Surely you have heard of the Caleb Flynn murder trial~

My norm is to read headlines and gather what is happening in our world through the avenue of Facebook. I have never been one to get too in-depth in the news. But this sickening coward and the correlation to the Book of Proverbs is spot on so I was driven to learn a bit more. As I played a partial reel from the mistress on the stand giving testimony, I heard something that made me even sicker to my stomach. The amount of texting between she and Caleb was unbelievable; her texts being twice as many as his. The prosecutor was having her read through a portion of the documented texting where she is sending one text after another, wearing him down; trapping him so to speak…The part that made me even sicker? I could see myself in that scenario eroding his resolve! As a daughter of Eve, who shared a bite with Adam, we have great power for influence ~ OR, an obsession…

with someone’s looks, sex, food, sweets, shopping, games, automobiles, travel, money, work, collecting stuff, etc. The list has no end because Satan – the advisory of the brethren can use anything (1 Peter 5:8)!

Not giving God His rightful place, we fall to temptation!

Caleb was responsible for what he initiated. Testimony given was that he pursued her; being tempted, he followed through (James 1:14-15). And subsequently, she had him and it snowballed into murder! Caleb’s foot was caught!

The fool dismisses the instruction of his father and despises instruction. Pay attention and learn good judgment, for I am giving you good guidance. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Watch the path of your feet! (Taken from Proverbs 4)

The lips of an adulteress drip honey; Keep your way far from her, And do not go near the door of her house, Lest you give your vigor to others, And your hard-earned goods go to the house of an alien; And you groan at your latter end, When your flesh and your body are consumed… (Taken from Proverbs 5).

For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life, To keep you from the evil woman, From the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Can a man take fire in his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? Or can a man walk on hot coals, And his feet not be scorched? (Taken from Proverbs 6)

Sifted like wheat!

And the Lord said…Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not (Luke 22:31-32).

Satan is a schemer, a liar (Matthew 6:13). We can easily fall into his trap (1 Corinthians 10:12) and live lives enslaved to sin but those who are a part of the fold, He will always pursue, just as He did Israel whenever they strayed from their Shepherd. The Minor Prophets of the Old Testament wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and detailed the accounts of God’s discipline for His people because they constantly fell prey to harlotry (following after idols).

Flee from the worship of idols!

No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to [someone’s looks, sex, food, sweets, shopping, games, automobiles, travel, money, work, collecting stuff, etc]! (Matthew 6:24)

“I WILL vindicate the holiness of my great name which you have profaned!”

Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations. I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign LORD, then the nations will know that I am the LORD. For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God. I will cleanse you of your filthy behavior. I will give you good crops of grain, and I will send no more famines on the land. I will give you great harvests from your fruit trees and fields, and never again will the surrounding nations be able to scoff at your land for its famines. Then you will remember your past sins and despise yourselves for all the detestable things you did. But remember, says the Sovereign LORD, I am not doing this because you deserve it. O my people of Israel, you should be utterly ashamed of all you have done! (Ezekiel 36:22-32)

“It is vital to understand that the members of your body will always go where your heart has already gone” (Paul David Tripp).

Are you guarding your heart?

“But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers” (Jesus, Luke 22:32).

As long as Caleb Flynn has breath, he still can ask the LORD to forgive his sin and be restored in a relationship that could be used to strengthen his brethren, even the ones behind bars!