TODAY'S PROMISE

"God blesses those who patiently endure

testing and temptation.  Afterward they will

receive the crown of life that God has promised

to those who love him."  

(James 1:12 NLT)

TRAPPED

TRAPPED  

That's right.

This raccoon was caught in the act and trapped,

caged, locked in - where it should not have been.

[For you animal lovers I hauled it so far off it could

not find it's way back and released it in the woods.]

What was the bait used to catch it.  The same bait

that catches you, food.            

That is about where the human race began.

After God created the first humans he told

them not to eat from that one tree.  But you

know as well as I what happened.  He said

"don't" so they did.  "When the woman saw

that the tree was good for food,...".   You

know the rest of the story.  The human race

has been in trouble ever since.

When I was a young man (many decades ago.)

they used to say, "The way to a man's heart is

through his stomach."  And I remember the 

batch of  chocolate chip cookies in the bottom

of my foot locker in the Navy.  TRAPPED.

Or consider how many an obese person has

died a premature death.   Am I picking on 

food.  Not really.  I like to eat as well as you

do.  If we don't keep eating we will be in 

serious trouble.

But right now I am  thinking of food more

as a temptation.  Or some other temptation

could just as well be the bait that traps us.

Is it any wonder that Jesus Christ said;

"Keep watching and praying that you

may not enter into temptation; the

spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

(Matthew 26:41 NASB)  

I like the way John Dryden said it;

"Better shun the bait than struggle in

the snare."   

UNDER ATTACK

Image courtesy of: www.Pixabay.com  

Under attack -AGAIN.

It started the other night.  There is something I dislike

and it was really getting to me.  Most of the time I can 

tolerate it, but that time it was almost more than I could

handle.

Then yesterday something kept me on edge all day.

I did not finish the day well.

Today it was continuing.  I just was not myself.

Then God woke me up to the fact - I am under 

the attack of the devil - AGAIN.

WELL, PRAISE GOD.

It is good to know what is going on.

What an encouragement.  Yes, encouragement.

The devil don't like the way my life is going.

Even Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil.

You know about his being tempted by the devil

in the wilderness for 40 days.  Then, when it was

over:

"When the devil had finished every temptation,

he left Him until an opportune time."

(Luke 4:13 NASB)  

Do you see that?  The devil left him until an

opportune time.  Just like you and me, Jesus

Christ was tempted time after time while he 

was here on earth - except, He did not fail.

God tells us through old brother James:

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you

encounter various trials, knowing that the

testing of your faith produces endurance."

(James 1:2,3 NASB)   

Is it any wonder that time after time through

the Bible we see "To him who overcomes,..."

or he that "conquers". 

 Jesus, take my hand and

lets get going.