The Silly Moth is Caught!

Why is this world such a wide sea of evil? Why do earth's multitudes roll so easily to Hell? The tastes of the mass of the human race are groveling and vile.  They only care to sip the vulgar cup of time and sense.  Their sin-soiled garments and polluted feet prove that they wallow in defiling mire. 

See the worldling.  A temptation meets him.  A gilded bait allure.   A sweet indulgence opens its inviting arms.  What follows?  The silly moth is caught! 

Pleasure whispers, "Come and partake!" Desire acquiesces. Nature surrenders. Thus, Satan leads his crowds down misery's downward slope. Quickly, easily, they glide along. The rolling pebble has no power to stop. The downhill torrent is incapable of turning. To them, liberty is unknown. 

The clash of heavy chains attests their bondage. Satan drags them and they must obey. The world gives laws they tremblingly submit. They crouch, the slaves of many an insulting tyrant! 

[Henry Law]

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1 Corinthians 10:13 ... There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

James 1:14 ... But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. ❤

Restraining Grace

What a scene does this unfold! Satan tempting, Jesus praying! Satan sifting, Jesus pleading! "The strong man assailing", "the stronger than the strong" beating him back! 

 Believer! here is the past history and present secret of your safety in the midst of temptation! An interceding Savior was at your side, saying to every threatening wave, "Thus far shall you go and no farther!" God often permits His people to be on the very verge of the precipice, to remind them of their own weakness; but never farther than the brink! 

The restraining hand and grace of Omnipotence is ready to rescue them, "Although he stumbles yet he shall not be utterly cast down." And why? "For the Lord upholds him with His right hand!" The wolf may be prowling for his prey; but what can he do, when the almighty Shepherd is always there, tending with the watchful eye that "neither slumbers nor sleeps!" 

 Who cannot subscribe to the testimony, "When my foot slipped, Your mercy, O Lord, held me up!" Who can look back on his past pilgrimage, and fail to see it crowded with Ebenezer's, with this inscription: "You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling!" My soul, where would you have been this day had you not been "kept" by the power of God? 

 [John MacDuff]

Luke 22:31- 32 ... And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Psalm 119:117 ...  Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

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The Silly Moth is Caught!

Why is this world such a wide sea of evil?  Why do earth's multitudes roll so easily to hell?  The tastes of the mass of the human race are  groveling and vile. They only care to sip the vulgar cup of time and sense. Their sin soiled garments and polluted feet prove, that they wallow in defiling mire.

See the worldling.  A temptation meets him.  A gilded bait allures.  A sweet indulgence opens its inviting arms.  What follows?  The silly moth is caught!  Pleasure whispers, "Come and partake." Desire acquiesces. Nature surrenders.

Thus Satan leads his crowds down misery's downward slope. Quickly; easily; they glide along. The rolling pebble has no power to stop.  The downhill torrent is incapable of turning.

To them, liberty is unknown. The clash of heavy chains attests their bondage. Satan drags them; and they must obey. The world gives laws; they tremblingly submit. They crouch the slaves of many an insulting tyrant.

[Henry Law]

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Matthew 16:23 ... But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

1 Peter 5:8 ... Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

James 4:7 ... Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.❤

Flee Temptation

Let me warn you that such a holy life as the text enjoins, is impossible to all but those who are on their guard against the beginnings of evil. Take alarm at an evil thought, wish, or desire! These are the germs of sin, the floating seeds which drop into the heart, and finding in our natural corruption a fat and favorable soil, spring up into actual transgressions. These, like the rattle of the snake, or the hiss of the serpent, reveal the presence and nearness of danger!

The experience of all holy men proves that sin is most easily crushed in the bud and that it is safer to flee from temptation than to fight it. Fight like a man when you cannot avoid the battle but rather flee than fight.

Be afraid of temptation, avoid it, abhor it!

[Thomas Guthrie]

Genesis 39:9 ... There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

Genesis 39:12 ... And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

Romans 12:9 ... Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

James 4:7 ... Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.❤

By The Power of His Spirit

Samson is a powerful example of a man of God who won his battles over and over again because the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. Yet when he was finally defeated by Delilah’s temptations he didn’t realize that the Lord had left him, so effective was the woman’s spell.

The enemy is subtle and the temptations of the flesh can so quickly quench the presence and power of God’s spirit that we may not even realize it has happened. But this anointing of the Holy Spirit is our Life and our victory. Opposition can be destroyed and burdens can be lifted when His wonderful Presence fills and rests upon us. Our greatest battle is maintaining that internal communion with Him by His Spirit. Temptations, bad habits, our sinful nature, demonic attacks, all these collaborate to rob us of this holy anointing, our communion with God, and our only real power over every enemy!

