School of Temptation

Do you ever wonder why temptation doesn't just flee? Why do we have to continually choose to stand against it?

Judges 3:1&2 tells us "These are the nations (temptations) that the Lord left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan.  He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle."

As a mom, I pray all the time that my children (spouse and self too) would be "easily entreated."  You see, I don't like trials and I don't want to go through them.  I just want to hear the Lord's voice and stay on His best path for my life to bring fruit to His kingdom.

The Israelites had a pattern, called the "sin cycle" that went something like this:

1.  The generation that saw His rescuing hand worshipped Him and kept His commands.
2.  The next generation, who didn't have that first hand knowledge, started to compromise.
3.  They started intermingling and worshipping other gods.
4.  God sent His punishment, usually in the form of an oppressor, to subdue them.
5.  They cried out to the real God for help and God sent them a rescuer.
6.  That generation followed Him.  Repeat cycle.

God, in His wisdom knows our human nature.  If our lives were easy, battle free, we too would grow complacent in our determination to set ourselves apart for Him.  Likewise, when we go through trials, our children see first hand how we handle it.  They see us on our knees and in the Word. They see us seeking His face.  Then they see His deliverance! Our children are learning the art of warfare, which they will pass on to their children, and so on.

God's plan is for us to be sharp, persistent and victorious. The trials will continue in the life, until we enter in to His final rest for us, but they are purposeful and He promises (1 Cor 10:13) He will not give us more than we can handle.

Warriors in Battle

There is a sacred time during the day at our house – naptime!!   Usually during this quiet time I read a portion from my devotional book and Scripture, I meditate on what I’ve read and journal.  This is also a great time to fold clothes, sweep the floor, mop up all that sticky stuff & junk under the kids’ chairs at the table, dust (only because others can see it), make the bed, do stuff on the computer, and so on.  But wait – there’s more…SLEEP (oh blessed sleep).  Some days I have to literally stand up to get through my devotional and Bible reading!   I want to spend time with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords yet I am still in my flesh and it is a battle nonetheless.

The battle: Spending time with the Lord vs. doing other things.

The weapon: Prayer and Bible reading.

When you set your mind on things above, you’ll want to stay there! (from Colossians 3:2)

One of the times I fought the battle and stayed/prayed up, I began to think of what I could do better with the time God has me here on earth.   After all, our life is like a vapor… (from James 4:14).  I started reading 1 Samuel 15:22, “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”  

Don’t we DRILL this into our kids’ heads – obey…  “Listen and obey”.  I love the song they sing at my son’s preschool, “O-B-E-Y, obey your mom and dad.”  LOVE IT!!  How about for us, “O-B-E-Y, obey your Father in Heaven.” 

If you have this kind of battle, put down the mop, stay awake and choose to be a warrior in the battle.  Obey what God wants to impart to you today.  It might be what makes the difference for your life.

Lord Jesus, we pray for all the mommas reading this.  Thank You for the time You give us to spend time with You daily.  It is truly a sacred, holy and blessed time.  We ask that you help us to ask, seek, listen, and obey.   We look forward to what You will speak into our lives today!  In the everlasting name of Jesus.  Amen.