Daily Devotional For Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Good morning. If everything did what the meteorologists said, we are currently in a winter vortex with snow. If you have to go to work, please be careful. I know the kids are out of school and this will add a couple more days to their end of school days in June unless the county finds a way for them to make up those days prior.
Yesterday, we meditated on how to combat temptation. Today, I want us to continue with this thought. Clarence MacCartney, who was a pastor for years in Pittsburgh, PA wrote about how temptation affects those in the ministry. Even though he is writing to pastors, his words are relevant for anyone on this topic:
“The better the man, the better the preacher. When he kneels by the bed of the dying or when he mounts the pulpit stairs, then every self-denial he has made, every Christian forbearance he has shown, every resistance to sin and temptation, will come back to him to strengthen his arm and give conviction to his voice. Likewise every evasion of duty, every indulgence of self, every compromise with evil, every unworthy thought, word, or deed, will be there at the head of the pulpit stairs to meet the minister on Sunday morning, to take the light from his eye, the power from his blow, the ring from his voice, and the joy from his heart” (Source: Clarence MacCartney, Preaching Without Notes, p. 178).
His basic point is fooling around and giving into temptation creates sin that takes a heavy toll on God’s work in your life. Sin follows you like a shadow. If you are going to overcome any temptation, you have to face it head-on. Avoiding or ignoring the truth from God’s Word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit with temptation brings more pain and more shackled slavery to that temptation and sin. For many people, they may think that opportunity rarely knocks on their door but temptation knocks multiple times a day. Maybe the temptation is an opportunity to honor God, deepen our relationship to Jesus Christ and rely upon the Holy Spirit to help us through it.
Maybe that is one of the thoughts of the Apostle Paul in Romans 13:14, “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires” (NLT). We clothe ourselves for several good reasons:
- We do it to keep ourselves warm. Keeping ourselves clothed with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ will keep our hearts warmed to His voice and guidance rather than coldly harden to it.
- We clothe ourselves to hide and cover up our nakedness. Keeping ourselves clothed with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ will keep our hearts covered in His grace, mercy, and forgiveness. This in turn should create an attitude of gratitude in us towards the Lord.
- We clothe ourselves to hide and cover up what is unseemly. We wear clothes sometimes to be fashionable. Keeping ourselves clothed with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ will keep our hearts “fashionable” to a lost world. We are Christ’s light and witness. This means yes some may be repelled by that but others are attracted to it. It gives us an opportunity to witness and share our faith with others.
Humans have been struggling with temptation since the earliest chapters of Genesis. We probably are not tempted by everything the world offers. But we are tempted in one or more areas, and each of us knows where we are the most vulnerable. I encourage you to limit your exposure to the things that tempt you. Don’t leave it to chance; intentionally turn away from and avoid anything that will diminish your righteousness. Just don’t go there—physically or mentally. Don’t indulge your curiosity.
Don’t crack open those doors to see what’s on the other side. Instead, clothe yourself with Jesus. Seek the Lord. Spend time thinking about Him. Cultivate new habits of prayer and Bible study. Carefully choose the media you consume. Be actively doing the work of the Kingdom. When you make the effort to be like Jesus, He will wrap you in such joy and purpose that you will have far less time to think about the temptations of the world. Unfortunately, we like to play with temptation to see just how far we can go with it without sinning. That in itself is a sin.
“Kevin Garvey has a thriving business in Broward County, Florida. He is the only trapper licensed by the county to remove nuisance alligators. The top spot in his county? Weston, a meticulously groomed planned city. Seems the homeowners there, who spent up to $700,000 for their homes, did not expect nor appreciate giant reptiles in their idyllic new community.
"That's probably gator heaven out there," says Jim Huffstodt, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, noting that Weston and other planned communities are often built right on top of the marshlands that were previously inhabited by the offensive reptiles. Just sighting an alligator in an area like Weston—filled with families with small children—is grounds for removal and destruction.
Such a story begs the question: How could anyone who moves into prime alligator habitat be surprised to see alligators there? In the same way, why do so many Christians settle for lifestyles that invite trouble, then act surprised when they fall into sinful conduct and have to pay the consequences for it?” (Source: USA Today, 7-24-01).
We are living in “spiritually prime alligator” territory of the devil. He waits patiently and approaches us stealthily. Temptation’s grip can literally put us down into the drowning waters of sin and before we know it, we are consumed by it. Playing with temptation is like playing with fire – you will eventually get burned. Playing with temptation is similar to ignoring the warnings of sharks in the water. Take for example this true story:
“A shocking video captured the moment a fisherman was bitten by a shark that pulled him overboard into the murky waters of Florida’s Everglades—seconds after he shrugged off his friend’s warning.
The frightening ordeal unfolded after the man leaned over the boat to rinse his hands in the water as his pal cautioned him of the dangers. “I wouldn’t put your hands in there,” a person off-camera says.
“Ah, two seconds won’t do anything,” the man replies as he bends over the side of the boat and dips his right hand into the water. Almost instantly, a shark chomps onto the fisherman’s right hand and drags him head-first into the water as he screams. The shark releases its grip and the man tries to grab onto the boat with his injured hand, leaving a bloody handprint behind.
“Get him! Get him!” the friend screams in a panic. The man was able to get himself back onto the boat with the help of his friends.
His friend, Michael Russo who caught the attack on camera, said the group sped back to the dock and park rangers came to the victim’s aid. “He was airlifted to the hospital and is in the best care possible.” Russo shared the video as a warning to others. He said, “Today was one of the scariest days on the water I have ever had. After releasing a fish, Nick washed his hands in the water and was immediately bit by a large shark.
The sharks are no joke in the Everglades and the warnings about keeping your hands out of the water are not an exaggeration. Please take this as a lesson and keep your hands out of the water because this could have been prevented” (Source: Allie Griffin, “Florida fisherman bitten by shark, pulled overboard in the Everglades: ‘Ah, two seconds won’t do anything’,” New York Post, 6-26-23).” There is a video of this but I did not put the link to it because in the video, some of the comments have bad language in them. If you do a Google search, you can find it.
Many people also ignore the Bible’s warnings about satan, who “prowls around seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:7). “Ah, just a moment of yielding to temptation won’t do anything! I’ll be fine.” Sadly, some never escape his clutches.
Questions To Consider
- Why do you think so many people play with temptation even though they are warned of its possible consequences?
- The Bible describes the devil as a lion prowling around seeking someone to devour. How is the devil also like an alligator or crocodile? How is he like a shark?
- We are commanded in Scripture to do everything we can to avoid temptation and everything we can to have safeguards in place that keep us from giving into it. What are your temptations and what safeguards do you have in place to protect you?
Scripture To Meditate On: Matthew 26:41, “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Heavenly Father, holy be Your name. Your Kingdom come and Your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give me this day my daily bread. Forgive me my debts, as I forgive my debtors. Lead me not into temptation but deliver me from the evil one. For Yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forevermore. In Jesus’ name, amen. (Adapted, Matthew 6:8-13).”
I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly