BIBLE PASSAGE:
There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.
(Proverbs 16:25)
MEDITATION:
When Satan attacks us, he knows he will have
his greatest success when he can infiltrate our mind.
When he can change our thinking, he can change our desires.
When he can change our desires, he can cause us to ignore
God’s laws to mankind as we create our own guidelines.
How does that impact us?
When we are driven by our own desires and not
by the laws and boundaries established by God,
we will begin to look at things differently.
We will start tolerating things that are contrary to God’s will,
because we want to avoid confrontation.
We make a conscious choice to conform to the ways of the
world and fulfill our own desires, rather than obeying God.
As a result, we start justifying our acceptance of
those things in opposition to God (the things He hates).
Eventually, we will ‘parse’ and manipulate scriptures in order
to support our disobedience and defiance of God, our Creator.
We will extract scriptures out of context and create new meanings
for them which ‘fit’ our desires, and blend in with the world.
Satan uses the world to apply pressure on our beliefs in such
a way that only those strongly connected to the Lord will
recognize his efforts and reject what God rejects.
It is important that all believers avoid vehement arguments
and finger pointing, but with kindness and consideration
stand firm and refuse to compromise our faith.
Look at how successful Satan has been in his efforts.
God says, “do not murder”, but Satan has corrupted the thinking
of many so that they have justified the killing of God’s creations
before they are even born (and the boundaries are being extended
to include death at birth).
God says, “Do not commit adultery”, but Satan has corrupted
the minds of many so that they have considered (and justified)
living together without being married as being okay with God.
Those are just two examples of how he has convinced people
of a “way that appears right”, but neither are right in God’s eyes.
However, there are many other ways he infiltrates our minds.
For example, I have heard comments like,
“Cancer is God’s way of punishing people”.
That doesn’t sound like the loving and caring God who created us.
God’s has a purpose in ALL things that is for our benefit.
And we know that in all things God works for the good
of those who love him, who have been called according
to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
His desire is for us to grow closer to Him, and although He
may discipline us in order to draw us closer to Him, He will
not punish us in an effort to drive us further away from Him.
God loves us and He wants us to be usable for His purposes.
We might not know His plans, but when we live close to Him
(love Him), we know that He is interested in what is best for us.
However, if we do not know Him, we will make statements
like the one about cancer being punishment, because we are
under the influence of Satan, and not God.
Satan has corrupted our minds to the degree that we think we
have all the answers – our ways “appear right”, when in reality
we couldn’t be more wrong.
Satan can stir our desires so much that we will try to
re-interpret God’s Word, or even worse, decide that He
has made some mistakes in his guidelines and boundaries.
Unless Satan has corrupted someone’s thinking, why would
anyone who knows that God said, “do not murder”,
decide that it is okay to kill His creations?
Why would someone who knows that God said,
“do not commit adultery”, decide that it is okay
to live in sin without marriage.
And what’s even worse is – quite often those who
have had their thinking corrupted by Satan, try to
tell others what is right and what is wrong.
How much more hypocritical can that be?
“I am violating God’s laws, but I’m going to tell you how
you should live, what God is thinking, what is right and
wrong, and how God is involved in your life”.
The scriptures are clear when it says that, when we are under
the influence of Satan, and have a “way that appears right”
in our own mind, we are destined for “death”
and not for the life which comes from God.
We can justify our actions, manipulate scriptures,
and think we have all the answers, but when God’s will is
replaced by “a way that appears right” to us, we are destined
for death (hell) – that’s what almighty God has said in His words.
ACTION:
Has Satan infiltrated your mind and convinced you
that you have all the answers and that you have
discovered a way that “appears right” to you?
Has he manipulated your thinking so that you have begun
re-interpreting scriptures in order to justify actions that are
contrary to God’s laws?
Think about it for a moment – doesn’t it make sense that if
you feel the need to justify your actions (and thinking),
then it’s because you know you are outside of God’s will,
and you want to clear your own conscience and convince
others that what you are doing and thinking is okay?
Never forget that we need to be concerned
about pleasing God, and not mankind.
Are you living a lifestyle that you know
does not fit within the guidelines and boundaries
established by God, and defined in His Word?
Manipulating God’s Word to fit our own desires and actions
is never a good thing, and it will result in deadly consequences.
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, forgive me if I am guilty of manipulating
scriptures in order to justify my thinking and actions as I
pursue a way that appears right to me. Alert me when Satan
has infiltrated, and is corrupting my mind in such a way that
I am exceeding the boundaries You have given us for avoiding
death, and achieving life. Help me to remove his influence on
my thinking and return to You and Your Word, which is truth
and is not to be debated, or manipulated. Remind me that Your
way is right, and anything to the contrary is a result of Satan’s
influence. Thank You, Father, for being the solid foundation
I can depend on. Help me to be usable by You, so that I will
not be in conflict with what you have commanded for those
who seek life.”
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