As always please pray before reading this word. May the Lord sanctify you with His word and his Love for you.
Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but usually manages to pick himself up, walk over or around it, and carry on.”
― Benjamin Franklin
Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but usually manages to pick himself up, walk over or around it, and carry on.”
― Benjamin Franklin
In a kindergarten class, two boys huddled in a private corner as they secretly revealed their prized Pokemon cards to each other. The first boy gave a proposal, " I will exchange my Vespiquen for your yanmega." As he described in great detail the skills of this creature when it attacks its enemies, he would often mix the truth with his imagination. The second child stood in amazement.
The animated tale of the first child made the second child forget that his Yanmega (ranked 103 out of the top 200 Pokemon) was more powerful. Vespiquen by the way was ranked at 182. Though the second boy knew that his card had the more powerful creature, he secretly hoped his exchange would provide more play dates and stronger social status amongst the more popular boys. He also did not really care about the ranks of each pokemon after such an overwhelming and enchanting performance. Finally an opportunity to shed his quiet demeanor.
We are no different from these boys. We are constantly entrenched in meetings of negotiation on our jobs, in our churches, in our homes even in classrooms all across the globe. These negotiations are nothing more than discussions intended to produce agreements. Remember the discussion between Jesus and Satan in the wilderness in Luke 4. That discussion lasted for forty days. Satan tempted Christ with a mutilated version of the truth, much so like the first boy in the aforementioned story. Satan took the word of God out of context as to appeal to the carnal nature of Christ.
He offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and all their authority and splendor. His intention was for this discussion to end in an agreement of Christ's worship in exchange for earthly kingdoms and authority. He was relentless for forty days. That mission failed. Why? Because Jesus knew the power he had and a great desire to please his father. No lie, no matter how embellished was going to change that. Jesus lived in accordance with the Spirit, not on what the flesh desired, he had his mind set on what the Spirit desired.
How is it going for you? Do you strive daily to live in accordance by the spirit? By feeding on the word of God and engaging in prayer you will be equip for a victorious battle. It is important to understand that we can easily exchange the true power of God for new alliances like money, fame, career, education, idols, people's attention and relationships. What causes us to engage and surrender? We surrender when we are fearful, when we are misunderstood, when we are impatient and tired with God's timing, when we use the world's logic and not the word of God to make decisions, when we seek security from the magicians of our time and when we hurt we mask it with our drug of choice. Is it food, spending, illegal substances, and the likes?
Brothers and sisters we must pray without ceasing to have the spiritual dexterity of men like Nehemiah who carried a brick in one hand and a weapon in the other. Keep your sword on hand at all time which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
Nehemiah 4:17 New International Version
who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,...Romans 8:5
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
It has been over two thousand years since that event and Satan is still relentless with his offer. He has upgraded, recycled and redesigned the lie but he has not repurpose his mission. He is till negotiating for your agreement for worship and has found clever ways to do it.
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
It has been over two thousand years since that event and Satan is still relentless with his offer. He has upgraded, recycled and redesigned the lie but he has not repurpose his mission. He is till negotiating for your agreement for worship and has found clever ways to do it.
Are you holding on to the truth of God? A great price was paid for you to have it.
2 Corinthians 4:7New International Version (NIV)
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
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