{"id":823,"date":"2019-01-30T06:00:58","date_gmt":"2019-01-30T06:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/nextsteps\/?p=823"},"modified":"2019-01-24T20:26:21","modified_gmt":"2019-01-24T20:26:21","slug":"823","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/nextsteps\/2019\/01\/823.html","title":{"rendered":"The Tragically Predictable Result When We Ignore Guardrails"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

\"unsplash-logoGuillaume
Guillaume Jaillet<\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The following is a devotion from my message series\u00a010 Steps to Freedom<\/a>. I hope these devotionals help you experience lasting freedom in Jesus!<\/em><\/p>\n

STEP EIGHT: day 3<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Establish\u00a0<\/i>guardrails<\/i><\/b>\u00a0to protect your freedom<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

In Proverbs 7, King Solomon gives a powerful real life illustration of what happens when we don\u2019t establish guardrails in our lives: <\/span><\/p>\n

At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice. I saw among the simple,\u00a0I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. He was going down the street near her corner,\u00a0walking along in the direction of her house at twilight,\u00a0as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. Then out came a woman to meet him,\u00a0dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. She took hold of him\u00a0and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: \u201cToday I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering\u00a0at home.\u00a0So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you! I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,\u00a0aloes and cinnamon. Come, let\u2019s drink deeply of love till morning; let\u2019s enjoy ourselves with love! My husband is not at home;\u00a0he has gone on a long journey. He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.\u201d With persuasive words she led him astray;\u00a0she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer\u00a0stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces\u00a0his liver, like a bird darting into a snare,\u00a0little knowing it will cost him his life. Now then, my sons, listen\u00a0to me;\u00a0pay attention to what I say. Do not let your heart turn to her ways<\/i><\/span>\u00a0<\/i><\/span>or stray into her paths. <\/i>Proverbs 7:6-25<\/span><\/p>\n

The moral of the story? What should have been his guardrail? Don\u2019t walk down her street! Once he ignored that guardrail, the rest was tragically predictable.<\/span><\/p>\n

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Has there been a time when you failed to establish guardrails in your life? What was the result?<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. What are some guardrails you currently have established in your life that are protecting you from serious harm or bad decisions?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    You can read other devotional entries\u00a0for 10 Steps to Freedom\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      The following is a devotion from my message series\u00a010 Steps to Freedom. I hope these devotionals help you experience lasting freedom in Jesus! STEP EIGHT: day 3\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Establish\u00a0guardrails\u00a0to protect your freedom In Proverbs 7, King Solomon gives a powerful real life illustration of what happens when we don\u2019t establish guardrails…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":607,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[316,2],"tags":[318,366,278,264,186],"class_list":["post-823","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-10-steps-to-freedom","category-next-steps","tag-freedom","tag-guardrail","tag-proverbs","tag-solomon","tag-step"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Tragically Predictable Result When We Ignore Guardrails - Next Steps<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The destruction of this young man happened all the way at the first decision. 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