Thoughts for another day

June 25, 2009.

Today's verse: James 1:14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

The key the devil uses to help us sin, is temptation. And what really is temptation? I’ll not try to work out the meaning as you’d all know it but rather the process that’s important for us to know. It begins with desire, whatever it be, perhaps maybe to look good before someone (so we lie) or desire a car (so we cheat and save money) or own a big corporation (where we destroy lives of people). Any desire that doesn’t work in tandem with moral values or spiritual gain and if I may add, to giving God glory, is the devil’s enticing. We know how David desired to number his men, even though it wasn’t what’d grant him victory nor the genius or might to go to battle. It was detrimental, in fact to God getting glory; but the intensity of his desire, made him forget God and go ahead with the execution of his desire. It was simply the process of a desire giving birth to sinful action.

The devil always strikes in our domain of desire. All he needs to do is increase its intensity. Take a married man who sees his neighbor – a lady with good looks. If he harbors any desire for amorous flirtation, he’ll be inclined to woo the woman. The devil intensifies the desire saying, what’s the harm in getting to know her, perhaps having a cup of tea with her… See! Then from one thing it leads to another and eventually to ruin! We’ve seen this before and we’ll see it again. It’s likely to happen in our lives too provided we learn to bridle our desires.

Temptation arises from the base of our desires and if not bridled, it’ll lead to sin. So I’d say, we implore the Holy Spirit of God to help us know our unsacred desires and also give us the Grace to put them on a leash. Let me also say that repeatedly giving in to our desires will in all likelihood strip us of our citizenship in heaven. But fear not, the Blood of the Lamb will provide us a way, not only in keeping our status as Children of the Kingdom, but also overcoming our ‘desiring selves.’