When Temptation Comes..

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

-Matthew 4:1-11 NIV

These verses show that Satan's goal was to attack Jesus' faith on three very specific grounds. This attack is portrayed when Satan tempts Christ to turn bread to stone, throw Himself down to see if God will disperse His angels, and fall down and worship Satan.

 This is an attack on the Son's faith in the Father to provide, protect, and fulfill His promise. The application is that we are tempted to doubt God in those three specific areas. By realizing this reality, we should be more prepared to withstand the tests that we encounter. God will surely provide. This a a display for the need of faith in God's ability to provide which is expressed in trust in God's order. Psalm 91 is written regarding God's protection for His people. The temptation is to become reckless without abandon in our conduct.

The passage says, "Because he has set His love upon me, I will deliver Him..." The nature of this verse shows that God's protection is most effective when we are operating from love for the Father. Any other motive proves us to be self-centered and puts us in danger. God has promised us an inheritance beyond anything that we could imagine. The world we live in attempts to discredit God's promise to His people by attacking our faith in His promise. It is important that we stay focused on God by staying connected in prayer and worship. False worship is placing anything in priority before God. This action shows doubt that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do.

 We must always be aware that Satan is constantly attacking our faith in God to provide, protect, and fulfill His promises. However, the trying of our faith makes is stronger and more capable. Let us continue to exercise our faith in God.

-SiccsFo

Captivity or Freedom...the choice is yours

How many have heard of Babylon in the Bible? It was like the ultimate place when every carnal desire could be attained easily. Sound familiar? Kinda sounds like the day we live in. So take the word "Babylon" and let it become the mentality or mind set of carnal desire where every worldly thing is just a step away or who the world says you must be to be cool and accepted. I am not attacking America, just trying to help with a mental picture.

So, let's begin there and realize that surrounding us is everything our flesh could possible desire. How are we to live in an excessive culture and not be poisoned by it, let alone influence it? In a place where youth and beauty are the greatest things desired, how are we to avoid being sucked in? The term "friendly captivity" comes to mind. Think about that for a while. To be in captivity is to be enslaved. This world offers a lot of friendly captivity. The way it leads to captivity is by saying one look won't hurt, one taste can't hook, one time won't change, you deserve it... The thing is captivity never remains friendly. The more you have, the more you need and the less happy you become. Just ask anyone you has been addicted to anything. The more we "play" with sin, the more we will be sucked in. Satan will bide his time and wait for the opportune moment to take us captive. It may seem like your getting away with what your doing, but make no mistake the devil will ensnare you when you play with sin and you will be the one with the regrets.

Here's a question. Are you so used to the decaying morals that surround you that you don't even know how to blush anymore? What I mean by that is there is stuff that we see daily weather it be on TV, the internet, or real life that should shock and embarrass us. When we are no longer embarrassed or shocked by what we see, than we are beginning on the road to that friendly captivity. Daily we are being indoctrinated or trained by the culture around us. What are you doing to counteract that?

Now we come to the choice part. Any decision that we make, that is not easy requires this small thing called resolve. Resolve means to make a decision or have firmness of purpose. Resolve requires integrity on our part as well. Integrity is the state of being undivided or complete. Integrity depends on consistency. Consistency is sticking with something and doing it over and over that same way. I'm not talking about being perfect. Perfection on earth is impossible. What I mean is that resolve is not a one time choice. It is a daily thing. It means making the right choices over and over and over again. It means that no matter who you are with, where you are, or if you are by yourself, that you are the same person. Life is much easier and simpler when we don't have to remember what we are supposed to be with different people.

Here's the low down. The devil never wastes his attacks. He knows where in our lives that we are inconsistent. He's know when we stop making the resolute decision to choose what is right. He knows exactly what to send in your path to make you trip because he's been studing your habits. The bull's-eye for him is our inconsistency. That's where he'll be waiting to help us make the bad choice.

We will live making the right choices on purpose or we will not do it at all.
"Sin is crouching at you door; it desires to have you" Gen. 4:7
Right living takes tenacious obedience!

The choice is yours...


Athena
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