“For your ways are in full view of the Lord and He examines all your paths. The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast. For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly” (PV 5:20-23)

The church cannot save a soul. Religion cannot change his heart. If you see a religious man addicted to a particular sin and unable to be delivered, it means he is ‘wicked’. In other words he is an unbeliever. For the believer has real help, the power of the Holy Spirit. He prays in the name of Jesus and he can be set free from any sin. But the unbeliever uses the power of his flesh trying to be free. That is a losing battle. According to the Bible, an unbeliever is a wicked man. Everything he does is wicked. Even his so called prayer is offensive to God. The wicked deeds are the very cords that ‘ensnare’ his soul. It is a trap of the devil forcing his victim to commit more evil.

An unbeliever is not only wicked but also a rebellious fool. Without Christ he will perish for ‘lack of discipline’. In Hebrew this word means chastisement, warning, instruction, restrain, correction, rebuke or instruction according to correct doctrine. Without the chastisement of God the wicked shall go astray. The proud man shall be misled. He will make many mistakes, becoming deceived and deceiving others. Intoxicated with his foolishness, ignorant of the truth, he will wander into more danger and disgrace.

Tonight I worship God…looking back, I discover that it is so easy to go astray! This evening I thank God for His Fatherly love, for chastising me, for blocking my way when I wanted to backslide, for using people to rebuke me for my pride, for my loveless attitude and my dangerous fears…I thank God especially for my husband, who is also my pastor, who pointed out to me my faults as a wife, as a woman of God, and patiently corrected me…I thank God for my children who helped me to see my weaknesses as a mother and help me to improve…I even thank God for my enemies who were hard enough on me. They made me cry but my tears washed the dirt of confusion and the slime of fear…I thank God for the Holy Spirit who did not allow me to go too far in my foolishness …Yes, this is a thanksgiving night for me…To God be all the glory!