we know and understand1 we want to remember to obey ,god's ,word4 ,there is no book like the ,bible4 ,when ,i speak of the ,bible ,i definitely refer to the ,king ,james ,version4 ,today1 there are many versions of the ,bible1 and the devil is using this to confuse people1 and cause them to lose faith in ,god's ,word4 ,i personally can say1 that ,i have searched out the ,king ,james ,version of the ,bible1 have obeyed it1 and ,i have found a deep1 sweet peace in my soul4 ,by obeying it1 ,i found contact with ,god which makes me know it is true4 ,your great-grandfather 7,fred ,pruitt7 preached from it1 lived by it1 and saw many others saved from their sins1 who lived and died by it1 with victory over sin and the devil4 ,oh1 yes1 it does bring joy to a person and fulfills that deep longing in every person for peace and satisfaction in this life6 ,in studying the ,bible1 we find a ,unity of ,thought which makes us know that ,one ,mind inspired the writing and arrangement of all the books4 ,truly it is ,,the ,,word ,,of ,,god6 ,it is different from any other book in the world4 ,it is a divine book and not just a human book4 ,we reject1 with abhorrence1 that it is like other books4 ,the ,bible is an account of ,god's efforts to reveal ,himself to mankind4 ,it is a record of ,his dealings with man and ,his revealed will concerning him4 ,the ,bible is for instruction and guidance in all the ways of life4 ,from all the facts that the ,apostle ,paul gathered he said1 ,all ,scripture is given by inspiration of ,god1 and is profitable for doctrine1 for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction in righteousness4 ,,ii ,tim4 #c3af4 ,thus we find it to be true4 ,the special messengers of ,god1 by whom the ,bible has been written1 were given the power of performing miracles1 by which their inspiration was attested and their messages made authoritative2 but the more sure word of ,,prophecy 7#bnd ,peter #a3ai7 furnished the greatest external proof of its inspiration4 ,to this1 more than to anything else1 ,christ and the apostles made their constant appeal4 ,matthew1 narrating the deeds of the ,saviour1 gives us the standing phrase1 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets while ,peter affirms1 in words unmistakable1 that the holy men of ,god spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,ii ,peter #a3ba4 ,christ is the center and heart of the whole ,bible4 ,the ,old ,bible or ,testament is an account of a ,nation4 ,the ,new ,testament is an account of a ,man1 who is ,jesus ,christ4 ,the ,old ,testament foretold ,christ's coming and founded and nurtured a nation by ,god to bring ,christ into the world4 ,there is no book like the ,bible4 ,the poet has said1 ,o precious ,bible6 burning words from heaven1 ,we'll ever cherish thee in our heart1 ,sweet is the counsel by thy pages given' ,on life's dark ocean1 our only chart4 ,o precious volume6 only in thy pages ,we read the duty of all our race2 ,only thy sunbeams1 shining through the ages1 ,reveal the wonders of saving grace4 ,oh1 my grandson1 it is a glorious thing to understand what ,god requires of us and to live by it6 ,to accept ,christ as our ,saviour1 ,lord1 and ,master1 to strive sincerely and devotedly to follow in the path that ,he has mapped out for us in this life1 is the most wonderful1 the most reasonable1 and the most satisfactory way to live4 ,it means peace in our hearts1 peace of mind1 contentment1 happiness1 hope1 and an assurance of a life beyond the grave that shall never end4 ,what a glorious plan ,god has made for all who will love and serve ,him with all of their hearts6 ,oh1 how sad to see so many go through life and face death without a hope of living in heaven with ,god forever in the end of time6 ,how can anyone be so ignorant or be filled with such a lack of wisdom6 ,it is beyond me4 ,we all have to die1 which is a proven fact4 ,what then6 ,why try to get around it8 ,it seems that every person should open his heart and mind to the ,word of ,god and accept ,christ with an open mind and consider it the greatest privilege in this world to live for ,christ1 the ,creator of all mankind4 ,we should be like ,job of old who said1 ,i have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food4 ,job #bc3ab4 ,many times we read in the ,new ,testament that it came to pass4 ,the prophecies in the ,old ,testament were fulfilled4 ,read the #ecrd chapter of ,isaiah and he describes ,christ's crucifixion and atonement work with such accuracy of detail that the inspiration of the prophet is assured4 ,he wrote this #gab years before ,christ was born4 ,he only had from the prophets before him the fact that ,god had told them that ,god was going to send a ,messiah4 ,so only ,god could inspire ,him to write in such detail about his sufferings and death4 ,oh1 there are so many proofs that the ,bible is true6 ,jesus spoke about the ,old ,testament1 ,for had ye believed ,moses1 ye would have believed me3 for he wrote of me4 ,but if ye 99believe not99 his writings1 how shall ye believe my words8 ,john #e3df1 #dg4 ,moses wrote the first five books of the ,bible4 ,he wrote things that were told to him from the beginning4 ,it all harmonizes with the rest of the ,bible4 ,the early people were careful to keep accounts and told them to their children4 ,they were written when writing was available 7or began74 ,what ,is ,sin8 ,when ,i was a child and teen-ager1 ,i was taught by my parents what the ,bible said was right and what was wrong4 ,many other doctrines in the ,bible were taught to me4 ,i read them in the ,bible1 believed them1 lived by them1 and was blessed in my soul and life4 ,there came a time in my life that ,i began to desire for ,god to teach me personally what was right and what was wrong4 ,i never doubted that the ,bible was true but ,i wanted to say that ,i believe this or that because ,god's ,word says so4 ,i began to search things out in the ,bible4 ,i believe ,god wants each of us to have this firm foundation to stand upon4 ,so my dear grandson1 you are not different from your grandmother4 ,when ,i finished my search ,i was glad that ,i could say ,i believed this or that because it says in the ,bible thus and so4 ,i didn't believe it because someone else said it1 but because ,god had said it4 ,this is the way ,i want you to know it4 ,there is one thing that ,i had when ,i began my search1 that was the ,holy ,spirit as my teacher4 ,the ,bible tells us definitely that the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god3 for they are foolishness unto him3 neither can he know them1 because they are spiritually discerned4 ,i ,cor4 #b3ad4 ,since the ,bible was written by holy men of ,god who spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,spirit and it is not of any private interpretation1 then we need to have the ,holy ,spirit to reveal1 or help us to understand all of the ,word of ,god4 7,,ii ,peter #a3bj1ba74 ,yet there are a lot of the basics that we can know4 ,i do hope that you will understand what ,i write to you by the help of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,first1 let us know what sin is4 ,in other words that would be what is wrong4 ,when we find out what is wrong then we can know what is right4 ,sin means ,willfully breaking religious or moral law4 7,web4 ,dic47 ,the ,bible also gives us the definition of sin4 ,in ,i ,john #c3d it says1 ,whosoever committeth sin transgresseth or breaks the law of ,god2 for sin is the transgression or disobedience of the ,god's law4 ,then in ,james #d3ag we read1 ,therefore to him that knoweth to do good1 and doeth it not1 to him it is sin4 ,we see that sin is either a direct disobedience of ,god's ,word or a willful failure to live by its requirements4 ,it is a serious thing to disobey ,god's law because it involves the destiny or end of our soul4 ,it means living in either eternal torment or eternal bliss4 ,to commit sin is a terrible thing and a very serious thing4 ,that is the reason we need to search the ,scriptures to find out how to live pleasing to the ,lord in this world4 ,we can't do this within ourselves4 ,god had a plan for us by sending ,jesus ,christ to die on the cross for our salvation1 so through ,christ we can live right4 ,if sin is disobeying ,god's ,word then we must find out what it says in the ,word of ,god so we can live up to it4 ,first we want to find out why we sin1 and then get rid of the cause4 ,you1 of course1 know what the ,bible tells us about ,adam and ,eve in the beginning and how they obeyed the devil who talked to them through the serpent4 ,he got ,eve to disobey the only commandment that ,god had given them4 ,she ate of the fruit1 which was forbidden1 and gave to ,adam and he did eat4 7,gen4 #crd chapter74 ,they no longer could talk to ,god as before1 but hid themselves4 ,sin separates us from ,god4 ,god called to them and said1 ,where art thou8 ,they said1 ,we hid ourselves because we were naked4 ,god said1 ,who told you that you were naked8 ,did you eat of the tree whereof ,i commanded you not to eat8 ,of course1 we realize that because of sin1 they knew they were naked4 ,before they had sinned1 they didn't think anything about their nakedness4 ,but after they sinned they made themselves clothes of fig leaves4 ,no doubt they thought quickly of something or they would have chosen something more substantial than leaves4 ,the leaves would soon dry and crack1 but they were so ashamed of their nakedness because of their sin4 ,not only did they need a covering for their bodies but they also needed a covering for their souls4 ,god can't look upon sin with any pleasure4 ,sin will cause us to be cast out of ,his presence4 ,but oh1 the ,lord is so very merciful and ,he told ,adam and ,eve that ,he had a plan for them1 so their sins could be covered as well as their bodies4 ,in ,genesis #c3ae we read that ,god promised a ,saviour4 ,god spoke to the devil1 who had spoken through the serpent1 and said1 ,i will put enmity or warfare between thee the devil and the woman1 and between thy seed ,satan and his servants and her seed ,christ and ,his followers2 it ,christ shall bruise thy head ,jesus broke or crushed ,satan's power1 and thou ,satan shalt bruise his heel4 ,in other words we find a promise in this ,scripture of ,jesus being born4 ,jesus was the seed of the woman4 ,in ,luke #a3ca-ce we read how the angel told ,mary that she would have a child even though she was a virgin4 ,god would be the father of this child4 ,the angel said1 ,the ,holy ,ghost shall come upon thee1 and 444 that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the ,son of ,god4 ,through ,christ1 sin could be conquered because ,he was the ,son of ,god1 and not from the seed of man1 yet ,he was called the ,son of man because ,he took upon ,him flesh or the nature of man4 ,the seed of ,satan are those who have yielded themselves to him and are his servants4 ,jesus said to some who opposed ,him1 ,ye are of your father the devil1 and the lusts of your father ye will do4 ,john #h3dd4 ,so we note that the warfare would be between the seed of ,satan and his servants and the seed of the woman1 or ,jesus ,christ and ,his followers4 ,now who will conquer8 ,god said that her seed1 it shall bruise thy head4 ,jesus ,christ would crush or break the power of ,satan over mankind and men would be able to become sons of ,god4 ,isa4 #ec3e tells us that ,jesus was bruised for our iniquities or sins4 ,praise ,god for ,jesus who conquered the enemy of our soul6 ,we have established the fact that sin displeases ,god4 ,he punished ,adam and ,eve and put them out of the garden1 yet ,he gave them a promise of a ,saviour to come4 ,it was over #djjj years before ,jesus came4 ,during this time they offered a ,lamb1 which was a type of ,jesus1 as a sacrifice for their sins4 ,today ,jesus is our ,saviour4 ,let us note that in the #bast verse in ,gen4 #c1 ,god killed an animal and made ,adam and ,eve coats of skin to wear4 ,it says that ,god clothed them4 ,clothed means to cover4 ,here we find that it is a command for us to wear clothing4 ,paul in the ,new ,testament tells us to dress in modest apparel4 7,i ,tim4 #b3i74 ,in other words we are to be clothed4 ,it is still a sin to go without decent clothing today as it was in the ,garden of ,eden4 ,now one thing that ,god showed me in my search1 was that because ,adam and ,eve sinned1 that sin passed down upon all the human race4 ,adam was created holy and pure but when he sinned1 he lost that purity4 ,when he had a son1 the ,bible tells us that his son was after his ,adam's image or had the principle of sin within him4 7,gen4 #e3c74 ,the ,apostle ,paul tells us ,wherefore1 as by one man sin entered into the world1 and death spiritual death by sin2 and so death or spiritual separation from ,god passed upon all men1 for that all have sinned4 ,romans #e3ab4 ,we see that every child who is born has that sin principle within him4 ,behold1 ,i was shapen in iniquity2 and in sin did my mother conceive me4 ,psa4 #ea3e4 ,then we read in the ,bible in another place where it says1 ,the wicked are estranged from the womb3 they go astray as soon as they be born1 speaking lies4 ,psa4 #eh3c4 ,thus the ,bible explains that children are born with a bent1 or inclination1 toward sin1 but if they die without first coming to a knowledge of sin1 they are saved through ,jesus' blood4 ,there comes a time in a child's life when he knows he has sinned4 ,he understands it and then he is responsible4 ,the ,apostle ,paul says1 sin is not imputed or charged or ascribed when there is no law or understanding4 ,romans #e3ac4 ,now you have come to the time in life when you are responsible4 ,you know what sin is4 ,i remember when ,i realized that ,i had sinned4 ,i had a big imagination but the time came when ,i knew the difference between imagining things and telling lies4 ,the ,bible says that all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone4 ,rev4 #ba3h4 ,so telling lies is wrong and is a sin1 as well as many other things that we will mention later4 ,jesus ,destroys the ,works of the ,devil ,when we realize that we have sinned and know that sin will keep us away from living in eternity in the presence of ,god1 we are filled with sorrow4 ,first1 we do not want to be cast into the lake of fire1 nor be with the devil and his angels as ,jesus has warned4 ,he spoke of those being cast into hell1 into the fire that never shall be quenched3 ,where their worm dieth not1 and the fire is not quenched4 ,mark #i3dd4 ,the next thing we think of is how ,jesus loved us so much1 ,he came willingly to take the punishment for our sins4 ,sin had to be punished4 ,man could not redeem us from our sins as all men had sinned4 ,jesus was innocent and without sin4 ,he was with ,god from the beginning but ,he was born of woman1 and took upon ,himself flesh and blood4 ,he lived here in this world1 was mistreated and finally put on the cross to die a horrible death1 although ,he was innocent4 ,why8 ,because ,he loved you and me4 ,god sent ,his only begotten ,son into the world1 that we might live through him4 ,i ,john #d3i4 ,he that committeth sin is of the devil1 for the devil sinneth from the beginning4 ,for this purpose the ,son of ,god was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil4 ,whosoever is born of ,god doth not committ sin1 because he is born of ,god4 ,i ,john #c3h1i4 ,through ,jesus' death on the cross1 sin can be forgiven and we can come into the presence of ,god4 ,when we realize that we have sinned and are sorry for that sin1 we come to ,jesus1 and with godly sorrow ask ,him to forgive us4 ,jesus hears our prayer and forgives us of our sins4 ,by believing that ,he took our punishment for our sins1 in dying on the cross1 we are forgiven by ,god1 and all is clear between us and ,god4 ,our sins are under the blood of ,jesus4 ,in olden times1 in the ,old ,testament1 they offered a lamb1 but after ,jesus came ,he was the ,lamb who was sacrificed on the cross once and forever for sins4 ,john the ,baptist said1 when he saw ,jesus1 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god1 