April 10th 2021
David_Orr • April 10, 2021
23 'For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, 23 to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. 25 Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; 26 for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life. 27 Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? 28 Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? 29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished. 30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, 31 but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house. 32 He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. 33 He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away. 34 For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. 35 He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.'
Proverbs 6:23-35 https://my.bible.com/bible/59/PRO.6.23-35
Cheating on God
Again we are back to last weeks picture of the costs of adultery. God gave Solomon this understanding because the King was responsible to judge such matters when they came before him. I am sure Solomon had many Magistrates to judge such legal things in court but only the King had Life or Death Authority. If a man came before him for killing the man that destroyed his family Solomon’s wisdom would have called it justified. We have so diminished the value of the husband-wife covenant that many people say “It’s Going to Happen”. When I was a child in the 60’s the man that shot an adulterer in his bed would have never gone to jail. Has the value of virtue gone down so much? In God’s eyes it hasn’t diminished. Just because infidelity has become normal doesn’t change the commandments of God.
Godly Jealousy!
When Adam and Eve committed Adultery against God by allowing Satan to seduce them God showed the exercise of Godly Wisdom and restraint. God would have been justified in destroying them all and us along with them. It indeed would have been the righteous thing to do. God chose to give Grace instead. Especially since death was promised beforehand if they disobeyed and spiritual death became a thing at that very moment. Choosing Life before that was the easy choice now we have to overcome our adulterous nature to choose it.
Wisdom shows the parallel of Spiritual and marital adultery and helps us understand how God sees our sin. “The Wages of Sin is Death, But the Gift of God is Eternal Life Through Jesus Christ our LORD!” Romans 6:23
I value the relationship between husband and wife to the level that if I had married and then been cheated on I doubt my reaction would be Grace. I could never excuse such a reaction and would probably have been next because I know taking life is wrong. God has had to stop me twice already from killing the men when girlfriends cheated. I had rather never have that husband wife relationship as to devalue it. And I never want to be guilty of taking another life. God didn’t devalue you because we fell into sin and condemnation. When you actually see how our transgression effected God that makes the gift of His Grace so much more Precious! When those girls cheated on me the rage of jealousy was unbearable.
God made us that way so we can understand the way He feels when we choose this world over Him. Then He loves us so much He died in our place to meet His requirement of our fidelity. God is Righteous and He could not excuse wrong. The very thought that there had to be death paid should elevate the value of our covenant of Faith in Him to beyond price.
Ridgecrest Blog
There’s a difference between walking near someone and walking with them. It's a difference you can feel. I don’t just want to walk beside my wife—I want to hold her hand, to wrap my arm around her, to stay close. And in the same way, God doesn't just want us to stroll behind Him at a safe distance. He wants us right next to Him. Closer than close. The Bible makes that clear—again and again. In fact, one of the most beautiful things is when the same truth is spoken in both the Old and New Testaments. That’s when we know God is driving a point home. Take James in the New Testament. He gives us four practical, life-changing steps that can draw us closer to God: Depend on the Savior Deny the devil Desire to sin less Delight in selflessness These aren’t just catchy phrases—they’re daily actions. They’re reminders that we’re not strong enough to live this life on our own. We need help. We need a Savior. And when we lean on Him, He promises to draw near to us. That message isn’t new. It echoes through Proverbs 3:5-7: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” This ancient wisdom from Solomon aligns perfectly with James. Why? Because truth doesn’t change. God's Word is living, consistent, and always calling us to take that next step closer to Him. Maybe you’re reading this and you feel distant from God. Maybe you’ve been walking on autopilot—doing the right things, going to church, saying the prayers—but deep down, you know there’s a gap. Here's the good news: If you’re not close to God right now, it’s not because He moved. He’s still there. Still waiting. Still inviting. “Draw near to me,” God says, “and I will draw near to you.” That word “draw” isn’t passive. It’s personal. In the original language, it carries the idea of reaching out and hugging someone. That’s the kind of closeness God wants. Not cold religion, but a warm relationship. An embrace. An arm around your shoulder. And if you’ve never experienced that before—if you’ve never known what it’s like to walk hand-in-hand with Jesus—it’s not too late. All you have to do is ask. Ask Him to forgive your sins. Admit you can’t save yourself. Believe that only Jesus can. He will meet you there. Every time. And if you’re already a believer? There’s still room to grow. Every single one of us could walk a little closer to Jesus than we did yesterday. None of us have arrived. And the beautiful part is—He’s not asking for perfection. He’s just asking for your heart. So today, let’s take those steps. Let’s depend. Deny. Desire. Delight. Let’s walk a little closer. Let’s hold His hand. And let’s never let go. Closing Thought: Wouldn’t it feel good to be hugged tight by Jesus? That’s not just poetic. That’s possible. Because He’s reaching out right now—waiting for you to reach back.
We are proud to share that Ridgecrest Baptist Church has been a part of the efforts supporting Together We Foster, an organization dedicated to serving the foster care community of Northeast Arkansas.
Welcome to Ridgecrest Baptist Church! We're thrilled to have you join us today for a time of worship, fellowship, and spiritual growth. Whether you're a long-time member or visiting for the first time, your presence enriches our community. Let's open our hearts to receive God's word and blessings together. Thank you for joining us at our VBS closing celebration! Today, our kids will receive certificates, perform a special song for parents, and enjoy a slideshow/video highlighting this week's exciting activities. Stick around after the service for a celebration meal with all families. Blessings,
Happy Father's Day! Welcome to Ridgecrest Baptist Church as we celebrate and honor all fathers today. Whether you're a father, a father figure, or celebrating with a father, we're delighted to have you join us for worship and fellowship. Let's take this opportunity to reflect on the blessings of fatherhood and the love of our Heavenly Father. May today's service uplift and inspire you! "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed." - Psalm 112:1-2 (ESV) Blessings,