Temptation or when we are being tempted comes from our own desires. They entice us and draw us away. Our attention then is not on eternal things but earthly things. Most importantly, our attention have then which was focused on God, being our first love has been substituted for a counterfeit which again gives off the illusion that it is the real thing. BUT we ultimately have a choice between choosing that which is genuine, most importantly alive versus that which is dead and is not cognizant that you are alive but most importantly, that which we allow ourselves to be drawn away from was made by the very hands they we have forsaken.
The temptations derive from our very own desires which gives birth to sinful action. Uh oh, "sinful action" equates to "willful disobedience to God." Have we broken the first commandment which presses upon us to love God the Father with all our heart, soul, and strength? When we sin beloved, or allows it to grow, it gives birth to a child called death.
Can you hear the "sweet velvety" sounds of the serpent as he is conversing with Eve, the mother of all creation about a particular tree she was forbidden to eat from? His lips are as sweet as honey I could imagine while his mouth is smoother than oil. BUT IN THE END, HE IS AS BITTER AS POISON, AS DANGEROUS AS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD. His intentions is to drag you down to death and will lead you straight to the grave. He cares nothing about the path of life, for he came to steal, kill and destroy. Yes, I have borrowed the lines from Proverbs 5 about avoiding immoral women, but that which you allow yourself to be drawn away whether it be immoral women, men, high fashion, food, education, prestige, power, etc. it somehow speaks a language to you that only you can identify and then you must make a choice of whether to converse with the object or person or remind yourself while being tempted is just as Jesus shut the devil down, "GET OUT OF HERE, SATAN," JESUS TOLD HIM. "FOR THE SCRIPTURES SAY, YOU MUST WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE ONLY HIM." Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.
It's no coincidence that every time I go into my email that on the right hand side of the screen there are advertisements of purses, clothing, sales from my favorite department stores. They speak out and cry out, "Dana, I'm on sale,buy me." Often times it happens when I have no money or funds are low and then you know what the next thought that comes into play, "WHY DON'T YOU USE YOUR CREDIT CARD AND PAY IT OFF NEXT MONTH?" Cold you imagine going through the motions on a daily basis? The death part is finding yourself with a bill at the end of the month with a high percent rate that you cannot afford. Could have used that money in a more God glorifying way? Of course but you can't serve two masters. You will either hate one and love the other. I'm not suggesting one is better than the other, but can you imagine choosing an inanimate object over the one, true, living God? I have on numerous occasions and many of us do with our closets filled with endless stacks of shoes and clothes with tags on them. The disgraceful part of it all is that we are trying to keep up with the Jones but has anyone considered whether Mr and Mrs Jones was spiritually poor yet having the world's riches? And we try to live up to their example instead of the most excellent---Jesus the Christ!
We, myself included must not be misled, as James suggests to the disciples in chapter 1, "every good and perfect gift comes from God the Father." Everything that glitters is not gold and if we keep our hearts, minds and strength centered on the One who matters, then we will not be so easily moved or misled.
Be blessed Divas!
From my heart to yours!
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