which taketh away the sin of the world4 ,john #a3bi4 ,he will take away our sins1 when we confess them to ,him1 and in prayer1 believe that ,he takes them away4 ,i surely can't forget when the ,lord did just that for me4 ,it was wonderful to know that all was clear between ,god and me4 ,i could sleep better and it was wonderful to know that if death overtook me ,i would be ready to go4 ,when ,i realized that ,i needed to be sanctified1 or the sin principle needed to be cleansed out of my heart1 ,i sought the ,lord to give me the ,holy ,spirit4 ,you can't ask forgiveness for the sin that passed down upon all men from the fall1 or the sin of ,adam and ,eve4 ,it has to be cleansed out of your heart by the purging of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,there are two works in the heart4 ,first we are saved from our volitional sins and then we are sanctified or cleansed of that sin principle or carnal nature4 ,peter speaks of some receiving the ,holy ,spirit and said1 purifying their hearts by faith4 ,god had given them the ,holy ,ghost4 ,acts #ae3h1i4 ,then we can have power over all the power of the devil4 ,the works of the devil are destroyed out of our hearts4 ,praise ,god forever6 ,it is a wonderful experience4 ,oh1 how we love our ,lord and ,saviour for all that ,he has done for us6 ,how sad we would be if ,he had not come to this world to take our punishment4 ,how thankful we are for the ,holy ,spirit that was promised to us after ,jesus went away4 ,he told ,his disciples that the ,holy ,spirit1 or the ,comforter1 could not come unless ,he went to the ,father4 7,john #ad74 ,we read how ,god gave the disciples the ,holy ,spirit1 after ,jesus arose into the skies1 after ,his resurrection from the grave4 ,in ,acts1 second chapter1 they were waiting in the upper room and the ,holy ,spirit came upon them and ,god performed a miracle4 ,they spoke the wonderful news and #ag or #ah different nations heard about it in their own language4 ,it was on the day of ,pentecost when people from all of these nations had come to the temple to worship ,god4 ,many of them believed on ,jesus as the promised ,saviour1 were saved from their sins1 and were filled with the ,holy ,spirit4 ,it's a glorious experience and is for everyone who has been saved from sin4 ,sins ,named ,my grandson1 let us look at the ,bible and see some sins that are mentioned4 ,in ,galatians #e3ai we read that adultery is a sin4 ,in verse #ba it is clearly stated that they that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of ,god4 ,so there is no doubt about these sins4 ,adultery means1 violation of the marriage-bed4 ,romans #g3b1c says ,for the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he liveth2 but if the husband be dead1 she is loosed from the law of her husband4 ,so then if1 while her husband liveth1 she be married to another man1 she shall be called an adulteress3 but if her husband be dead1 she is free from that law2 so that she is no adulteress1 though she be married to another man4 ,we know that when a couple marries1 it is for life or until one of them dies4 ,read ,matt4 #ai3g1h1 where ,jesus reaffirms this truth4 ,fornication is the illicit sexual intercourse of unmarried persons1 which is also adultery4 ,this is a sin4 ,many today are just living together4 ,this is a sin and a stench in the nostrils of ,god4 ,it is terrible and so immoral1 even if many today are doing it4 ,but fornication1 444 let it not be once named among you1 as becometh saints4 ,eph4 #e3c4 ,flee fornication4444 ,what8 know ye not that your body is the temple of the ,holy ,ghost which is in you1 which ye have of ,god1 and ye are not your own8 ,for ye are bought with a price3 therefore glorify ,god in your body1 and in your spirit1 which are ,god's4 #ast ,cor4 #f3ah-bj4 ,you see our bodies are to be kept pure and clean4 ,that means our minds are to be clean and pure also4 ,sometimes the devil will bring evil thoughts to our minds but we must not think upon them4 ,think pure thoughts4 ,god created our bodies and every part is for a purpose4 ,we want to keep our bodies free from impurities4 ,there are urges in our body1 and sometimes a drawing to the opposite sex1 but we must not let that urge have control4 ,we must keep our bodies under control4 ,the ,apostle ,paul tells us what he did4 ,he said1 ,but ,i keep under my body1 and bring it into subjection3 lest that by any means1 when ,i have preached to others1 ,i myself should be a castaway4 ,i ,cor4 #i3bg4 ,jesus also tells us that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart4 ,matt4 #e3bh4 ,we need to be very careful of our thoughts1 and where our eyes wander4 ,keep the right kind of thoughts4 ,a mother told her son when he was taking a trip1 ,son1 never do anything to place your body where your soul would not be the master4 ,petting and kissing among young people will lead to wrong thoughts and lead them into traps4 ,we need to be careful and watchful about all of these things4 ,keep thyself pure4 ,my dear ,grandson1 we are in a battle in this world against all evil4 ,the devil wants to destroy our souls and cause us to miss eternal life with ,jesus ,christ1 the ,lover of our souls4 ,the devil has many agents in the world who also help him4 ,in the schools today your teachers are taught how to change your thinking4 ,they will slowly but surely work on you day by day to do so4 ,beware of this4 ,don't let anyone destroy your faith in ,god1 in the ,bible1 nor in what it teaches as being the ,eternal ,word of ,god4 ,guard this faith and live by it4 ,it means your eternal destiny4 ,whether anyone says ,god's ,word is true or false1 it will still be true4 ,men's thoughts and ideas will never change ,god's ,word4 ,the next sin is uncleanness4 ,the dictionary says that uncleanness means morally impure1 foul1 filthy1 unchaste and obscene4 ,the ,bible says1 ,god hath not called us unto uncleanness1 but unto holiness4 ,i ,thess4 #d3g4 ,this means that we are to keep ourselves pure in thought1 word1 and deed4 ,keep a rebuke in your heart against dirty jokes and those things that lead to impurity4 ,the ,bible says1 ,unto the pure all things are pure3 but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure2 but even their mind and conscience is defiled4 ,titus #a3ae4 ,homosexuality would come under this sin4 ,the ,bible plainly condemns this sin4 ,in ,romans we read about the corrupt man and it says1 ,god also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts1 to dishonour their own bodies between themselves3444 ,for this cause ,god gave them up unto vile affections3 for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature3 and likewise also the men1 leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another2 men with men working that which is unseemly1 and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet fit4 ,and even as they did not like to retain ,god in their knowledge1 ,god gave them over to a reprobate mind1 to do those things which are not convenient2 being filled with all unrighteousness4 ,romans #a3bd-bh4 ,it is very plain that homosexuality is a terrible sin4 ,god has a purpose for the use of each member of our bodies and it is not to be used in sinful ways4 ,sex is for a purpose and that is to bring children into the world and for the purpose of love-making between married couples4 ,but it is not to be abused and temperance is to be used4 ,temperance is one of the fruits of the ,spirit4 7,gal4 #e3bc74 ,each member is to be used for the purpose that ,god has intended4 ,remember this and the ,lord will give you understanding4 ,lasciviousness means lustful1 wanton1 loose2 a person who excites lustful emotions in others4 ,let us study this with careful thought4 ,the world today advertises the fact that this or that will give sexual appeal4 ,this is lasciviousness4 ,wearing clothing that does this is sin4 ,acting in a way to cause others to have lustful emotions is a sin4 ,that is1 if a person purposely acts in this way1 or dresses in this way4 ,speaking words and making