by David Brenneman
It's said that medical professionals have determined why certain cookies are as addictive as they are is that the peculiar chemical makeup impacts the same brain centers as crack does towards a person on drugs. Satan's gotten people to create such things.
The propensity for evil desires is within everyone. The ability to twist and distort reality is ever present. When something works to effectively keep either from the truth of God or keep people from living out the Word of God, Satan catalogs that and uses it on whomever is receptive.
Our world is filled with countless modern marvels. Abilities heretofore unheard-of.
What we were able to do even 20 years ago pales in comparison to what can be done today.
Over the decades Satan's convinced Believer's to embrace things that are indeed what the Bible calls practiced sin by repackaging what those sinful things are. Introducing idolatry on a scale that mankind hasn't seen since the days leading up to the Great Flood in the book of Genesis.
People laying aside Christ-like attributes in the name of competition. People justifying cutting people down in the name of entertainment. People enjoying berating and belittling others in the name of a sport. Oh its not entirely sports. People have been severely injured by just wearing the wrong costumes in the wrong place.
To read what Paul wrote, points people to being aware of the schemes of the Devil. Awareness so that you do not fall prey to those things or those ideas.
I endured much at the words of people growing up. Other children in school were not kind. Verbal warfare was constantly happening. We can really really see, if we are willing, the truth of what the Bible says about the tongue being the very center of iniquity.
"For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh." James 3:2-12.
Satan's schemes require Godly wisdom to identify and to avoid. Scripture says that if anyone lacks wisdom to ask of God who gives freely to all who ask.
We can, unfortunately, find enjoyment in hurting others by our words and our actions. That's our nature, not the new nature in Christ Jesus. That's us as sinful human beings.
Today's known as Black Friday. As some have taken to describe it, it's a day where people trample others to gain things the day after they are thankful for what they've been given by God.
Our world is filled with candy coated, sugar drenched, "Oreo" cookie laced, temptations that are meant not only to be addictive, but are made to escalate and get worse. We can, in this very moment, talk to a handheld device and do a thousand times more damaging things to our hearts and minds than were possible 20 years ago. We can use powerful technology for good or evil based solely on the desire of the person wielding it.
We are warned in the Bible yet people are so drawn in, so given to the addiction, that they can't see how it's a problem.
When the Spirit says to put on Christ, do you really think it's like clothing to take off later on when life doesn't seem so difficult? When we are told to lay aside the old self and its practices, do you not realize that it's a moment by moment danger? We read of taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus. Do you not realize that wasn't given as a suggestion for your downtime moments?
If you took that as seriously as the Spirit intended you to, would you have still embarked on that train of course jesting you did in the name of "fun"? Would you still have verbally abused another because of entertainment?
My Dear Reader, do you not realize that every careless word we will give an account of? Do you really want to keep adding to your personal shame on that day?
Consider well what the Spirit teaches concerning the characteristics of Jesus Christ. Are the fruits of self more evident in your life than the fruits of the Spirit?
When words come forth from your mouth, would people be edified according to the need of the moment, giving grace to those who hear?
We must choose who will be followed. Either the Spirit or the world.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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