- araratchurch
- May 26, 2023
- 2 min read
“My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel. Then you will show discernment, and your lips will express what you’ve learned. For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. For she cares nothing about the path to life. She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it. So now, my sons, listen to me. Never stray from what I am about to say: Stay away from her! Don’t go near the door of her house!”
Proverbs 5:1-8 NLT
Let us consider the account of the process towards Eve’s partaking of the forbidden fruit.
We know that the first step toward her paradigm-changing failure was the introduction of a “tempter.”
““You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.””
Genesis 3:4-5 NLT
Having been told by Eve about the warning God had issued considering the peril of eating the forbidden fruit, the tempter questions whether God‘s word is true. Indeed, he asserts that just the opposite will happen to them: Not only will they not die, they will become like God!
Then, we see that the woman went through a “survey” of her senses to decide whether or not what God had said was really true.
“The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.”
Genesis 3:6 NLT
Consulting her senses when faced with temptation, was Eve’s undoing. Now, make no mistake, it will be no different for us if when faced with the temptations the world offers, we base our actions on our senses rather than on what God has said.
Interestingly, we see that John’s description of what the world has to offer, basically mirrors what we see in the seduction of Eve.
“For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.”
1 John 2:16 NLT
Think of it: Eve’s eyes told her that the fruit was desirable. Her flesh told her that she should eat it. And, her pride told her that she needed the power that eating the fruit would bring.
In our opening scripture we see the king warning his son to stay away from immoral women. He was instructed to not even go near her door lest he give in to her charms and end up in ruin.
Remember, the world system is a seductress and will make every effort to appeal to your senses in an effort to override the instruction of the Lord. Don’t fall for it! It can only offer you that which will ultimately pass away while robbing you of that which is eternal!
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- May 25, 2023
- 3 min read
“But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”
James 1:6-8 NLT
Apparently, the church at Corinth had a lot of problems. Indeed, among the things about which Paul had to correct them was their condoning of sexual immorality.
Additionally, it seems that they were compromising with the world in many other ways. This seems to be why Paul used the words of Isaiah 52:11 to instruct them to separate themselves from the practices of the world:
“Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.””
2 Corinthians 6:17-18 NLT
The passage in Isaiah from which Paul draws this command comes in the midst of God’s promise to restore His people to their land, to a completely restored Zion!
Now, consider the promises we have been made of the glory set before us when Christ rules and reigns and we rule and reign with Him. Should not we follow the same command to separate ourselves from the bondage of this world system? Should not we operate here with the mindset of the people in the great “Hall of Fame of Faith” who considered themselves strangers and pilgrims in this world?
“All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”
Hebrews 11:13-16 NLT
It is no wonder that the Lord gave repeated cautions to His people about operating separately from the idolatrous world system.
In cases of being yoked together with unbelievers, the effect is often compromise from the child of God and equivocation in terms of God’s word.
“Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?”
2 Corinthians 6:14-15 NLT
Of course, we have to operate in this world. Yes, we are to be lights shining in the darkness.
However, as discussed yesterday: Our affection must not be on its things or its way of being and doing.
““No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.””
Luke 16:13 NLT
Using the example of the love of money—or being a servant to money—the Lord pointed out that we cannot serve two masters. If our affection and our love are divided between the Lord and anything in this world, then we do not truly belong to Him.
In our opening scripture we see that a double-minded person is unstable in every area of their lives.
Therefore, in order to serve the Lord without staggering and falling away, we must serve Him with all our heart, soul, and mind!
“Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”
Matthew 22:37-38 NLT
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- May 25, 2023
- 3 min read
“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT
[If you haven’t read the scriptures given yesterday (Day 35), please go back and do so now before going further.]
The time came in the apostle Paul’s life when even though he had been warned repeatedly of what awaited him in Jerusalem, he knew he must go there in obedience to the word of the Lord. Now, he was only able to do this because he had already determined to keep his eyes on the Lord and what the Lord desired.
“And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
Acts 20:22-24 NKJV
The apostle Paul basically asserts that his life is meaningless unless he is obedient to the Lord. Therefore, he could not be moved away from the Lord by anything.
Now, whereas Paul could have allowed things (circumstances, emotions, desires, etc.) to lead him away from the path of the Lord, he chose to stay the course and did not enter into the temptation to go astray.
Sadly, many people fail the test that comes through being tempted by what the world has to offer.
You see, the secret to victory over temptation is that we not allow it to entice us to do what is against the word of God.
Being attracted to further consider (be enticed) by what the world has to offer, generally ends in massive failure and departure from God’s way of being and doing. [I wonder how many affairs begin with, “I just enjoy talking to them”?]
“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.”
James 1:14-15 NLT
Enticement to do what is wrong (attraction toward doing what is wrong) comes when our affection has been set on the things this world has to offer rather than the things of God.
“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”
1 John 2:15-17 NLT
In our opening scripture we see that Paul was able to endure any temptation to move away from the Lord because his sights were already set on eternity rather than the temporary things this world has to offer.
Remember, we can’t wait until we’re facing temptation to avoid being enticed away from the Lord. We must continually set our hearts and minds on the Lord and His way of being and doing (righteousness). In so doing, when the enemy puts a “lure” in front of us, we will recognize the danger in it rather than seeing it as something we desire.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!