signs that does this are sins4 ,oh1 ,god is calling for a pure and holy people6 ,his church1 which is made up of holy 7sinless7 people1 is without spot and blemish and has been cleansed and made pure through the blood of ,jesus ,christ4 7,eph4 #e3bg74 ,we must be pure to be in it4 ,the next sin mentioned is idolatry which means divine honors paid to idols1 images1 or any created object4 7,web4 ,dic47 ,it also says it means excessive admiration1 or love1 for any person or thing4 ,to worship any image or man-made god is sin4 ,there in only one true ,god and we must worship ,him in spirit and in truth4 ,also we do not want to have an excessive love for any person or thing more than our love for ,god4 ,some people allow 99things99 to keep them from having a true love for ,god4 ,this is a sin4 ,if you let money1 possessions1 or any person keep you from serving the ,lord with all of your heart1 then you have an idol4 ,the ,apostle ,john said1 ,little children1 keep yourselves from idols4 ,i ,john #e3ba4 ,we are to ,love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 and with all thy soul1 and with all thy mind4 ,matt4 #bb3cg4 ,surely that means a lot1 doesn't it8 ,there can't be one thing or person between us and ,god4 ,he must absolutely be first in our life4 ,oh1 my grandson1 it truly is a wonderful thing to put ,god first6 ,he is so precious to my soul and ,i know ,he will be to yours as you love and serve ,him with all of your heart6 ,jesus has said1 ,seek ye first the kingdom of ,god1 and his righteousness2 and all these things shall be added unto you4 ,matt4 #f3cc4 ,what ,god adds is just perfect even though at the time we might not understand it4 ,the next sin is witchcraft4 ,today many people are turning to magical powers and are having communion with evil spirits and the devil4 ,this is what witchcraft is4 ,fortune tellers1 spiritualist readers etc4 are all of the devil and should never be considered nor tampered with4 ,many have1 in fun1 or wanting to know something1 imbibed an evil spirit and were tormented by it day and night4 ,god will protect ,his people if they will look to ,him and not yield to evil spirits4 ,it is dangerous4 ,read ,lev4 #ai3ca2 ,deut4 #ah3aj3ab2 ,acts #af3af-ai2 #h3aa-ba2 #ac3f-ab4 ,hatred is a sin4 ,even if someone does us a wrong we must forgive them or ,jesus has said that ,he would not forgive us4 7,matt4 #f3ad1ae74 ,ill-feeling toward someone is a cousin to hatred4 ,we need to forgive and ask ,god to help us to love everyone regardless of what they do to us4 ,wrath is also a sin and many times is connected with hatred4 ,we must not give vent to our anger but bring it under control4 ,god has help for everyone who will pray to ,him and seek after ,him4 ,variance means a verbal strife followed by strained or severed relations3 wrangle or squabble3 to dispute angrily4 ,this is connected to hatred and wrath4 ,emulations means to strive to equal or excell with a view to out do2 ambitious or envious rivalry4 ,in other words stepping on someone else to get ahead of them or others4 ,oh1 the ,lord wants us to be considerate of others6 ,strife and envyings come under this same thing4 ,we must love every soul and not try to disregard their feelings or desires4 ,be happy for others to get ahead and rejoice with them that rejoice and weep with those who weep1 is what the ,bible tells us to do4 ,murderers are those who wilfully kill and are sinners4 ,they must seek forgiveness to be ready for heaven4 ,if a person accidentally kills1 that is not a sin1 but it is a tragedy4 ,it is the person who purposely kills who is a murderer and a sinner4 ,to take one's own life is a sin1 that is if the person is in his right mind4 ,we know that some people's minds are afflicted 7or wear out71 and they are not responsible1 yet there are some close lines even in these cases4 ,drunkenness is a sin4 ,drunkenness is the state of being drunk with strong drink or alcoholic liquor so that the use of the faculties is materially impaired4 7,web4 ,dic47 ,oh1 the sorrow and trouble that drunkenness has brought to little children1 homes1 wives and husbands1 mothers and fathers1 sisters1 brothers and nations6 ,it is a terrible thing6 ,today there is so much dope being taken4 ,it is a terrible thing to abuse one's body4 ,god will not hold a person guiltless who abuses his body in any manner4 ,read ,prov4 #bc3bi-cb4 ,god has deliverance for all who get into this sin if they will only seek after ,god4 ,but my dear grandson1 flee from all of it4 ,touch not the cup4 ,never even taste it and you will never be a drunkard4 ,some say they can take it or leave it1 but many did that for awhile and today they are on skid row4 ,they lost their health1 their wealth1 their children1 and their companions4 ,their life is wretched4 ,some might say1 ,it would not happen to me1 but they must flee from it as they would a serpent that is ready to strike4 ,smoking cigarettes and taking anything that harms the body is a sin4 ,the ,bible says1 ,if any man defile the temple of ,god1 him shall ,god destroy3 for the temple of ,god is holy1 which temple ye are4 ,i ,cor4 #c3ag4 ,what could be plainer8 ,my dear grandson1 ,i am expecting you to flee from all of these sins which are against the body which will destroy your body and soul in eternal torment for all eternity4 ,remember that eternity never ends4 ,there is no time in eternity4 ,death seals your doom4 ,it will pay to live each day in a way that we will be ready to meet ,god1 or will be ready in that hour of death4 ,it might come unexpectedly4 ,seditions and heresies are sins4 ,false teachings which are contrary to the ,bible teachings are heresies4 ,they are sin4 ,we want to live according to the ,bible and know its doctrines so we can not be led into heresies4 ,so many are being deceived by false teachers4 ,people today believe everything they hear and do not search the ,bible to see if it is true4 ,we must not believe teaching from false teachers4 ,some will say1 ,but that person has studied the ,bible many years and he ought to know4 ,he may have a degree in theology etc41 but that doesn't make any difference4 ,we still must stay upon a firm foundation and find it in the ,word for ourselves4 ,there is a chain running through the ,bible that links truth and it must not be broken1 or it will not be truth4 ,we are instructed in the ,bible to ,study to shew thyself approved unto ,god1 a workman that needeth not to be ashamed1 rightly dividing the word of truth4 ,but shun profane and vain babblings3 for they will increase unto more ungodliness4 ,,ii ,tim4 #b3ae1af4 ,the next sins that are given are revellings and such like4 ,revelling means a noisy or riotous feast2 or to feast with joyous or clamorous merriment1 boisterous festivity4 ,in other words it means a loud1 boisterous manner of acting1 or being in a crowd that acts that way4 ,in ,i ,pet4 #c3d it says for us to have a meek and quiet spirit1 which is in the sight of ,god of great price4 ,this is in harmony with ,god's ,spirit and ,his ,word4 ,i do trust that you have an idea of what ,god is expecting of us4 ,in other words1 we have listed what the ,bible teaches about some things that are wrong1 and what is right4 ,as you said1 the ,bible is a big book and we can't find everything1 unless we are familiar with it1 so ,i trust these few things have been a help1 as you study them4 ,remember that we need to have ,jesus to help us daily to obey the ,word of ,god and be ready to meet the ,lord4 ,first1 it takes being saved from our sins1 being filled with the ,holy ,spirit and praying and studying ,god's ,word4 ,it is a precious life when we are in the center of ,god's will4 ,when we are saved1 we can have the fruits of the ,spirit in our life which are named in ,gal4 #e3bb1bc4 ,they are love1 joy1 peace1 longsuffering1 gentleness1 goodness1 faith1 meekness1 temperance and many other good things that ,god will give to us as we live and serve ,him4 ,romans #a3bi-cb mentions more sins4 ,it says that those who turn themselves over to the devil