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When things go wrong in life, we tend to look for someone to blame. Rarely do we naturally like to assume responsibility for our poor choices. Instead of realizing that we made a stupid decision, and it is our fault for why things are the way they are, our sinful human inclination is to transfer the fault to something or someone else. In doing this, we forfeit the opportunity to recognize and learn from our mistakes. Illustration: Bruce Nolan suffering the consequences of his foolish choices and then blaming God for the misfortune in his life, from the movie Bruce Almighty. Verses: Prov. 19:3 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille

Some things in life it seems like we can escape from, or at least avoid the direct consequences of them. But when it comes to sin, the consequences always seem to find a way to come around and bite us in the end. That is because sin is destructive no matter which way you look at it. It will destroy you and likely also injure those around you. And if it is the sin of adultery, you can be sure the damage will be severe. It will bring great harm upon you, everyone involved, and countless others. Illustration: Carl Lentz, prominent and highly successful Hillsong Church pastor in New York City, and the adultery that destroyed his life and his career in Christian ministry. Verses: -- Prov. 5:20-23; 14:12; 16:25; Rom 14:10-12; 1 Tim 5:24 Teacher: -- Jerry Wierwille

Yahweh intended man and woman to be united in marriage and to enjoy sexual intimacy within that union. Our world condones people seeking to satisfy their sexual cravings in various ways that do not honor Yahweh’s design for the flourishing of humankind. Husbands and wives are to see their spouse as the sole avenue for sexual pleasure to protect and honor their marriage covenant. Faithful husbands and wives will be blessed as they enjoy many years of satisfying each other and being captivated by their love. Illustration: Bill Yaconis, a dear friend and wonderful example of a faithful husband for over five decades. Verses: Prov. 5:15-19; Song 4:1-5; 5:1 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille

Some say that experience is our greatest teacher. And its true that when we make mistakes, and they come with far-reaching effects, we realize very quickly how wrong the choice was that we made. But we can’t go back and change what we did. All of the choices in our lives are one-way streets, and once we figure out that we have been heading down a particular road, it’s too late to undo what has been done. We have to live with the consequences. Illustration: Two stories of men who share how their adultery cost them everything they hold dear. Verses: Prov. 5:12-14; 12:15 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille

Some choices in life will result in loss no matter which way you look at it. Certain things may appear to offer adventure, excitement, and discovery, but hidden beneath the surface is a world of destruction and suffering. Marriage brings many trials and challenges to life, and some might think that the grass is greener elsewhere. But that is a dangerous thought. The temptation to be unfaithful carries with it an untold amount of hurt and pain. And in the end, it will become a regret that you can never take back.   Illustration: Francisco Huizar, who was sued by Keith King for $8.8 million for committing adultery with his wife and had to file for bankruptcy.   Verses: Prov. 5:7-11; 6:34-35   Teacher: Jerry Wierwille

You can never be too cautious so as to recognize when someone might be trying to seduce you. People can say all kinds of nice things about you and tell you how great they think you are, but if they are trying to manipulate you, watch out! The power of seduction is a deadly venom that if foolishly swallowed will lead to one’s peril and demise. We must guard ourselves against “dangerous” people who would seduce us and have us join them on their journey toward destruction. Illustration: Joseph and the seductive attempts of Potiphar’s wife in Egypt (Gen. 39:1-20) Verses: Prov. 5:1-6; 4:20; 2:2 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille

Few things are more deceptive than the promise of pleasure that lust brings. While there might be pleasure for a brief time, inevitably it ends with pain and suffering. Adultery is one of those deceptions. Few people who commit adultery truly understand the far-reaching implications and consequences of their actions. Only after they have sinned do they begin to realize just how destructive adultery can be to their life—and no one is immune to its effects. Illustrations: Jonathan Amerault, who had an affair with the wife of Armando Barron. In a fit of rage on account of Amerault committing adultery with his wife, Barron brutally assaulted and killed Amerault in vengeance. Verses: Prov. 6:27-29, 32-35; Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22  Teacher: Jerry Wierwille

Yahweh God created us to experience deep emotions. But not all emotions are created equal. Some are more difficult to deal with than others. Anger and other agitated emotions can quickly lead us into different ways of thinking and acting. And when that happens, we may say and do things that we later regret. We need to be cautious about our emotions and control them, or they will control us. Illustrations: 1) Kanye West interruption during Taylor Swift’s best female video award at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony. 2) Tom Brady’s careful response to the press after Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered a demoralizing defeat by the Los Angeles Rams at the end of the 2022 NFL playoffs. Verses: Prov. 29:11; 25:28 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille

Being “shrewd” or “clever” may not be a characteristic that many seek to grow in. But that is what it means to be “prudent.” We can develop our ability to look ahead and understand where things lead. Contrarily, a person could be content just following their own ideas and desires, and in the end, be misled and deceived. The great deception begins with our own—to be deceived is to deceive. Illustration: Sergei Anatolyevitch Torop (“Vissarion”), Russian cult leader of “Church of the Last Testament,” who professes to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ and has a large following living with him on a commune in Siberia. Verses: Prov. 14:8 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille

A person might think that they can enjoy some benefit or personal gain through dishonest means as long as they don’t get caught. The problem is what might seem good in the moment will eventually sting in the end. Wrongdoing can taste “sweet” at first because of the immediate gratification it offers, but the bitter pain of its consequences will eventually find you, either now or in the future. Illustration: Jeffrey Skilling, CEO of Enron, who implemented fraudulent accounting practices to deceive shareholders and investors. Verses: Prov. 20:17; 24:12 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille

