Brothers and sisters,
I know that this comes a little late, well two days late, but hey its better late than never, right? When life becomes predictable it loses its flavor and excitement, i think. So its really a gift that we never know when i will post a blog, right? At least thats my story and im sticking to it. No but seriously i have worked out my class schedule, and i am making a weekly work schedule, so that this doesn't happen again. And i will be posting the blog on Wednesday mornings, before ten. Hope that helps.
What about this week? I know that we dont have much time to dive into the text for this week, but maybe this last minute blog will keep the text fresh, so when we talk about it in the morning, it will be an engaging, stimulating, empowering conversation. Plus i want to see how many, though i dont expect many to read this, because it is so late, read the blog, because the message will begin to quote the blog, share stories, and just be a continuation of the blog.
But i will keep it short and sweet. Or i will do my best...
In the spirit of the text, i could say that Satan was tempting me to avoid the blog, to see who actually reads, but that would be a cop out that too many Christians have used to justify their behavior, and it would be a lie. No. But temptation does come, a lot, and i have, all too often caved to the tempter, which only stands to make Satan stronger, me weaker, and Jesus less audible.
How? I have shouted/lost my temper. Not sure that honors Jesus. I have gone on binges where i buy a lot of CD's, many which i dont need or use, that doesn't honor Jesus. I have succumbed to the need to draw attention to myself, even manipulating people, often times without the results i wanted, only to push Jesus further away from my heart. And i have done so many things, all too often, that have silenced the author of my faith, the sustainer of my faith, and the reason for my faith, to the detriment of my faith and my whole being.
I wish i could give a great excuse, but i dont have any. I even know how to ward off the temptations: Scripture. But in those moments, i close my mind, my ears, and yes my heart to whatever and however, God wants to free me. Why do i do this? Why do i, like Paul, do what i shouldn't? Why does temptation have such a hold on me? And how does caving to temptation interfere with my ability to fulfill God's call for me?
Temptation steals. It steals my heart and attention and power away from God and empowers the enemy, who has no desire to offer me abundant life. Every cross word, weakens the cross. Every lustful thought, weakens Jesus. Every purchase that is not needed but serves an emptiness enables the evil one to only attack more. And with every failed choice, Jesus fades further into the darkness and Satan becomes that which i serve, even if only unknowingly.
I realize how dark and disturbing this blog is, but folks the truth is this: The TRUTH: Jesus, came to give us life and if we do not serve Him, fully serve Him, we will serve something, or worse, someone else. And more than that, when we give our lives to Jesus, wholly, Satan steps up the attacks. When we don't employ the weapons God gave us to stand against the enemy, we will succumb to the enemy. And that is a road that leads to hell. Not just the place of eternal anguish, but in this world. When we serve temptation, cave to temptation, we become slaves to that hell which becomes our lives. And that, friends, is not what Jesus wanted.
Jesus wants us to have life, abundant life. He wants us to open the door for others to experience that life. And He wants to free us from the pitfalls of this world, of the tempter, which only serve to destroy and rob us of life, true life. So we must battle against the principalities, and we must take up our cross and confront the evil one, face to face, with the weapon of Jesus: Love, Truth, Scripture, so that we can and will put Satan where he belongs: in the pit of Hell...
Amen.
Shalom,
jerry
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