to work his evil ways are filled with all unrighteousness1 fornication1 wickedness1 covetousness1 maliciousness1 full of envy1 murder1 debate1 deceit1 malignity1 whisperers1 backbiters1 haters of ,god1 despiteful1 proud1 boasters1 inventors of evil things1 disobedient to parents1 without understanding1 covenant-breakers1 without natural affection1 implacable1 unmerciful3 ,who knowing the judgment of ,god1 that they which commit such things are worthy of death1 not only do the same1 but have pleasure in them that do them4 ,what a terrible list of sins6 ,oh1 we must flee from any of them4 ,if you get your dictionary and look up the meaning of each one of these you would see how sinful sin is4 ,no wonder ,god looks down upon sinful mankind and is grieved4 ,now mercy is held out to all who will turn to ,him and through ,jesus ,christ seek forgiveness and turn away from sin1 but the time is coming when mercy will be withdrawn4 ,this old world will be on fire and only the holy and true will be taken to that prepared place for a prepared people who have sought ,god4 ,oh1 ,i surely want to be ready in that day and hour1 don't you8 ,seeking ,forgiveness ,was the ,key ,when ,i was about twelve years of age1 the teacher asked me to erase the blackboard after school4 ,after ,i finished1 ,i walked down one aisle between the seats4 ,on one girl's desk ,i saw a match box1 and in this box was a tiny doll4 ,i had seen her play with this doll and ,i thought it was the cutest doll ,i had ever seen4 ,i never had dolls when ,i was small1 as my folks could not afford to buy me one4 ,i would wrap up a stick or something and carry it around for my doll4 ,so this doll attracted me very much4 ,as ,i looked at it1 ,i wanted it so very much4 ,before ,i tell more about this incident let us read a ,scripture in the ,bible which tells us about being tempted to sin4 ,in ,james #a3ad1ae1 it brings out how it works4 ,but every man woman or child is tempted1 when he is drawn away of his own lust1 and enticed4 ,then when lust hath conceived1 it bringeth forth sin3 and sin1 when it is finished1 bringeth forth death4 ,let us see what the word tempted means4 ,tempt means to induce2 entice2 allure4 ,the devil works through us to tempt us4 ,first1 we are tempted by our own lust4 ,lust means an overmastering desire4 ,entice means to attract by offering hope of reward or pleasure4 ,so we see that the devil will induce us to do wrong by placing an overmastering desire for something1 which he convinces us will bring a reward or some pleasure4 ,note the next verse says1 that when this lust or desire for a certain thing is conceived1 which means formed in the mind1 or it is decided by the person that he is going to do a certain thing that is wrong1 then that brings forth sin4 ,now sin is finished completed when the act is committed4 ,after the act is committed then it brings forth death to the soul4 ,in other words1 sin separates a person from ,god4 ,that means spiritual death4 ,if a person continues to live in sin1 or in spiritual death1 and then dies a physical death1 he would be eternally separated from ,god4 ,but thank ,god1 this need not be4 ,the key to being restored to ,god is found in ,god's ,word4 ,since sin has to be punished1 we find that ,jesus1 the ,son of ,god1 was willing to come here1 live and die and arise from the grave so we can have forgiveness for our sins1 as we1 with godly sorrow1 seek for it4 ,now ,i will continue with the incident in my own young life4 ,first1 ,i want to say that from a child ,i loved the ,lord and my parents taught me what sin was and ,i didn't want to displease the ,lord4 ,but ,i was not above temptations4 ,so when ,i saw this little doll1 ,i was tempted by the devil4 ,i had an overmastering desire to have that doll and ,i was enticed by the hope of the reward of having it for my own and thought no one would know about it4 ,so quickly ,i picked it up and took it home4 ,you see1 when ,i let lust1 or that overmastering desire1 become conceived1 or formed1 in my mind1 and ,i took the doll1 ,i committed sin4 ,sin was finished and ,i was cut off from ,god4 ,spiritual death took place in my heart4 ,no longer could ,i come to ,god and have communion with ,him4 ,sin had separated me from ,god4 ,so as the ,scripture says1 when it sin is finished1 it bringeth forth death4 ,i brought the doll home with me1 but oh1 ,i didn't feel good in my heart6 ,i knew ,i had sinned and ,i wished ,i had not taken the doll1 but ,i had it and was on my way home4 ,i came into the house and my watchful mother saw it4 ,she asked1 ,where did you get that doll8 ,old ,tennessee gave it to me1 ,i quickly said1 which was a lie4 ,another sin was added to my first sin4 ,the devil not only gets a person to sin but he gets them to commit other sins to cover up the first sin4 ,thus1 he leads people on and on1 and deeper into sin they fall4 7,old ,tennessee was an elderly black man who drove a horse and wagon by our home1 filled with junk that he had collected4 ,sometimes1 when he would stop and talk to us children1 he would give us some of his junk which we would value47 ,i took the doll upstairs to my room and put it in my dresser drawer4 ,i didn't want to play with it4 ,it didn't look so pretty anymore4 ,my heart was heavy4 ,i didn't rest very well that night as ,i dreaded going back to school4 ,i just knew the teacher would guess that ,i had taken the doll4 ,to my surprise1 nothing was said the next day about the doll4 ,i avoided the girl and hurried home after school4 ,but yet the fact of stealing that doll weighed heavily on my heart4 ,a few days later ,i took the doll out in the alley and took a brick and smashed it all to pieces and buried it1 but that didn't take away the sin or the guilt4 ,i had sinned against ,god and was still a liar and a thief4 ,oh1 how bad ,i felt6 ,i had been taught to pray from a little child1 and had always prayed1 but every time ,i would try to pray that sin would come up before me1 so finally ,i quit praying4 ,school was soon out and a few weeks passed by4 ,bro4 ,john ,wilson came to our house from ,missouri and held a few nights' meeting at the chapel4 ,one night he preached on hell fire4 ,oh1 ,i could almost feel the fire of hell around me6 ,i trembled1 but hurried out as soon as meeting was over and the invitation had closed4 ,i went home and to bed as soon as possible1 but not to sleep4 ,i rolled and tumbled on my bed4 ,the weight of sin was so heavy on my heart that it seemed the mattress was on top of me instead of me on the mattress4 ,i knew ,i was on the road to hell4 ,finally1 toward morning1 ,i told the ,lord that if ,he would spare my life until ,i heard the alarm go off in my parent's room that ,i would get up and go ask my father to pray for me to get saved and ,i would seek forgiveness for my sins from ,god4 ,this calmed me1 and ,i lay there waiting4 ,when ,i heard the alarm1 ,i ran to their room and knelt beside their bed4 ,i began to weep and beg ,papa to pray for me to get saved4 ,he prayed for me and ,i prayed4 ,i asked the ,lord to forgive me of my sin of stealing and lying and promised ,i would make it right4 ,i told the ,lord ,i would tell the girl ,i had stolen the doll and pay her for it4 ,god took my word for the act and ,he forgave me and flooded my soul with peace4 ,oh1 ,i had found the key to peace for my inner longings6 ,the key was a desire to find peace and then obeying ,god's ,word which said1 ,if we confess our sins1 he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins1 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness4 ,i ,john #a3i4 ,that key opened the lock to my heart and let ,jesus come in4 ,jesus has said1 ,the words that ,i speak unto you1 they are spirit and they are life4 ,john #f3fc;b4 ,oh1 the peace that filled me and ,i became a new creature in ,christ ,jesus6 ,i was happy again4 ,i had promised the ,lord that ,i would make my sin right when school started4 ,so one day ,i was sitting behind this girl and ,i tapped her on the back4 ,i told her about my taking the doll