... the text for May 28, 2020

Jehovah became furious at Solomon. - 1 Kings 11:9

Jehovah was righteously angry with Solomon, because He had warned him about seeking other gods. How did Solomon end up on this path? Well, he did have many wives, who did not worship Jehovah. In time, he turned away from God, the one who gave him supassing wisdom.

When I was married to my first wife, it was good for a time. Then what happened was that she didn't feel like going to the meetings. I was serving as a ministerial servant at the time. Monday nights were our book study (about 27 years ago). We carpooled to work, so on that night, my wife would cajole me into going to a sports bar. Then it became regular, and so, our meeting attendance started to drop.

In time, I was removed as a minsterial servant, because I was absent all the time from meetings. I did love my wife, so I allowed her to influence me in that way.

I was inactive for five years. When I mustered up the strength to go to meetings again, and studying, my wife started to persecute me. She would purposely start a fight with me on meeting nights, so that i would be too angry or upset to go. I caught onto her game, so I went to the meetings mad and upset anyway.

She had even gone so far as to tell me that she wanted me to love her even though she wanted to be worldly. I told her I loved Jehovah first, so it became a competition with her to get me to sin against Jehovah.

Eventually, I gave in, haviing met a woman at a computer club meeting. I got divorced, and that was that. But, the damage I had received was so great, it took almost 10 years after my divorce to feel whole again.

It's important to remember, Micah 7:6 says your enemy is your household. That's exactly how Satan uses the situation. So, one would be weaker than the other and the effect is similar to a bowl of apples. If one rots, it affects the others so that they're rotten to. It's crucial to have the resolve that nothing will get in the way of your worship to Jehovah. Evem an innocent action like missing the occasional meeting, not studying, skipping Bible reading, sleeping in when you should be going in service, these can have a cumulative effect, so let us work hard to maintain a strong spiritual routine.

Bad associations come in two flavors: one is very clear, the other very subtle. Satan uses the subtle because it works gradually, slowly eroding away the faith and the habits until it's gone.

Solomon was the wisest man on earth, but he lost it all with associating with the wrong people. It's a good thing to make friends who want the best for you. Anything else is dangerous.