Samson’s victories vividly demonstrate the tremendous power of the anointing. His power over the Philistines was legendary and truly heroic. But when he lost his anointing, they nearly destroyed him. How critical it is in these days to keep our lamps burning with the holy “oil” of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) anointing. His goodness will defeat the evils around us, His light will banish darkness, His joy will annihilate our depression, His forgiveness will root out all bitterness, His love will overcome our natural hatred, and every subtle deception will be exposed by His excellent TRUTH! Seek HIS ANOINTING, the fullness of the Holy Spirit. He will equip you to break every yoke of bondage and defeat every internal and external enemy.

Please don’t find yourself in the condition of Samson, in the arms of his lust, not even realizing that the anointing had left him. The cost was enormous, even though he was restored. Instead, guard yourself against the subtle temptations of this world seeking more and more of His indwelling Presence. That anointing will produce one victory after another. Amen.

[George Whitten]

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Judges 14:5-6 ... Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.  And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

Judges 16:20 ... And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.

1 John 2:16 ... For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.



1 Corinthians 10:13 ... There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.❤

The Flesh

Gideon spent one night with his concubine and that one act of the flesh produced Abimelech, a wicked, evil man who slaughtered 69 of 70 sons of Gideon - Gideon, yet greatly used and anointed of God, allowed his flesh to overrule his spirit and it produced great turmoil for the people of Israel.

Jephthah served God in all his heart, saving Israel from great destruction, yet Jephthah spoke a rash vow before the Lord and by doing so it cost him his linage, meaning his only daughter died a virgin, never to know a man which would have helped produce a line of sons and daughters thru his own daughter. Jephthah's one moment in the flesh cost him his seed.

Samson was raised by Godly parents who were visited by an angel to announce Samson's arrival and what God would do thru his hands. Samson was a great judge, by his own hands he killed thousands of Philistines, yet, in all of Samson's great victories, his ability to cause fear in the nations which would harm Israel, Samson, though anointed and highly favored of God, his vice toward prostitutes, his weakness for women led him to Delilahs bed, and that one moment in the flesh cost Samson not only his eyesight, but his strength, his honor and sadly, his anointing, and it eventually cost him his very life.

Flesh is the hardest thing we, as believers, can deal with. Flesh will always fight spirit, it will always want its way - not God's way. This is why the apostle Paul said in Galatians 5:16 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." When the believer places their faith in what Christ did on the cross, the flesh will resist at every opportunity it can, but that saving faith will carry over and bring the flesh under control - because of the cross.

This allows the Holy Spirit to help us in those areas of our lives where we struggle, it fortifies us daily so that we can overcome the temptations of life. It's when we look to something other than the cross that the flesh (sin nature) begins to arise that we get into trouble - because flesh does not like to yield itself to the spirit of God. But if we are going to walk in the spirit, we must, as Paul once said 'die daily' so that we can grow and mature in the Lord and live an overcoming life.

 

 

[Christopher Gregory]

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Mark 14:38 ... Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.



Romans 8:3-4 ... For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.



1 John 2:16-17 ... For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.❤

Suffered

We must never forget that Christ did not suffer just during His three years of public ministry or the last few days of His life when He was crucified. No, He suffered throughout His life on earth. He who was without sin lived daily with the corruption and sinfulness of lost humanity.

[A.B. Simpson]

Hebrews 2:18 ... For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Hebrews 4:15 ... For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

1 John 3:5 ... And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.  ❤

Our Help

God does not give us what we can handle ~ God helps us handle what we are given.

[Author Unknown]

Psalm 124:8 ... Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ... There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians 15:56-57 ...  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ❤

Resist the Devil

Temptation is the devil looking through the keyhole. Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in.
 

[Billy Sunday]

Matthew 26:41 ...  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Romans 12:9 ... Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

James 4:7 ... Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ❤

His Grasp

When a person has the fullness of the Spirit of God, he will experience great conflicts with the Devil. God allows temptation because it does for us what storms do for oak trees, rooting us deeper, and it does for us what heat does for paint on porcelain, giving us long-lasting endurance.  You will never fully realize the level of strength of your grasp on Christ, or His grasp on you, until the Devil uses all his force to attract you to himself. It is then you will feel the tug of Christ’s hand.

