They say that the single biggest trick of the devil is to get you to believe that he doesn’t exist. Out of sight…out of mind…doesn’t exist…PARTY!!! The reality of this should be more and more obvious as we try to navigate the nuances of life’s little ups and downs. The daily challenge of accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is tough enough without the temptations of sin and the challenges of virtue.
I mean, Eating is good, but according to the bible I read, gluttony is a sin. We talk about everything in moderation, nothing in excess. Marital sex is blessed. All else is considered adultery. Gossip is a perversion of healthy conversation that will eventually destroy the gossiper as well as the gospel. We live in a world of contradictions, or do we?
If you choose to intellectualize God’s Word, then you can rationalize anything, any act or deed. I guarantee you the last thing you factor in your decision-making is whether or not Satan had a hand in it. That fact only surfaces as you are forced to suffer the consequences of your actions when you have to answer the question, ‘Why did I do that?’ The consideration of God, however, usually gets sidestepped as one conveniently rationalizes the conditions of what is right versus what is wrong for that particular moment in time. The call of the world is truly as powerful or more powerful than any drug, thanks to that trick again of the devil.
Now, upon serious investigation into the raw Word of God, life reveals its mysteries, much like the demonstration of how a magician, a slight hand artist, or an illusionist gets you to believe that the Statue of Liberty really did disappear or the assistant was just sawed in half. Once revealed, we all know it was just a trick or magnificent optical illusion at best. There is no mystery about the Word. There is no intellectualizing of the truth. I guarantee you the last thing you factor into your decision-making is whether Satan had a hand in it or not. “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth: a time is coming, and it has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” John 5:24-25.
When all is said and done, wouldn’t you rather deal with the substance of life rather than only its style? Boy, that Satan is pretty good, but I’d rather see the Master at work. Pay attention. It still is your life, after all.
May God bless and keep you always.
This column is from “Spiritually Speaking: Reflections for and from a New Christian” by James Washington. You can purchase this enlightening book on Amazon and start your journey towards spiritual enlightenment.
