This morning we are going to look
at two ways that the Tempter (Satan) always uses to trip up Jesus’ followers:
He will always suggest a wrong road that seems right
Years ago Debbi Boone had a hit song, You
Light Up My Life. It was one of
those crossover songs, hitting the
popular, country, and gospel charts. One
phrase in the song always struck me as having the wrong message to ever be
considered part of a Christian worldview:
It can’t be wrong, when it feels so right.
Satan has had a lot of practice fooling even
the most mature believers. Friends, I
tell you the truth, don’t trust what your heart tells you. Don’t trust what country music, or your buds from the hood say. Satan will use anything and anybody to
confuse and corrupt your foundation. He
will always suggest a wrong road that seems right.
In the desert wilderness Jesus relied upon
God’s Word to find his way. So should
you.
He will always supply wrong reasons that sound right
Part of the Tempter’s strategy will always
present a slightly different (and entirely wrong) way of doing God’s will. Satan reminded Jesus He came to have a
kingdom, feed the hungry, and establish worship. And he could have those things quicker if he
just followed Satan’s advice.
Friends,
no matter how high sounding the end,
the way
you do things had better square with God’s Word – otherwise you are on
thin ice.
A church I served was without a music
director. Of all things, I (who cannot
even carry someone else’s tune) was leading the singing. A group of a dozen visitors showed up one
Sunday morning.
After the service, Carl, a very distinguished
looking member of that group invited me to visit him the next evening. I showed up, and was treated to two hours of
Carl showcasing his musical talents – complete with solo and framed music
course certificates. The evening ended
with Carl’s statement: Preacher, me and those other families want
to join your church…if you’ll make
me the songleader. I told him I
thought he and those other folks would probably be happier in another
church.
Now, I didn’t know the man from Adam’s housecat. But, I knew enough that anytime there is an “offer with an if” you’re in the middle
of a business transaction. I needed a
music director, but this was Mt. Temptation.
I later found out the man had split two other churches with his marvelous music. His wrong reasons had plenty of sound
right (and certificates
to prove it) – but they were still wrong
reasons. He cared nothing for the church
he was so generously “offering” to serve – it was his agenda and pride that mattered
to the songman.
Be Prepared!
Jesus prepared himself spiritually, with
fasting and prayer in the wilderness.
When the attack came he was ready with God’s Word to not only survive
the temptation, but to overcome and become stronger
for the days ahead.
Today
Remember that the battle is only that – one
battle in a lifetime war!
Prepare yourself today and every day with God’s Word, the Sword of the
Spirit. You don’t wait until it starts
to rain before you think about repairing that roof; your spiritual roof needs shingles
from the Word of God. Get on it!
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