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

Isaiah 41:10 ... Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

2 Peter 2:9 ... The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

John 10:28 ... And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. ❤

You Can Know

In any trial, in any bitter situation, you are not alone, you are not helpless, you are not a victim. You have a tree, a cross, shown to you by the Sovereign God of Calvary. Whatever the trial or temptation, it is not more than you can bear. It is bearable. It can be handled. You can know as Joseph knew, "Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." (Genesis 50:20).

[Kay Arthur]

1 Corinthians 10:13 ... There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. ❤

Why Temptation is Like Ice Cream

Nelson Searcy tells of a study that was conducted about the best tasting ice cream. Members of the control group were blindfolded and given all kinds of vanilla ice cream to taste—quality brand ice cream, gourmet ice cream, homemade ice cream, cheap ice cream and everything in between.

It didn't matter if it was gourmet, brand name, or homemade ice cream, The number one determining factor was the percentage of fat in the ice cream. In other words, the more fat that was in the ice cream, the more people liked it.

As Searcy stated, "Now, isn't that one of the ironies of life? Why can't fried chicken, which happens to be my favorite food, be as good for you as an apple? I have never heard a doctor say—'A fried chicken leg a day will keep the doctor away.' The reason they say that is because if you had fried chicken every morning for breakfast, it would probably keep the doctor nearby because your cholesterol would shoot up. I guess I'll have to settle for apples."

And who does not like a good fatty ice cream? As a kid we even used to pour pure cream over our ice cream. Yum! Yum! We had no idea how unhealthy that was.

Temptation, too, can have an overpowering attraction and appeal. It can look fabulous and at first taste very inviting—but in the long run its effects are deadly. It reminds me of an extremely beautiful fish that is found on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It’s only very small but its sting is incredibly painful. It needs to be avoided at all cost. Same with sin. Regardless how attractive it appears, its end result is deadly so it needs to be avoided at all costs. As Searcy said, “When we give in to temptation, we always regret it because in the long run we always give up something greater for instant gratification right now.

[Richard Innes]

1 Corinthians 10:13 ... There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. ❤

Resist

Every moment of resistance to temptation is a victory.

 [Frederick W. Faber]

James 4:7 ... Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 1:12 ... 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.

1 John 5:4 ... For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. ❤

At The End of Your Rope

What a wonderful place to be—at the end of your rope! I have always said that when you hit rock bottom you bump into God!

[David Wilkerson]

1 Peter 4:13 ... But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, WHEN his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

2 Corinthians 1:9-10 ... But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he WILL yet deliver us.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ... There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but WILL with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. ❤

Perseverance

By perseverance the snail reached the ark.

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

1 Corinthians 9:24 … Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

Hebrews 12:1 … Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

James 1:12 … 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. ♥

Image: flickr - Brendan DeBrincat

Two Wolves

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil -- he is anger, envy,sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good -- he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight is going on inside you -- and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

[Author Unknown]

Joshua 1:8 … This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.


1 Peter 2:2-3 … As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.


Matthew 26:41 … Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.


Galatians 6:8 … For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.


Matthew 4:4 … But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.♥

Temptation

We must not count temptation a strange thing. "The disciple is not greater than his master, nor the servant than his lord." If Satan came to Christ, he will also come to Christians.

[J.C. Ryle]

Hebrews 4:15 … For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Mark 14:38 … Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

James 4:7 ... Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

2 Timothy 2:22 … Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

1 Corinthians 10:13 … There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

James 1:12 … 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. ♥

Count It All Joy

Fiery trials make golden Christians.

[William Dyer]

James 1:2-3 ... My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

1 Peter 1:6-7 ... Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. ♥

Victory Road

Directions to my Father's house:

Make a right onto "Believeth Blvd." Keep straight and go through the Green Light, which is Jesus Christ.

From there, you must turn onto the "Bridge of Faith," which is over troubled waters. When you get off the bridge, make a Right and Keep Straight. You are on the "King's Highway" -- Heaven-Bound.

Keep going for three miles: One for the Father, One for the Son and One for the Holy Spirit.

Exit off onto "Grace Blvd." From there, make a Right turn on "Gospel Lane ." Keep straight and then make another Right onto "Prayer Road ."

As you travel on your way, Yield Not to the traffic on
"Temptation Ave." Also, avoid "Sin Street" because it is a Dead End!!

Pass up "Envy Drive," and "Hate Avenue." Also, pass "Hypocrisy Road," "Gossiping Lane," and "Backbiting Blvd."

However, you must go down "Long Suffering Lane", "Persecution Street" and "Trials and Tribulations Avenue." But that's all right, because "Victory Road" is straight ahead! Amen!

[Author Unknown]

But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15 ♥