Devotions
“Woe to the world for btemptations to sin!2 cFor it is necessary that temptations come, dbut woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!8 eAnd if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into fthe eternal fire. 9 eAnd if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the fhell3 of fire."
Today is Matthew 18 again. The passage it fitting, considering that I'm currently reading Tempted and Tried by Russel Moore (a thank you to a sir Nathan Lee for the book). If there's one thing I'm already aware of, twenty pages into the book it is two things.
1. Temptation is dangerous.
2. Temptation is prevalent.
The first may seem like a no-brainer, and indeed, for the most part I think it is. However, just because we "know" something, doesn't mean that we live like it's true. I may be aware temptation is dangerous, but too often I knowingly put myself into situations where I am more likely to be tempted. Jesus says temptation is necessary, not that we should pursue temptation. Even Jesus says fears for those who experience temptation, "woe to the one by whom temptation comes!" Temptation is not to be trifled with. We need to on our toes, prepared to "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:12).
Devotions - Temptation
However, there's one specific reason that temptation is dangerous. The one who is behind the tempting is dangerous. Matthew 4:3 refers to Satan as, "The tempter." Satan is an evil, extremely malicious person, that will try to tempt us away from the things of God. Satan would like nothing better than to elevate ourselves in our own minds. His goal is make us think we are God. Either this, or to make us think that we are so pitiful, so evil, so low that God would never choose to save us. He'll do anything to keep us from coming to our heavenly Father.
Temptation is real. The tempter is real. Be aware.
However, temptation is much more prevalent than we will often assume. Temptation is often found for guys in the form of lust, yes, it's true. However, we cannot limit temptation to one area. Temptation is much more than just this. Temptation exists to make us eat more than we should. Temptation exists to envy another person. Temptation exists to urge us to jump into a premature relationship. Temptation exists to make us look down ourselves, to grind ourselves in the dirt so we forget our identity in our savior. Temptation exists to feel good about ourselves and grow arrogant, losing sight of who saved us, and why we can feel confident in our savior's merit.
Temptation is everywhere. It is your friend next door who gives a bag of cookies. It is the girl or guy who smiles at you, urging you onward in your friendship. It is the person who says that your sin is: "not that big of a deal." God thinks temptation is important. The severity of God's view on temptation is seen above, "if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire."
Even physical infirmity is better then not entering the kingdom of heaven. We must strive to avoid putting ourselves in situations which will tempt us. We must be aware of the danger that temptation poses. We must prepare ourselves to fight, for temptation will come, and, when we overcome it, we will grow.
Now that we're free, let's live like those alive.
Sincerely,
Tempted and Tempter
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