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Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. (NASB) Eccl. 11:9 |
Solomon is a great example of how a person can avoid going the wrong way. "Friends" can lead us astray. Husbands and wives can lead us astray. Anyone can. Solomon should have avoided spending a lot of time with those who did not follow God and He should have spent more time in God's Word.
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How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. (NASB) Ps. 119:9 |
You asked the question, "Will I stay in the right group when I grow up so that I do not go to jail?" Have you considered that God might want you to be in jail? That is what happened to the apostles of Jesus (Ac 5:18). They ended up in jail because they followed Him. The civil authorities had told them to stop preaching about Jesus (Acts 4:15-18). They refused. They pleased God. If God chooses to put you in jail because you followed Him, then praise the Lord, for great is your reward in heaven.
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Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (NASB) Matt. 5:10-12 |
Conclusion: God wants our hearts to be seeking to know Him. Where do we find Him? We discover the most about Him in the Word of God. Obeying the Word of God is the first step to staying on the "right path." Next, we need to avoid evil situations, and avoid romantic relationships with those of the opposite sex who are not really Christians. Just because a person says he/she is a Christian does not mean he/she has a heart for God. Christians should avoid spending a lot of social time with non-Christians unless it is for the purpose of telling them about Jesus. Here is a great verse for all of us that tells us how our days are to be spent.
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In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (NASB) Prov. 3:6 |
I would also encourage you to ask God to fill you each day with His Holy Spirit. This will help to keep you from sin. God wants our heart to seek Him - to long to know Him more and more! |
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