and offered to pay her for it4 ,she said1 ,i often wondered where that doll went to1 but ,i didn't care anything about it anyway4 ,i insisted on paying her but she said to forget it4 ,oh1 the relief that ,i then had because the devil fought my making it right by telling me that she would tell every one in school about my being a thief4 ,i never heard anything more about it4 ,then ,i had to make the lie right1 for ,i had told my mother and all of my brothers and sisters that old ,tennessee had given it to me4 ,one time in family worship ,i started to tell it and broke down and wept1 but kept on telling about it4 ,i asked forgiveness and my father said that they all forgave me4 ,i didn't know until years later that none of them understood anything ,i said because ,i had cried so hard1 but ,i thought they did and that was what counted4 ,i had obeyed the ,lord who makes us know that we are to make our wrongs right4 ,when ,jesus came to ,zacchaeus' house and he sought salvation from ,him1 ,zacchaeus said1 ,if ,i have taken any thing from any man by false accusation1 ,i restore him fourfold4 ,luke #ai3h4 ,we must make our wrongs right4 ,if we do1 and have repented and confessed our sins1 we can hear the same words that ,jesus said to ,zacchaeus1 ,this day is salvation come to this house1 444 ,for the ,son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost4 7verse #i1 #aj47 ,i am thankful to say that this was the only thing that ,i ever took in my life and it was a great lesson to me4 ,oh1 how wonderful it is to be the ,lord's6 ,if we love and serve ,him1 we can have peace in our souls4 ,we might have many problems and troubles in this life but if we have peace in our heart and are in contact with ,god1 these things can't take away our peace and we can face life4 ,the ,bible says1 ,man that is born of a woman is of few days1 and full of trouble4 ,job #ad3a4 ,troubles will come to us but if we obey ,god's ,word1 we can have peace in our soul and be ready to meet the ,lord when ,he comes in the clouds of glory4 ,i do pray that all who may read this will take the key1 which is the ,word of ,god and through obedience use it to unlock your heart and let that ,word fill your heart and life1 and you will have peace4 ,every longing will be satisfied as you continue to obey the ,word4 ,the ,keys to ,continued ,peace ,when a person has confessed his sins with godly sorrow1 and they are all under the blood of ,jesus that was shed on the cross1 he is born again and has become a new creature in ,christ ,jesus4 7,,ii ,cor4 #e3ag74 ,how precious it is to know that old things are passed away and all things are become new6 ,his wrongs have been made right1 as far as possible1 and according to his knowledge4 ,then he needs to walk in this kind of way and life4 ,it takes some watching and praying to keep the peace in the soul that ,god has given4 ,only through the power of the ,holy ,spirit can one continue in contact with ,god4 ,after a person has fully surrendered himself to the ,lord and has the cleansing work of the ,holy ,spirit in his soul1 he is equipped to go forth and fight the devil who goes around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour4 7#a ,pet4 #e3h74 ,the devil is no respector of persons4 ,he is more than a match for the child of ,god but when the child of ,god seeks grace and help from ,god1 the devil has to flee4 ,he now needs to know how to face the devil1 so he can be more than a conqueror through ,christ ,jesus4 ,we read in ,james #d3f-h that first1 we need to know that ,god gives grace or help to the humble4 ,we need to humbly realize our need of ,god's help4 ,then we are to submit ourselves to ,god1 draw close to ,god and he will draw nigh to you4 ,every step we take toward ,god1 ,he will take one toward us4 ,after we are in the will of ,god and have implored ,his help1 we can then1 in the name of ,jesus1 ,resist the devil1 and he will flee from you4 ,one brother said he talked to the devil just like he did to his dog4 ,he said1 ,get out of here6 ,the devil had to pack his bags and leave4 ,when a person is saved1 one of the first things the devil tells him is that he isn't saved4 ,this is a famous trick of ,satan and it's sad to say1 that he uses it over and over and it has worked on many souls4 ,we need not be ignorant of his devices4 ,it's a pretty sure fact that you are saved or the devil would not bother about you4 ,so don't let that trouble you1 but resist the devil1 or he will take your peace4 ,prayer is another thing we must do to keep our peace4 ,god knows what we need before we ask ,him1 but ,his plan is for us to ask4 ,prayer is not just always asking ,god for something1 but it's a means of fellowship with ,god4 ,it's a communion between ,god and us that brings love1 joy1 peace1 comfort and all that we need4 ,it's a heart to heart talk to ,god4 ,in prayer we tell our ,lord and ,saviour of our great love for ,him4 ,in prayer we never cease to praise ,him for dying on the cross and taking our punishment for our sins4 ,in prayer we1 so to speak1 just lift our hearts and minds up into that heavenly realm and we touch heaven4 ,a thrill of heavenly love flows from ,god down into the very depths of our inner being4 ,power1 strength and grace is given1 and with a deep inner joy we go forth and face the world4 ,others might wonder how we can have the courage to face the hard things1 but it's because of grace gained through prayer4 ,prayer should never be neglected or we will feel our peace slipping away4 ,prayer can be a groan1 a sigh1 a dropping of a tear1 a smile1 an inner praise going up to ,god1 laughter in the spirit1 or an inward or audible praise the ,lord6 ,prayer is the sincere desire of the heart or an attitude of the heart4 ,surely we can pray without ceasing1 as we keep a heart full of love for our ,lord and a feeling of utter dependence upon ,him4 ,in living in this way1 our peace will be abounding4 ,another foe we must watch is self4 ,often it has been said that we must die out to self1 but it goes deeper than just saying it4 ,self longs to live1 but it must be crucified4 ,we must remember that ye are not your own1 for ye are bought with a price3 therefore glorify ,god in your body1 and in your spirit1 which are ,god's4 ,i ,cor4 #f3ai1bj4 ,if we belong to ,god then we do not belong to ourselves4 ,we must be aware of the fact that self will make many concessions to live4 ,self sometimes will allow its owner to do many sacrificial deeds if it can live4 ,it will even bear hard things1 but it must go4 ,self must be crucified4 ,we must die to good deeds1 and to bad deeds1 successes1 failures1 exaltations1 humiliation1 friends and foes4 ,oh1 it must not be us but ,jesus that will be lifted up in our lives6 ,the ,apostle ,paul said1 ,i am crucified with ,christ3 nevertheless ,i live2 yet not ,i1 but ,christ liveth in me3 and the life which ,i now live in the flesh ,i live by the faith of the ,son of ,god1 who loved me1 and gave himself for me4 ,gal4 #b3bj4 ,so it must not be self that lives but ,christ must live in us4 ,we need to watch our thoughts to keep our peace4 ,we are told that ,god wilt keep him in perfect peace1 whose mind is stayed on thee3 because he trusteth in thee4 ,isa4 #bf3c4 ,when our peace is disturbed we need to check to see where our mind has been or what we were thinking about4 ,the mind is the battle ground4 ,the devil has access to the mind as well as ,god4 ,we are tempted through the mind4 ,the devil will present wrong thoughts and then the ,lord is right there to bring us good thoughts or suggest the right thing to do4 ,we need to separate our thoughts4 ,we need to cast out the wrong thoughts and only think on the good thoughts from ,god4 ,the devil is like a persistent salesman4 ,he will talk and talk at the door and if you are not careful he will get the door open and have his foot in it4 ,if you give him any encouragement he will be sitting in your living room and have his wares all spread out before you4 ,so we must not let the devil get past the door of our mind4 ,just tell him right off1 ,i am not interested4 ,we think of the children of ,israel in ,egypt1 when ,god told them to put the blood of the lamb on their doorposts one night1 so their eldest son would be spared when the death angel passed over4 ,ex4 #ab3ab1ac4 ,the blood on the door was the powerful warning to keep evil from the ,israelites on that night when the ,egyptians were visited and death was in every home4 ,just so1 dear ,grandson1 the blood of ,jesus on the door of our heart and mind will keep the devil from coming into our mind1 sitting down and displaying all of his wares of evil4 ,when tormenting thoughts1 thoughts of fear1 thoughts of unjust deeds of others done to you1 thoughts of self-pity1 anxiety1 doubts1 unforgiveness1 mistrust of ,god1 or evil of all kinds appear to take up your thoughts1 just resist them and point to the blood on the door of your heart4 ,those thoughts will have to flee4 ,sometimes a person can think upon an unjustice done to him and it will grow bigger and bigger4 ,the mistake is made by not resisting it in the beginning and forgiving the injustice4 ,god's ways are right1 if we will follow them4 ,when bold and daring thoughts move in and are persistent1 trying to fill every corner of our mind1 we need to point to the blood4 ,they have to leave4 ,bring the mind under subjection to the blood and think of good things4 ,and the peace of ,god1 which passeth all understanding1 shall keep your hearts and minds through ,christ ,jesus4 ,finally1 brethren1 whatsoever things are true1 whatsoever things are honest1 whatsoever things are just1 whatsoever things are pure1 whatsoever things are lovely1 whatsoever things are of good report2 if there be any virtue1 if there be any praise1 think on these things4 ,phil4 #d3g1h4 ,obedience to ,god's ,word ,be careful to obey the ,word of ,god1 and do not let others influence you to do wrong4 ,be strong and courageous to stand for right and truth4 ,dear ,grandson1 there will be many in the world who will sneer at you for your stand for right4 ,some will persecute you1 but don't let this influence you to let down your standard from ,god of what is right4 ,god expects us to obey ,him4 ,others might try to make you think that the way they have figured it out is right1 but still we must obey the ,lord4 ,when ,i was about #ac years of age ,i learned a lesson on obedience and resisting others influence that ,i never forgot4 ,i let others influence me to disobey my father's command4 ,it was presented to me in a way so that it seemed that it would be all right1 but yet it was a direct disobedience4 ,unexpectedly1 my parents were to be gone on ,sunday4 ,early that morning my father came upstairs to my bedroom1 and told me about their going1 and told me to take the three younger children to ,sunday school and church services1 and then come home1 prepare dinner and stay at home until they returned in the late afternoon4 ,after the morning services1 some of the young people wanted me to go home with them for dinner and then in the afternoon they were going to another town close by1 and have young people's meeting4 ,i repeated what my father said and told them that ,i couldn't go4 ,one girl especially began to beg me to go by saying that she was sure my father would not care4 ,i still refused to go1 so she talked to her mother about it4 ,her mother told me that she would take care of the three smaller children if ,i wanted to go with the young people to the meeting and she was sure my father would know they were in good care4 ,this over-persuasion was hard to turn down1 so ,i went home with them for dinner and to the young people's meeting in the afternoon4 ,i didn't feel very good over it as ,i knew what my father's command was and ,i knew that when he told me to do something he expected me to do it4 ,needless to say1 when my father heard about it1 ,i was punished for disobeying him4 ,he also had prayer with me1 instructing me to seek ,god's forgiveness4 ,the good intentions of others did not sway him4 ,he told me ,i should not let others influence me to disobey him1 regardless of what they presented4 ,it grieved him very much to think that ,i didn't do as he had told me1 and he said that he didn't know if he could trust me again4 ,i was very sorry and grieved also1 as ,i did want him to trust me4 ,my dear grandson1 ,god is grieved when we let others influence us to do wrong1 even though it may seem right to them4 ,they might present a plausible thing1 but if ,god said for us not to do it1 we must not4 ,we must obey ,god4 ,we are individually responsible to ,god to give an account for our deeds4 ,we can't tell ,god that others thought it was all right4 ,that will never excuse us4 ,we read of ,saul1 the king of ,israel1 who let the people persuade him to keep the sheep1 oxen1 etc4 of the wicked nation of the ,amalakites1 when ,god had told him to completely destroy everything4 ,the people said that they should take the best and offer them as a sacrifice to the ,lord4 ,this might have seemed plausible1 but it was a direct disobedience to the ,lord's command4 ,the ,lord told ,saul1 to obey is better than sacrifice4 ,saul's punishment was great4 ,samuel1 the prophet of the ,lord said1 thou hast rejected the word of the ,lord1 and the ,lord hath rejected thee from being king over ,israel4 ,i ,sam4 #ae3bj-bf4 ,god expects us to obey ,him and when we do1 we will have peace in our souls4 ,disobedience will bring the disfavor of ,god upon our soul and it will have to be punished4 ,jesus has said1 ,if ye love me1 keep my commandments4 ,john #ad3ae4 ,love for ,god will make us careful to keep ,his sayings and ,he will give us a peace that the world cannot take away from us4 ,we can't find soul peace in the world4 ,and after all1 my dear grandson1 we want to live so we can live with our inner self4 ,god created us with a part of ,himself in us4 ,there is something within us that looks up to a ,creator4 ,some will disregard the true ,god and worship the gods of stone etc4 ,they think that will satisfy the longing in their souls but it doesn't4 ,only when we are in contact with the true ,god can we find real peace4 ,now my dear grandson1 and all who read this1 take the true key to peace and let it open your heart and by prayerfully seeking ,god1 you can have peace in your soul4 ,i love the souls of all mankind and want everyone who will desire peace in their heart with ,god1 to make it into heaven by observing the ,word of ,god4 --,grandma ,miles 7,a4 ,marie ,miles7 ,i ,can ,handle ,it ,what does ,jeff's death mean to me8 ,well1 some kids will probably stop dropping flippies for awhile4 ,i mean1 you got to watch that stuff and know what you're getting so you don't take some with too much rat poison in it4 ,me1 ,i know what ,i am doing1 ,i can handle it4 ,this was the answer to a question asked of one of ,jeff ,stewart's friends who came to the cemetery1 with other barefooted friends1 who were clutching wild flowers1 to place on his grave4 ,jeff ,stewart was the son of a ,methodist preacher and had refused to listen to his parents4 ,they had pled with him in tears to turn away from drugs4 ,he had gotten into it through others' influence1 but when his parents tried to help him1 he would generally say1 ,i can handle it4 ,jeff ,stewart was a handsome boy1 so said his mother1 and a ,b student4 ,he was only #ag1 but had died of an overdose of barbiturates on ,august #bb1 #aigj in a shack that he and his drug addicted friends had built on a side street in ,hopewell1 ,new ,york4 ,in the midst of rock music he and his friends smoked marijuana and dropped acid1 7,,lsd7 regularly4 ,at times ,jeff wanted to get off drugs and had told his mother that he wished he had never started taking drugs1 was a little boy again and could start life all over4 ,there is a struggle going on in the minds of every young teen-ager4 ,at times he is a carefree person but then at other times he tries to act grown up or feels that he knows what he should do and the path he should walk4 ,these are difficult