"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2: 15-17
Bowls beckon me. I find them aesthetically appealing and quite functional, but I need another one like a need a hole in the head and, you know what? Someday, all my stuff will land in an estate sale, being picked over by treasure hunters after my kids have slapped price stickers on them.
Certainly the temptation to add another bowl to my home is seemingly small, but at the root of my desire lies a much bigger question: Who is the master of my domain? If the devil can talk me into buying a bowl, would he gain ground with larger expenditures? Do I have the power to walk away from that four-piece Pyrex set from the '40s?
Yes, I do. When that wily serpent, Satan, showed up in the garden tempting the two, Adam could have told him to slither off since God had given him dominion over all the creatures. But he succumbed to sin. When Cain's jealousy toward his brother brooded within him to the point of a murderous plot, God reasoned with him saying, "...sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." (Genesis 4:7) He didn't listen either.
You see, Satan knows our Achilles heel. He begins by whispering doubts and delusions in your ear as he presents his lies in a most attractive way, but James 4:7 says, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, even though He was the Son of God, He was not impervious to Satan's schemes, but He used the word of God as His weapon. Sweet success! Satan left him alone after that and angels attended to Christ. "The Spirit helps us in our weakness." (Romans 8:26)
When I look in the rear view mirror, there were times when I committed my most grievous sins but I am able to pinpoint the exact moment when I should have mastered it. I could have sent that serpent packing, but I didn't. The mud that I slung on the face of my Savior by these detestable actions will forever cause me grief, even though, in His rich mercy, He "is faithful to forgive my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Why do we always yearn for what we do not have, especially after God has so richly provided for all our needs? All I really need can be found in Him.
"So, if you think you're standing firm, be careful that you do not fall!...But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 Corinthians 10: 12-13
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