LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole beside the altar you build to the Lord your God, and do not erect a sacred stone, for these the Lord your God hates.
Do not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him.

If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the Lord gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God in violation of his covenant, and contrary to my command has worshiped other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or the moon or the stars of the sky, and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death. On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from among you. Deuteronomy 16:21, 17:1-7

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

The last verse in Deuteronomy, Chapter 16 and the first seven verses of Chapter 17 once again address the matter of proper worship. God knew about the people who inhabited Canaan and their polytheistic inclinations. They set up Asherah poles and erected sacred stones to worship their gods. THE God… the God that was the only true God…had made it clear that there would be no other gods before Him. He also made it very clear that idols were not to be formed or worshipped. So with Israel entering a land where the people were showing reverence toward many different gods, there was a general concern that they might be influenced adversely and adopt the worship standards of the idol worshippers, lifting up “other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or the moon or the stars of the sky”. And in doing so they would be doing “evil in the eyes of the Lord…in violation of His covenant and contrary to (His) command.”

This evil was to not go unpunished. For God ordered the death penalty, but not for a whim. There had to be solid evidence against someone before they would be put to death. You’ll remember that God is a God who cares a great deal about justice. Given this, a person could only be convicted and executed if there were two or three witnesses. A single accuser wasn’t going to cut it. This would prevent someone from getting someone killed as a result of one person, who might have a grudge against that person, making a false accusation.

Through these verses we see where God expects us to stay true to His word and way…no matter where we are or who we are around. Satan too often surrounds us with the things of the world...things that often run counter to what God desires for us to do. And too often, we give in to Satan’s temptations…or in other words, we turn from good toward evil, mostly because we wish to meet our own desires before we meet the Lord’s.

If sex is your desire, then you will pursue it to meet it, regardless of what God says about it. And Satan is ready to tempt you and lead you astray. (Romans 1:24-25)

If alcohol, drugs or any other substance is your desire, then Satan will make the way for you to get a hold of them, regardless of what God says about it. (Ephesians 5:18)

If money and wealth are your desire, then Satan will work hard to get you obsessed with material wealth and gain, regardless of the dangers that God warns about. (1 Timothy 6:10)

I could go on but you get the point. There are many things in life that we can be enticed by but the surrender to those enticements is all on us. Friends, we have a choice…and we have a God who is ready to grant us all the power we need to fight off the temptations of Satan…the strength to stay rooted in good and not infected by evil.

Thanks be to God for His strength and guidance. Let us ever continue to recite these words from our savior Jesus:

"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' “ Matthew 6:9-13

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/

Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com