My daily devotion- sometimes we give the devil way too much credit. While he gives us the opportunity to sin, ultimately, it is OUR CHOICE. Live your day as one who is blessed and highly favored!! The Devil Made Me Do It Mary Southerland from the website Girlfriends in God Today’s Truth But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you cant stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it (1 Corinthians 10:13, NLT). Friend To Friend While Flip Wilson, a talented comedian and variety show host of the 80’s, is often credited with the origination of that well-known and still popular excuse “The devil made me do it,” I think Eve actually beat him to the punch. Temptation really has not changed much since the Garden of Eden days. Like that juicy red apple, temptation still entices us with delicious sin. We still engage in power struggles with God, we still flirt with the devil, and when we get caught, we still try to shift the blame to someone else. Temptation is not a test from God but rather a trap from Satan that is baited with seductive snares in every size, shape and appeal. Paul reminds us that we are not alone in our temptation. “But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience.” At first glance, those words are discouraging to me. You see, I need to believe that my temptations are bigger and stronger than the temptations others face because that belief gives me a little “wiggle room” to rationalize away my sin. I can then draw attention to the exclusivity and enormity of the temptations I face. After all, no one else could possibly understand what it is like to deal with such strong temptations. Paul says, “Get real! Your temptations are no different from the ones everyone else faces – including Jesus.” I can’t tell you how much comfort it brings me to know that Jesus understands what it feels like to be tempted in the same way I am tempted. Religious hypocrites taunted Jesus, trying to lure Him into the trap of anger and pride. Jesus understood physical pain as well as the pain of loss. Jesus wept when His friend Lazarus died, and He cried out on the cross when those nails were driven into His hands. Jesus was lonely and felt abandoned when the disciples fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane, and was well acquainted with betrayal and ulterior motives. I am certain women threw themselves at Jesus. After all, He was a controversial, powerful, and exciting man. Jesus was also very human. That is the point! Jesus came to earth as a frail, weak, and flawed vessel just like you and me. Yet, He was without sin. Jesus is also well acquainted with the cunning seduction of Satan who first came in the form of a snake and at a time and in such a way that neither Eve nor Adam expected. Part of the work that Adam and Eve had to do was to care for and rule over the animals. The serpent was part of their dominion, so he used deception and wore a disguise. He still does. Life would be so much easier if Satan was obvious, but he isn’t. He is subtle and clever as he mixes lies with truth. He never shouts - he whispers. His goal is the total destruction of your life, and his opening attack is temptation. We have to remember that temptation is not sin. Eve did not sin when she began her conversation with Satan nor did she sin when she questioned God’s instructions. Eve sinned when she mentally agreed with the lies of the enemy. That mental choice led to an action of disobedience. A visitor at a fishing dock asked an old fisherman who was sitting there, If I were to fall into this water, would I drown? It was a strange way of asking how deep the water was, but the fisherman had a good answer. No. Falling into the water doesnt drown anybody. Its staying under it that does. Remember … temptation is not sin. It is an invitation to sin. Just say “no.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 09:03:03 +0000
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