Children watch the behavior and life patterns of their parents and innately model their life after them. If the teaching of the parents is godly and their lives exhibit wisdom, their children will see that and learn how to live with wisdom in their life as well. But parents also must explicitly teach their children about wisdom in hopes that the children listen to and hold onto their words. Illustration: The example of the obedience of the Rechabites to the commandments of their ancestor Jonadab. Verses: Prov. 4:1-4; 9:10; Jer. 35:1-17 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille

We all need money to live. With the ever-increasing cost of living and the invention of so many new things to make life better, getting rich can sound like a good plan to solve that problem and acquire everything we want. But wealth is deceptive in that it is inherently unstable. One day we can have it, and the next day it vanishes. Illustration: Sean Russell’s disastrous 2017 investment in bitcoin. Verses: Prov. 23:4-5 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille

Emotions are a powerful part of who God created us to be. He did not intend for us to be controlled by our emotions– we must learn to master them. Without self-control, we become dangerous and unpredictable. We don’t often make good decisions when emotionally embroiled, tending to hurt others by our words and actions because out of control emotions tend to result in foolish choices. Illustration: Russell Crowe assaulting a hotel desk clerk with a telephone in a fit of rage Verses: Prov. 25:28 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille

Sometimes we only learn our lesson after the consequences of our actions catch up with us. Why is it so hard at times to see the pain down the road that our actions will cause? Foolishness causes a wide range of damage to our lives, and one of the areas it can drastically affect is our finances. Being enticed by sin and making poor choices, especially when it comes to sexual conduct, can have far reaching and harmful effects where we destroy our wealth in the process. Illustration: The Parable of the Lost Son (Lk 15:11-24) Verses: Prov. 29:3; 5:8-13 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille If you were blessed by this episode, please consider supporting this podcast by donating at https://spiritandtruthonline.org/donate/

When life knocks us down, it may seem impossible to stand back up and keep going. But we don’t have to face our struggles in life in our own power. The person who submits to Yahweh will never walk through life alone, and when adversity knocks them down, they can rise again; disaster doesn’t have to end in our defeat; we can get back up again! Illustration: Michael (“Eddie the Eagle”) Edwards and his struggle to qualify for ski jumping in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada. Verses: Prov. 24:16 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille If you were blessed by this episode, please consider supporting this podcast by donating at https://spiritandtruthonline.org/donate/

Everyone needs friends. Life is better being in relationship with people, and friendships are an important part of that. But not all friendships are equal. Some friends are better friends than others, and some friends are merely social. However, true friends and will stand by your side. What distinguishes one friend from the next and why does it matter? Wisdom reveals that knowing who your true friends are is important. Illustration: Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee in the The Lord of the Rings on the slopes of Mount Doom in Mordor. Verses: Prov. 18:24; 17:17 Teacher: Jerry Wierwille If you were blessed by this episode, please consider supporting this podcast by donating at https://spiritandtruthonline.org/donate/

People often strive for satisfaction in life through money, status, family, or other life accomplishments so they can live at ease and not worry about life any longer. But there is only one thing that can give us true life, rest, and contentment. If we seek to attain the fullness of life on our own, we will be left with only disappointment and heartache because we can’t do it ourselves. Illustration: The Parable of the Businessman and the Fisherman Verses:  Prov. 19:23; 14:26-27   Teacher:  Jerry Wierwille  If you were blessed by this episode, please consider supporting this podcast by donating at https://spiritandtruthonline.org/donate/

Living wisely or foolishly has long-reaching effects. We experience many consequences of our choices in our present life. But some consequences will not become known until in the future. Wisdom provides health, success, and well-being, but more importantly, long life now, and everlasting life in God’s future kingdom. While the wicked might seem to prosper now, there is a day coming where they will be “cut off” and will be no more. Illustration: Sheila Fields, who is a landlord in Buffalo, NY, suffered immense loss from the behavior of a deceptive and violent tenant. Verses:  Prov. 2:20-22  Teacher:  Jerry Wierwille  If you were blessed by this episode, please consider supporting this podcast by donating at https://spiritandtruthonline.org/donate/

We all desire to be spoken well of but we must be careful that we don’t get caught in the trap of flattery from others where we might then make poor choices that we normally wouldn’t. Sexual sin (like adultery) rarely happens suddenly. The seductiveness of flattery is that it works little by little over time until a person decides to make a foolish decision that they will regret the rest of their life. Verses:  Prov. 2:16-19  Teacher:  Jerry Wierwille If you were blessed by this episode, please consider supporting this podcast by donating at https://spiritandtruthonline.org/donate

The world is filled with people who are seeking ways to take advantage of others. Wisdom will protect those who listen to her from all manner of evil perversions, twisted paths, and devious ways of the wicked. Wisdom is a guardian who will provide safety from the unrighteous schemes of evil people who would gladly exploit others for their own benefit. Illustration: Charles C. Parker, a New York con artist who sold the Brooklyn Bridge to wealthy immigrants for over 40 years. Verses:  Prov. 2:12-15   Teacher:  Jerry Wierwille If you were blessed by this episode, please consider supporting this podcast by donating at https://spiritandtruthonline.org/donate