Matthew 4:8-10
Next Satan took him to the peak
of a very high mountain and showed him the nations of the world and all
their glory. “I’ll give it all to you,” he said, “if you will only kneel
and worship me.”
“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “The Scriptures say, ‘Worship only the Lord God. Obey only him.’”
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
Recently, I signed up for a
30-day free trial of a premium service from a well-known website. I was promised free 2-day delivery on most items and a host of
other special perks that are available only to members who sign up for
this service (and pay the $99 annual fee.) So far, two of three items I
ordered arrived somewhat in the 2-day window…and the third will arrive
in about a week (and I needed all three items in just a few more days).
I
have pretty well decided that I cannot use enough of the features of
this offer to justify the annual fee. So I am thinking that this will
indeed be a trial membership for me. To paraphrase a contemporary phrase…I’m not sure I am “picking up what this offer is laying down.”
A
lot of us have bought into the lies of the devil. We’ve heard his
promises, and we so want to believe them. Sure, Jesus told us to love
others as God loves us…but He couldn’t possibly have meant to include
people of other faiths and religions (or no religion at all)…killers and
child molesters…tyrants and dictators…or that obnoxious person who
keeps suggesting that we need to love people of all races, ethnicities,
socioeconomic classes, and sexual orientations. Surely we don’t have to
always hold our tongue. If we will just let loose once in awhile and
give people a piece of our mind (and maybe a good cussin’!) - and even
show our backside a little - the world will be a better place!
What
could it hurt to toss caution to the wind and “let ‘er rip?” We’ll
have more friends, gain popularity and acceptance, and get quicker
results. Remember, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” so we might as
well get busy squeakin’! We’ll get better service in restaurants,
retail businesses and public offices…and people will know that we are
not to be messed with. They will see that we are right and they are
wrong about pretty much everything - and the sooner this is
acknowledged, the better!
Oh…and we’ll do this all in the name
of Jesus! Because everybody knows that when you stand up for Jesus and
your “religious convictions,” you’re always on the right side of
things! People will respect us when we are “standing up for what we
believe” in this manner…even if we are shoving it down the throats of
others. And the devil could care less in this case if we invoke the
name of Jesus, because he knows we don’t really mean it!
This is
what Satan promises…but once again, “I’m not picking up what he is
laying down!” Because at the end of the day, Satan is not God. And
this is not what my Heavenly father teaches. I don’t owe allegiance to
anyone but Him…and God’s promises are the only ones that are
indisputable and always guaranteed to be “cashable!”
Where have
you listened to the devil and signed on for “premium” promises that aren’t
deliverable? Where have you been sold a bill of goods in the form of
empty assurances of great rewards? How have you hidden behind the name
of Jesus in order to further your own desires…and believed that you can
“have it all” by doing this? Do you see that nothing is ever as good as
the devil suggests? Just as surely as that $99 annual fee will
come…and I can probably end up paying more for this “premium” service than
I would without it…the “rewards” that Satan promises have strings
attached, at best…and could cost us our very souls, at worst.
Dig
out your Bible and search the scriptures to see what God says you
should do. Spend some time in prayer and contemplation (and remember to
leave time to sit and listen!)…and discover God’s plan and
promises for your life. See what He has to say about how you interact
with others and how you treat them. Discover where you may be putting
your own agenda, interpretation, and “spin” on issues. Learn how to
truly emulate Jesus and hone your witnessing skills…to offer others
something that they truly desire – a life filled with the joy and peace
of a deep and abiding relationship with the one and only Savior.
When
others look at you, are they seeing an obedient servant of God who
abides in His word – and His blessings and joy? Or are they observing
someone who claims to know Jesus but actually appears to have a more
enduring relationship with the devil and his empty promises? Are you
making a point or making a difference? Isn’t it time you found out?
©2015 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment