“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” – James 1:12 (KJV)
You’ll never be exempt from temptation. Each season of life just brings temptation in a different form.
When you’re young, you’ll struggle with the need for companionship and sexual fulfillment.
In business, you’ll be tempted to distort the truth, cheat, and pocket the money.
When you become successful, if you’re not careful, you’ll become ego-driven, controlling, and opinionated.
The truth is, you will never become so spiritual as to be exempt from temptation.
After 40 days of prayer and fasting, Satan tempted Jesus. So, you are as vulnerable to attack after a great spiritual experience as you are in your lowest moments.
Satan understood Jesus’ assignment, and he was out to stop him from accomplishing it.
And he is out to stop you, too!
The battle you’re in is not over the past; it’s over the future. In the face of repeated temptation, Jesus defeated Satan by using the Word of God, and you must too.
Without God’s Word, you have no defense.
In what specific areas do you struggle? What’s your strategy for victory? What percentage of the time are you successful? What Scripture have you memorized to help you conquer the tempter when he comes against you?
Look at Samsom, God’s champion: blinded, chained, grinding corn like an ox in a Philistine dungeon. Sin has a blinding effect, a binding effect, and a grinding effect.
Graveyards and prisons are filled with people who were too weak to stand up against Satan. Dreams crash daily on the rocks of temptation. Move the ship of your life away from those rocks while you still can.
One of the ways you can move your ship closer to safety is by activating the art of being thankful. Before I close our thoughts for today, I want to express a very special “thank you” to the various ladies and gentlemen of the Perryville/Perry County Senior Center.
As an older citizen, I take lunch there very often and enjoy the fare immensely. Jennifer, Aileen, Marleen, Nina, “Cat,” “Coco,” Jen, Vince, Jerry, and, yes, Mary Ann. The list goes on with many drivers making deliveries to the homebound.
These are people who never fail to show caring hearts, love, blessings, and service to the many seniors who have need and frequent the establishment; volunteers like Mrs. Picaut, too. And, oh, the food varies every day and is always very good. From this old guy – “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for all you do for the seniors of Perry County, both at the Center and for those homebound citizens, too.”
Dear reader, come join us at the Senior Center sometime; you’ll be glad you came.
