I have this neat friend who is kind and giving. She is a fun person… maybe even a clown and gets people laughing and since laughter is a great medicine you know that is a good thing. My friend loves the LORD but has not studied the Bible much until the past year or so. She now loves Bible study. There is just this one thing I have noticed…. She can study and study and study the Bible and then the only thing she talks about from all her study is some obscure concept that has absolutely nothing to do with knowing JESUS or GOD the Father better or how to live right. Her bunny trails are like the proverbial controversy: how many angels can fit on the head of a pen.
Recently my friend confronted a loved one who used bad language but this time she used my name, saying that I say that the devil can give us thoughts…
Well, she was right on there… for our battle is in the mind (II Cor.10:3-5) and just like that serpent Satan whispered to Eve in the garden that GOD was trying to keep something good from her, so he whispers lies and puts words and thoughts in our minds. And I tell you, he can sound more like me than me.
But although he can put thoughts in my mind, I alone choose what I do with those thoughts or words.
Just like JESUS chose what to do with his suggestions in the wilderness.
I can remember clearly a situation many years ago when tempting thoughts hit so hard and it sounded so like me and you know what is the use of fighting yourself? … but from within another voice whispered, “It’s the battle, Sharon” I had to choose who I was going to listen to… GOD or the liar. If you can’t tell by content whose voice is speaking simply ask. For GOD promises that if we acknowledge HIM that HE will direct us.
Our teacher, the Holy Spirit will show us who is doing the talking if we will stop and ask.
Bill Crosby’s famous, “The devil made me do it” is a lie. The devil can’t make us do a thing. His power is simply in deception. He only has as much power as we give him.
My friend’s love one misunderstood what my friend meant and thought my friend had said she was full of the devil…(Boy how the devil can twist our words to cause division) and her loved one really got mad and won’t even talk to her now.
Of course my dear friend is heartbroken and I told her I would pray about it. After I prayed and went on to the task at hand. An answer began to surface. The answer was not to her problem with her loved one (but as it came into focus I could see they were directly related.) The answer was to a question I had been asking about my friend and the bunny trails she got on.
I had asked the LORD, why (when there was so much to see in a passage that showed us so much of the nature and dealings of GOD and showed us how it all related to us) all she seemed aware of was insignificant controversies like those we are told by Peter to avoid?
The answer to my question, was her answer to her loved one. Rather than to allow my friend to be drawn deeply into the nature of GOD, our enemy quickened her curiosity about insignificant statements to distract her from what GOD had for her in that passage and thus steal it from her.
For you see the devil comes not but to steal, kill and destroy. John 10:10 and he will use anything he can to accomplish that purpose.
What a reminder for me to avoid that pitfall of being turned aside to bunny trails.
.
Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.(what is the goal? In my friend’s case; what is the purpose of her Bible study? Is it to learn of GOD and HIS ways or use human reasoning to satisfy her curiosity?)
Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe.
Don't get sidetracked; Prov4:25-27
What is your focus for today? Are you willing to focus your thoughts and energies on God's blessings and upon His will for your life? Or will you let the enemy distract you, stealing your attention from what GOD would show you?
The choice is yours.
Hugs
Sharon
Recently my friend confronted a loved one who used bad language but this time she used my name, saying that I say that the devil can give us thoughts…
Well, she was right on there… for our battle is in the mind (II Cor.10:3-5) and just like that serpent Satan whispered to Eve in the garden that GOD was trying to keep something good from her, so he whispers lies and puts words and thoughts in our minds. And I tell you, he can sound more like me than me.
But although he can put thoughts in my mind, I alone choose what I do with those thoughts or words.
Just like JESUS chose what to do with his suggestions in the wilderness.
I can remember clearly a situation many years ago when tempting thoughts hit so hard and it sounded so like me and you know what is the use of fighting yourself? … but from within another voice whispered, “It’s the battle, Sharon” I had to choose who I was going to listen to… GOD or the liar. If you can’t tell by content whose voice is speaking simply ask. For GOD promises that if we acknowledge HIM that HE will direct us.
Our teacher, the Holy Spirit will show us who is doing the talking if we will stop and ask.
Bill Crosby’s famous, “The devil made me do it” is a lie. The devil can’t make us do a thing. His power is simply in deception. He only has as much power as we give him.
My friend’s love one misunderstood what my friend meant and thought my friend had said she was full of the devil…(Boy how the devil can twist our words to cause division) and her loved one really got mad and won’t even talk to her now.
Of course my dear friend is heartbroken and I told her I would pray about it. After I prayed and went on to the task at hand. An answer began to surface. The answer was not to her problem with her loved one (but as it came into focus I could see they were directly related.) The answer was to a question I had been asking about my friend and the bunny trails she got on.
I had asked the LORD, why (when there was so much to see in a passage that showed us so much of the nature and dealings of GOD and showed us how it all related to us) all she seemed aware of was insignificant controversies like those we are told by Peter to avoid?
The answer to my question, was her answer to her loved one. Rather than to allow my friend to be drawn deeply into the nature of GOD, our enemy quickened her curiosity about insignificant statements to distract her from what GOD had for her in that passage and thus steal it from her.
For you see the devil comes not but to steal, kill and destroy. John 10:10 and he will use anything he can to accomplish that purpose.
What a reminder for me to avoid that pitfall of being turned aside to bunny trails.
.
Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.(what is the goal? In my friend’s case; what is the purpose of her Bible study? Is it to learn of GOD and HIS ways or use human reasoning to satisfy her curiosity?)
Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe.
Don't get sidetracked; Prov4:25-27
What is your focus for today? Are you willing to focus your thoughts and energies on God's blessings and upon His will for your life? Or will you let the enemy distract you, stealing your attention from what GOD would show you?
The choice is yours.
Hugs
Sharon
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