Many times what we see get us into trouble.

The apostle John noted that the lust of the eyes does not come from God but from the world (1 John 2:16).

The children’s chorus “Oh, be careful little eyes what you see” is advice well heeded.

Even Job, with everything else he had to deal with, stated:
“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl” (Job 31:1).

He knew the danger and wrong that begins with a look.
Think of what lies ahead for David at this point.

Turmoil will strike his family, including a rebellion against him as king.
A baby will die.
A murder will take place that is part of a cover-up.
The earlier stages of the cover-up include getting a man drunk in hopes that he will have sex with his wife.
Before all of this there was adultery.

Where did it all begin?
With a look.
“One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful” (11:2).

It was the look that set the hook.
And it was all downhill from there.

Sometimes we see something “accidentally.”
We were not looking for it.

It just came into sight, as was possible in David’s situation.
The glance is not sin!

But the gaze is!!
Watch your eyes!

Watch what you watch!
Because the look can set the hook!

(PR)

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A Buddhist monk was asked by a missionary: “What is your desire?” “Nothing.” “Where are you going?” “Nowhere.” “Where have you come from?” “Nowhere.” He wanted to be a blank. He ardently desired to be a blank!

So desire was still there, turned toward the absence of desire. How do you go about controlling your strong urges?

Are these urges with in you too strong for you to handle? By your repression? Do you push them under? Repressed instincts are like bad boys who, when put out of class, retaliate by throwing stones at the windows. It’s better to keep the bad boys in class, and teach them to direct their energies to better ends.

Cravings or urges cannot be repressed or suppressed. Why? Because we are born with them! But we still have the sinful nature within us. Read Romans 7 for the remedy.

By your expression? If the answer is not to be found in repression, then is it to be found in expression? Shall we give free rein to the urges within us?

No, for that would lead us into deeper bondage. Shall we try to eliminate them? By no known process can these driving urges be eliminated. Put them out of the door and they will climb back in through the window, often in disguise.

If we can’t eliminate the driving urges by repressing or expressing –
Then what can we do? By your submission!

We must allow the Holy Spirit to take them over. Our urges are properly fulfilled only when-
– they are submitted and surrendered to the will of God. When we allow the Holy Spirit to get into the driving seat of our personalities, then we are in safe hands.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:1, 2).

(PR)

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Paul exhorted the Christians at Ephesus to “put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).

Satan usually uses one or more of these three strategies.

Discourage You from Worshipping God!
Discouragement was Satan’s primary strategy against God’s servant Job. But when Satan had hit Job as hard as he possibly could, this servant of the most High God cried out, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him” (Job 13:15).

I imagine at that moment the heavenly audience gasped in amazement of not only a creature who could endure such pain, but of a God who could command such devotion.

Distract You from Serving God!!
If Satan cannot persuade you to reject God, the next best thing is to distract you so that you ignore God. The adversary’s goal is to create as much distance as possible between you and your Creator. While overt disobedience is one way to create a wedge between God and us, Satan does not always have to resort to such obvious strategies.

Many times he can achieve the same result simply by distracting us from our relationship with God through what a previous generation of Christians called “worldliness,” – a preoccupation with the delights and details of living in this world.

Deceive you into Disobeying God!!!
“Disobey God and your deepest desires will be fulfilled” Satan promised the first woman, just as he promises us today. What the tempter fails to disclose with his offer is that instead of satisfying our cravings, sin only increases those cravings until we are consumed and destroyed by our own desires.

The spiritual battle in which you are engaged is real. This invisible war is the reality behind most of the conflicts you confront every day. But there is no need to panic. God has provided you with every resource you need to overcome your already-defeated adversary. It’s time to wake up!

Put on the full armor of God. Stand firm against the schemes of the devil!

(PR)

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“The devil …is a liar” (John 8:44).

That archenemy, the devil, is a liar from the beginning; but he is so very plausible that, like Eve, we are led to believe him. Yet in our experience we shall prove him a liar.

He says that we shall fall from grace, dishonor our profession, and perish with the doom of apostates; but, trusting in the Lord Jesus, we shall hold on our way and prove that Jesus loses none whom His Father gave Him.

He tells us that our bread will fail, and we shall starve with our children; yet the Feeder of the ravens has not forgotten us yet, and He will never do so, but will prepare us a table in the presence of our enemies.

He whispers that the Lord will not deliver us out of the trial which is looming in the distance, and he threatens that the last ounce will break the camel’s back. For the Lord will never leave us or forsake us. “Let him deliver him now!” cries the false fiend: but the Lord will silence him by coming to our rescue.

He threatens that your foes will torment you bringing lots of trials before you to tarnish your image and trouble your life.

But “happy are you…who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help and the sword of your majesty! Your enemies shall submit to you, and you shall tread down their high places” (Deut 33:29).

He takes great delight in telling us that death will prove too much for us. “How will you do in the swelling of Jordan?”

But there also he shall prove a liar unto us, and we shall pass through the river singing psalms of glory.
What a liar the devil is!

(PR)

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And give no opportunity to the devil. (Ephesians 4:27)

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And give no opportunity to the devil. (Ephesians 4:27)

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The post Gates to keep! appeared first on My Manna.

The apostle John noted that the lust of the eyes does not come from God but from the world (1 John 2:16).
The children’s chorus “Oh, be careful little eyes what you see” is advice well heeded.
Even Job, with everything else he had to deal with, stated:
“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl” (Job 31:1).
He knew the danger and wrong that begins with a look.
Think of what lies ahead for David at this point.
Turmoil will strike his family, including a rebellion against him as king.
A baby will die.
A murder will take place that is part of a cover-up.
The earlier stages of the cover-up include getting a man drunk in hopes that he will have sex with his wife.
Before all of this there was adultery.
Where did it all begin?
With a look.
“One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful” (11:2).
It was the look that set the hook.
And it was all downhill from there.
Sometimes we see something “accidentally.”
We were not looking for it.
It just came into sight, as was possible in David’s situation.
The glance is not sin!
But the gaze is!!
Watch your eyes!
Watch what you watch!
Because the look can set the hook!
(PR)

The post Watch What You Watch! appeared first on My Manna.