Dancing With The Devil

The man that endureth temptation James 1:12 When I was younger we lived near many lakes. Like clockwork, my father would wake up his four boys bright and early, pile us in the car and off we would go fishing. I remember baiting the hook and dipping it in the water. Ever curious, I watched as the fish nibbled at the bait. Cautiously they would approach the bait and almost play with it. Isn't that how sin starts? We don't rush out the door and step right into it. Often it is subtle. Satan knows which lure to use and how to bait the hook. Let's face it, dancing with the devil and playing with temptation adds excitement to our everyday ho hum life. Jon Piper puts it this way " The fire of lusts pleasures must be fought with the fire of God's pleasures. If we try to fight the fire of lust with prohibitions and threats alone-even the terrible warnings of Christ- we will fail. We must fight it with a massive promise of superior happiness. We must swallow up the little flicker of lusts pleasure in the conflagration of Holy satisfaction." What I have to remember is this "But I have prayed for you." Luke 22:32. God has stood at our side and in His loving supportive ways has bowed His head and prayed for us. God has prayed that we will endure temptation. Our Father has prayed that we will have the strenghth, the wisdom and the desire to walk accordingly right thru the temptation. By His stripes I choose not to let Him down. I have faced temptation and like a fool I have given in. I did not confess or come on my knee's but blatantly embraced sin. But now my precious Father I have learned from my foolish ways. I will cling to the cross and count it but loss and do this the rest of my days.