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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>THOUGHT OF THE DAY<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>T.G.I.F. - Thank God I'm Forgiven!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>___<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>DAILY DEVOTION<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Wisdom and Folly<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Proverbs 1:20-23<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Sometimes as we look at the world around us, it's hard to believe people are acting the way they are. Perhaps you remember the story of the man in Pennsylvania in 2018 who robbed a bank and was quickly captured because he signed his name at the bottom of the note he handed the teller. Then there was a New Jersey woman in 2022 who went to the police station to apply for a security job, even though there was a warrant out for her arrest for credit card fraud. In England, in 2021 a man who had escaped jail and hidden from the police for months was arrested when he broke the COVID lockdown and went out to buy a copy of the newest Call of Duty video game.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The truth is that because all of us have a fallen nature, it is easy for us to find sin attractive. Solomon pointed out that people living without God and His wisdom enjoy doing things that are wrong. And James reminds us that it is the sinful desires of our own hearts that make temptation attractive to us: "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed" (James 1:14). Unless we are willing to turn to God and follow Him, not just for salvation but for strength every day of our lives, we will easily be led astray by things that seem good and enjoyable, but lead to destruction. It is not our own wisdom, but the wisdom of God that protects us from the allure of sin. It is His wisdom freely made available to us, that warns us of dangers and guides us to the right path.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Following the wisdom of God protects us from the foolishness of sin.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>