times in a teen-ager's life4 ,influences from within and from without will cause him to decide upon his course4 ,parents see this indecision and they try to guide their teen-agers in the right direction4 ,the pastor1 ,sunday school teacher1 and the young people's leader are all interested in the teen-agers and are trying to show them the right way4 ,at times the teen-ager thinks his parents or other spiritual instructors are right1 but the crowd at school1 and often the teacher1 use their influences to pull him the other way4 ,day after day he is making decisions4 ,the wrong influences seek to turn the teen-ager away from morality and ,god's ,word but they do not give anything to take its place in his heart or erase guilty feelings4 ,therefore he finds emptiness within1 so is compelled to continue to seek something else to satisfy him4 ,then he is led deeper into grosser evils1 trying to handle his inner longings4 ,some might say1 ,but how do you know8 ,i know because ,i went through those years and ,i know the influences to which ,i was exposed4 ,one time ,i wanted a certain thing or would want to do a certain thing but then later ,i didn't like or want it4 ,some at school would present their ideas and my parents and spiritual advisers presented their ideas4 ,in my mind ,i was continually weighing out what was right or what ,i really wanted to do4 ,as we think of the young boy who died of continually taking drugs and felt that he could handle his own life1 we see how he chose to travel the wrong road4 ,even though his buddies saw what had happened to him they were so stuck on drugs that they1 too1 thought they could still handle their lives4 ,what a mistake they are making and ,i am sure you are convinced of that fact4 ,none of us are able to 99handle99 our own lives4 ,when we are born we have within our very nature a bent toward evil4 ,that bent toward evil has to be curbed4 ,god gave children parents because they needed help to face life and to curb that which was within them that would lead them to the wrong path4 ,children and teen-agers should recognize this fact and listen to them4 ,even if you do not want to admit it1 you can't 99handle99 your own life without the aid of your parents4 ,furthermore you can't handle your life and walk the right path without ,god's help4 ,the devil works through the influences of others to lead you astray4 ,only through the power of ,god can the power of the devil be broken1 the bent toward evil be destroyed1 and you be able to do the right or choose the right path4 ,never feel that you can 99handle99 your own life4 ,no man1 woman1 child1 or teen-ager can 99handle99 his life or obey the ,word of ,god1 which teaches him the way to live in this life and be ready to die1 without help from outside of himself4 ,in my early teen-age life there were two verses of ,scripture that ,i had learned by memory which were a guide to me4 ,one was1 ,children1 obey your parents in the ,lord3 for this is right1 ,eph4 #f3a4 ,the other one was1 ,for ,god so loved the world1 that he gave his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish1 but have everlasting life4 ,john #c3af4 ,the first one made me know that ,god would bless me if ,i obeyed my parents4 ,many times my idea of what they required wasn't the thing that ,i wanted to do1 but ,i obeyed4 ,why8 ,because ,i loved ,jesus4 ,i was convinced that ,i was doomed for hell1 but ,jesus had loved me so much that ,he came to this world1 lived1 and died on the cross and arose again for my salvation4 ,if it had not been for ,jesus taking my sins and loving me so much ,i would be eternally lost4 ,that was a great influence in my life and today ,i am very glad that ,i obeyed my parents and also let ,jesus handle my life and lead me in a right direction4 ,when teen-agers rebel they are headed for trouble and oh1 what great trouble6 ,let us remember the young man who thought he could handle his life but had a tragic ending and was eternally lost4 ,dear ,grandson1 remember the ,bible has the answer to every problem1 and ,jesus will help you handle your life if you will let ,him4 99 99 99 99 99 ,two ,italian boys of ,new ,york ,city were returning from a swim4 ,they were each about fifteen years of age4 ,pietro had picked up a piece of copper wire and thought he would have a little fun with the third rail of the ,new ,york ,central track1 along which they were walking4 ,he poked away around the wooden covering of the rail1 but nothing happened4 ',that's funny1' he said4 ',i guess ,i didn't touch the right spot4' ,then he pushed the point of the wire down underneath the covering4 ,there was a flash of blue flame and a shriek of pain as #aa1jjj volts of electricity shot through the wire4 ,in a moment ,pietro's clothing was on fire and his hair and eyebrows were burned off4 ,he tried to drop the wire1 as it hissed and sputtered at white heat1 but it wouldn't let go4 ,he tried to pull it away1 but it stuck to the rail as if it were soldered there4 ,the other boy tired to pull him away1 but he was hurled to the ground with a terrific shock4 ,then the brave fellow threw his rubber coat around ,pietro and pulled him loose4 ,pietro started to run but fainted and fell4 ,they took him to the hospital1 and the doctor said1 ',one chance in a thousand to recover4' ,the boys said they knew there was something dangerous about that rail4 ,they had heard other people say so1 but they didn't think it would hurt to play around with it a little4 ,just so1 sin is dangerous4 ,it scorches and burns and kills1 like the live third rail4 ,people know it1 and yet they play around with sin4 ,many times there are signs near high voltage wires--,danger1 ,do ,not ,touch6 ,god has put up some signs1 too4 ,in ,his ,word ,he warns against the danger of sin4 ,if we want to be safe1 and happy1 we will heed these warnings4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a minister of ,geneva1 on a trip to ,paris1 one day fell into a conversation with a man who began to reason with him about ,christianity4 ,the minister answered every argument with a quotation from ,scripture--not venturing a single personal remark or application4 ,every quotation his companion evaded or turned aside1 only to be met by another passage4 ,the skeptic became enraged4 ',don't you see1 ,i don't believe your ,bible6 ,what's the use of quoting it to me8' he shouted4 ,the minister's reply was another thrust of the ,sword of the ,spirit1 ',if ye believe not that ,i am he1 ye shall die in your sins4' ,years passed1 then one morning the minister received a letter4 ,opening it he read1 ',you took the ,sword of the ,spirit and stabbed me through and through one day1 and every time ,i tried to parry the blade and get you to use your hands1 and not the ,heavenly steel1 you simply gave me another stab4 ,you made me feel ,i was not fighting you1 but ,god4' ,it was signed by the former skeptic in whom the 'seed of the ,word' had finally been mixed with faith4 ,even as the natural seed changes soil into plants1 so the living seed of the ,word changes the character of the individual who comes in contact with it4 ,for example1 in the night of the ,dark ,ages when the ,word of ,god was planted by the ,holy ,spirit in the hearts of chosen men1 it brought forth the fruit of the ,reformation4 ,there was a rediscovery of the truth1 that salvation is not by ritual or works1 but by faith in ,jesus as our ,saviour4 99 99 99 99 99 ,my grandson1 ,i will close these instructions to you1 as well as to all who read them1 with a prayer for each one4 ,as a teen-ager ,i found that it paid to live for ,god4 ,as a mother ,i found that ,god was there to help me in all the needs of life and as a grandmother and a possible great-grandmother1 ,i find great joy in living for ,god4 ,it pays to put ,god first in our lives4 ,seek ye first the kingdom of ,god and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you1 is the safe way to live because ,jesus1 our ,lord and ,master1 who has all wisdom has told us4 --,grandma ,miles 7,a4 ,marie ,miles7